Last night I read something quite... Disturbing.
I realize the rest of Saudi Arabia thinks we Najdis are barbarians, but please hear me out:
I am Najdi, and I never would have done that.
Never.
I am sorry you had to experience that, Mr.Yawmiyat. Really I am.
I have a story of my own.
My father was born in Najd, but grew up in Al-Shargiyah.
He was teased at school, they used to call him "Al-Najsi."
Not "Al-Najdi." Najsi.
My father tells us that story not with contempt or disfavor, he does not hold any grudges.
I wish I could say that was the end of this story.
When he was in second grade, he had a teacher that beat him every day.
He would walk into class and say, "Wain ilNajdi!?" (Where's the Najdi?)
The beatings got so bad that my father's older brother went to talk with the headmaster about it.
Second grade, can you imagine?
"What an assho- Err... What a jerk. Don't you hate him, Baba?" is what I said after hearing this story.
My dad just smiled and said: "No. He was ignorant. I pity him, but I do not hate nor resent him."
To this day my father refers to Ahl Al-Sharigiyah as the nicest people you will ever meet.
We could all learn something from this story.
I know that throughout history we Najdis have been absolutely horrid to the rest of you guys, I have heard all about the judges who always ruled in favour of the Najdi, the Quatif "quarantine", the butchering of innocent people in Hijaaz.
I've heard about it all, and it pains me. I hate to see anyone in the world suffering, let alone my own people (no not just the Najdis.)
We all have painful pasts. My (Najdi) grandfather watched the body of his aunt (that had been raped and murdered) being burried at the age of 11. He knew she was murdered and he had every reason to expect his mother, or even he, would be next.
My point is, and you knew this was coming, I am another "a7ma8" that is going to warn against generalization.
I of all people know it's hard not to generalize.
I know sometimes it even seems right, like when saying Najdis are idiots/jerks/jackasses/all of the above.
But let's be honest: it never is right.
If 99.9% of the population of Najd are idiots/jerks/jackasses/all of the above, it still wouldn't be fair to say they all are.
Thank you very much for not shoving a pen up that guy's ass, for not being violent or even rude. You really showed you are the bigger person.
And again, I'm sorry you have to go through that.
I look forward to the day we all become one big happy family!
My friend is telling me it'll never happen, let's prove her wrong.
ubergirl
PS. Wallah I love all of you guys! The Sunna, the Shee3a, il7jaaz, Najd, Shargiyah. You're all awesome! I feel all warm and fuzzy! Yay! Cupcakes for everyone!
Okay I'm going overboard. Sorry.
ubergirl
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The rants and rambles of an anti-airhead residing in the country made famous by oil wells and Bin Laden; Saudi Arabia.
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- ubergirl87
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19 comments:
السنة كالشيعة و الشيعة كالسنة
خضيري قبيلي كله واحد
مافي فرق بيننا
I agree.
Why are you criticising Ahmed for generalizing (which he has every right to do and telling him not to is simply PC garbage) when you've done the same many times over and for less deserving issues?!
Jo I never said I don't generalize. I also acknowledge that it is wrong.
I'm not critisizing, either. I'm just expressing my opinion.
I was generalizing, partly to make a point but that certainly is not a justification, and for that I apologize. I have some good Najdi friends, and one of them is actually one of the greatest people I've met in my entire life, but the thing is: I had a bad day, and that was the last thing I needed. I'm totally aware that I was generalizing, but I have to say that during this four years that I've been living in Riyadh I always had the misfortune to deal with this kind of people and not with people like you, Ubergirl. Maybe I'm not exactly comfortable with living in Riyadh (probably because it does not feel homey to me), but I carry no hard feelings in my heart for its people, and anyone else for that matter. I regretted posting that, really.
BTW, I'm Ahmed of Saudi Jeans, and Yawmyat is my Arabic blog. I'm glad you have chosen to post this on your blog because this way you are giving this conversation another dimension.
Ahmed, I completely understand. I say worse things in the heat of the moment.
Thanks a lot :)
Farah and Uber, if Ahmed was najdi then neither of you would give a damn about what he wrote.
Farah remember this: http://farahssowaleef.blogspot.com/2005/07/why-am-i-not-surprised.html
Ahmed, I'm disappointed in you ya5i. I can't blv you'd back down over PC garbage. All you did was state the obvious which both farah and uber blv in anyway.
Jo If he were Najdi I'd have the exact same reaction. This is not about being PC. Yes, I happen to be Najdi, but that doesn't mean anything.
Do you honestly think ALL Najdis are like the ones in Ahmed's story?
I don't. Not at all. And deep down, I am sure everyone knows they're not all like that.
Then why don't u quit generalising? Sorry but this is utter crap. You're saying it's wrong when you do the same damn thing. How many posts have u written where u generalise? And as soon as Ahmed does it u go off on him? I wonder why?!
I generalize, true. And I do think it's wrong. I do things that I think are wrong. There, I said it.
But I think it's different when I say someone is a certain way because of where they're from. That, I've never done.
And you're implying that I'm only mad because I'm Najdi. I only did this post because I'm Najdi, yes. Because I know that not all of us are like that. But I hate it just the same whenever someone says anything about il7jaaz or ilShargiya.
"comparing Jews with any other element is irrelevent as they're pretty much the richest and most priveleged race in the world."
Massive generalization (and no, I am not Jewish, but here in America there are millions of Jews who are either poor or simply middle class).
Generalization is generalization. To say that you can only generalize about your own people is bullcrap. Ahmed has been living in Riyadh for a few years now so it's not like he's passing judgement (although I don't believe for one second that he was) on Najdis. All he did was state the obvious about Najdis and their ill behaviour to others. And for you to go off on him just shows that you really don't view him as an equal. If you did then you would accept what he said, knowing and understanding that he is not the type of person to say something unless he has experienced it and there's truth to it.
You guys stop behaving like those ocsab fools. We have enough shit to deal with within this nasty blogosphere of ours!
All he did was state the obvious? So you're saying it's a fact that anyone from Najd is automatically rude?
Gotta say here - riyadhi people are among the rudest I have ever encountered. Bar none. In fact, you have several examples of this kind of rude behavior on this very blog ubergirl. Did it ever occur to you that you are so used to it that you don't notice.
Sometimes an outside perspective is more objective. Hypocrisy is not a pretty thing - you live in a country where the papers are full of criticisms of other people and countries and you are taught to look down on non-muslims throughout school. No wonder you all get so bent out of shape when "an outsider" points out the obvious.
oh I forgot to say, that also in your country no one is allowed to criticize your government, religion or culture -- while you are taught encouraged to look for the flaws in others. Small wonder you can't take what you are all too willing to dish out.
Fror: I am very critical of Saudi Arabia and of it's people.
It's like this: I can bitch about my mother all I want, but you can't.
When someone comes and "points out" what is wrong with Saudi Arabia I will get defensive.
We've been over this.
And I beg to differ, I think I am very polite.
What are you saying?
That it's okay to say that all Riyadhi's/Saudis are rude or ignorant?
Not all Riyadhis are rude, but enough of them are that they have gotten themselves quite a reputation. I mean just look at the drivers, the women cutting line, etc, etc, etc. I have seen behavior in Riyadh like I have never seen anywhere else, except perhaps Saudi women in western department stores - the lack of any sense of consideration for others is unbelievable. (as you yourself have complained many times on this very blog)
But the bigger point is that your can't have it both ways: if you feel it is your right to critisize non-Saudis (and you do at times) then you should know that you are behaving like a hypocrite if you object when non-Saudis critisize Saudi Arabia. No one takes a hypocrite seriously.
One more thing: if you are not one of those rude people, then you shouldn't take that which is said about your fellow citizens personally. After all, you are an individual, not a "group." (I hope)
Farah,
Whether Najdi, white, black, shiite, Jewish, 7jazi, etc. When generalizing about one's own, it is generally seen as acceptable.
No, it's not. I quit reading your blog because of all the garbage Abu Sinan was spewing about white Americans and Christians. It's only "acceptable" to comment about your own kind when it's done constructively.
Tear down the mosque
Tear doen the temple
But do not tear a persons heart
For God resides therein
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