Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Russian woman put on trial in Dubai for drinking juice in public

Ayashe · 09-27-2008, 09:39 AM

I agree that you should become aware of the cultural norms and laws of the area you are visiting before you visit and follow them to the best of your ability. What they did was against the law, and they will be responsible for paying their fines for their lawbreaking which is the right thing to do. In fact by reading on it, it sounds as though they got off rather easily according to the law. That does not mean that I agree with the law however. That only means that when or if I visit, I am smart enough to follow basic rules whether I find them idiotic, humorous or even completely sensible. With that said, I am fairly certain that most most of us here would follow whatever applicable rules of whatever country they happened to be visiting.

It may be easy to pass judgment on "westerners" in making a broad statement that they have less regard for cultural sensitivities and are ignorant on cultural and religious influences on society. Mind you many of these westerners come from secular societies where religion is displaced as much as possible from the government and education. Mind you that the reasons for the displacement of religious influence from law, government and public education is to attempt to prevent one society over another from being discriminated against. Never mind that the whole idea of having actual laws based off of religion being incredibly foreign if not ridiculous to a secular culture. I am not saying that westerners are "doin' it right." What I am saying is that if you are asking for westerners to agree with religious based laws, you are asking for a great deal.

I agree completely that when I am in another country I am required to follow their rules and obligated to do some research to be sure I do. I agree that I would follow the rules and be respectful to the local cultural norms of whatever country I visit. I disagree that it would make me ignorant or insensitive because I personally disagree with religion being allowed in government. I am thinking that most of us who are commenting negatively towards the law would have no trouble following it, but have difficulty with the fact that religion is connected to the law in the way that it is.

09-27-2008, 09:39 AM	#69 (permalink)
Ayashe Psycho	I agree that you should become aware of the cultural norms and laws of the area you are visiting before you visit and follow them to the best of your ability. What they did was against the law, and they will be responsible for paying their fines for their lawbreaking which is the right thing to do. In fact by reading on it, it sounds as though they got off rather easily according to the law. That does not mean that I agree with the law however. That only means that when or if I visit, I am smart enough to follow basic rules whether I find them idiotic, humorous or even completely sensible. With that said, I am fairly certain that most most of us here would follow whatever applicable rules of whatever country they happened to be visiting. It may be easy to pass judgment on "westerners" in making a broad statement that they have less regard for cultural sensitivities and are ignorant on cultural and religious influences on society. Mind you many of these westerners come from secular societies where religion is displaced as much as possible from the government and education. Mind you that the reasons for the displacement of religious influence from law, government and public education is to attempt to prevent one society over another from being discriminated against. Never mind that the whole idea of having actual laws based off of religion being incredibly foreign if not ridiculous to a secular culture. I am not saying that westerners are "doin' it right." What I am saying is that if you are asking for westerners to agree with religious based laws, you are asking for a great deal. I agree completely that when I am in another country I am required to follow their rules and obligated to do some research to be sure I do. I agree that I would follow the rules and be respectful to the local cultural norms of whatever country I visit. I disagree that it would make me ignorant or insensitive because I personally disagree with religion being allowed in government. I am thinking that most of us who are commenting negatively towards the law would have no trouble following it, but have difficulty with the fact that religion is connected to the law in the way that it is.