Racism, discrimination and lack of freedoms in certain parts of the Middle East are deemed acceptable to the media and major corporations.
Some prime examples can be found even recently: SNC-Lavalin Group is the largest engineering and construction company in Canada, one of the five largest global design firms in the world – and indeed racism is acceptable for them. As they state on a partner’s website in a recent help wanted spot, they are seeking a Public Relations officer in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia – but only Arab nationals are free to apply. As the job post states- “Non-Arabs: please excuse.” Is discrimination acceptable to SNC-Lavalin? The very clear answer is yes.
Of course, it’s a step up for the company which paid $160 million in bribes to win business in Libya, including purchasing luxury yachts for Gadhafi’s son. So, if they are only discriminating in favor of Arabs rather than bribing murdering dictators, clearly it’s an improvement for SNC-Lavalin.
In a move which even the most ardent apologist for the Muslim Brotherhood can’t ignore, Bassem Youssef, a leading Egyptian talk show host, was arrested and questioned for five hours, facing charges of “insulting Islam,” “insulting the President,” and “spreading false news with the aim of disrupting public order.”
Much of the free world supported the “Arab Spring,” and now one wonders if in Egypt the people – or Western interests – are in better shape than they were previous to the rule of Muslim Brotherhood. Meanwhile, the anti-Israel and anti-American Muslim Brotherhood government is implementing Shariah law. Its new constitution strips religious liberty from Egypt’s Christians and is an increased threat to the West.
While worldwide media attacks Israel regularly, they ignore the fact that Christians face tremendous danger throughout the Arab Middle East. Christians in Egypt face terrible hardships and discrimination and in Gaza, churches are few and far between. Christians in the Middle East face many difficulties, dangers and hardship. This PR firm owner asks why don’t liberals demand the freedom of prayer for non-Muslims in the Middle East?
While media focus on Israel day after day after day, it’s far from headline news that March 2013 saw 6,000 documented deaths in Syria – including nearly 300 children, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Since the start of the civil war, there have been more than 62,500 deaths. Naturally, the student association of York University, Canada’s third largest university, saw fit to pass a resolution endorsing the global boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel. They made no statement whatsoever about Syria – nor do media focus around the clock on the deaths which occur day after day in Syria.
Media reports on Jerusalem did discuss the $1 billion dollar fund which Qatar has purportedly set up for “Arab Jerusalem.” Meanwhile, Jews are condemned for purchasing property in Eastern Jerusalem. One wonders why discrimination is considered acceptable in the Middle East? If Jews are allowed to live anywhere they choose in Moscow or Mexico City, Paris or Chicago, then why can’t they live anywhere they choose in Jerusalem?
It’s damn well time that the world stops accepting discrimination in the Middle East. Why is it that all these bastions of liberal co-existence ignore this policy when it comes to the Middle East?
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