Living in the US as an Arab

Consider that people are more likely to abide by the law if they are confident it secures their best interests and is for the greater good (given they could bring themselves to care for the greater good and are not too consumed or invested in living from hand to mouth, locked in a daily struggle). A Jordanian taxi driver commented recently that Jordanians are known for their subservience and acquiescence to changes in the law or economy- never protesting price changes but always taking it on the chin and staying quiet. Apparently this stereotyped Jordanian nature has spawned the term being 'Jordanian' and avoiding complaint. So hardly the disobedient rebellious spirit of the anti-queuer, outlined here, but Jaraad raises fine distinctions between two law enforcement styles- Ed.

"Disclaimer: Since this post is about culture differences between Arabs and Americans some people from either culture may feel offended by some issues discussed here."

"Part I: In Arabia

In general, Arabs are not the best nation when it comes to following orders. We just don’t like to be told what to do. We fail miserably when it comes to following orders that come from a higher authority."

"It’s not at all uncommon to hear stories about apps being removed from Apple’s App Store, but this most recent story has nothing to do with intellectual property infringement, which is often the case. Israel’s Public Diplomacy Minister Yuli-Yoel Edelstein has sent a request to Apple’s Steve Jobs, requesting that Apple remove an application called ThirdIntifada."

The flip side of some forms of religiosity:

"Do you have any idea what you’ve done to that child?

I know you were a child yourself…but you didn’t stop at that…you continued your malice attacks but in a different form…do you have any idea about the harm you have caused him?

You have changed a human being forever!

Your cruel remarks…your bigoty…your teasing, bullying and discrimination deformed him and many others like him."

A good read if you have the time (and won't feel guilty by indulging).

"This contribution shall deal with a number of topics having in common an emotion, a biblical story, and a painter. Its challenging title is not meant to exhaust the issue but rather to raise questions about the place individual and social “guilt” hold in a set of symbolic or real cases. For this purpose, I have chosen to begin with culturalism, then move to question the relevance of the orientalist couple guilt/shame; investigate the place of the story of David and Goliath in the Arab and Islamic traditions; show what Caravaggio and Picasso might have in common; and conclude with a few notes on guilt in a civil war, the Lebanese case."