Source ::: The Peninsula /By Abdullah Abdulrahman

DOHA: Disparaging remarks about National Day celebrations on a popular local website have upset many in the local community, says a young national.

Some remarks against the festivities and the people of Qatar as well as Asian expatriates were in bad taste and smack of racism, said Mohamed Al Jufairi, a civil engineer.

“We are quite upset and writing to some major corporations which advertise on this website to withdraw their patronage,” he told this newspaper in a brief interview yesterday.

Al Jufairi said he has received American education right from school to university levels and know what constructive criticism is. “But the comments about Qatari nationals and National Day are really humiliating.”

“We are all for freedom of expression but that does not mean you cross boundaries and heap insults on us,” he said.

Remarks that all Qataris are arrogant and egoists are not correct since a large number of them are simple-minded and good people. “Some of us may be bad but to say that all of us are arrogant cannot be true.”

The people who made derogatory remarks about Qatar and its people should look back at their own countries and see what happens there during New Year festivities, for instance. “Worst things happen in the West,” said Al Jufairi, insisting that nothing short of an apology from the website would calm tempers.

Other nationals this newspaper spoke to yesterday also expressed disappointment on the humiliating comments posted by several expatriates on this popular website.

Fahad Al Marri said, “The National Day was an opportunity for celebrating and if some faulty acts occurred during the celebration, it might be committed by handful of minors. Generalising individual behaviour over all Qataris was absolutely a fatal mistake. The people of Qatar respect celebrations of other people and the least thing they deserve is a mutual respect.”

Radhi Al Hajeri said, “I do not agree with the comments posted by visitors of that website as Qatar is known for its capability of organising leading events. Expatriate who complained of congestions and overcrowding had the facility of alternative routes. Why didn’t they use it?”

Mohamed Al Mullah said, “This is our National Day and it is our basic right to celebrate. It true, some youth due to their age had exaggerated in showing their happiness”.

Abduhamid Al Riyahi said, “I wonder why those bloggers have commented this way. All I noticed that expatriates including westerners had shared the happiness with their Qatari counterparts. Such comments were absolutely baseless”.

THE PENINSULA


Basically, some forumers wrote a thread called "Shame on Qatar National Day" calling people idiots and complaining of traffic and noise. Well, its a party and we deserve to have fun!

Nobody injured them and nobody touched them!

Really, we should boycott that site, and lobby against advertising there.

The advertisers include:

Qatar Airways
International Bank of Qatar
QTEL
QATAR FOUNDATION

IF any of you guys work there or know someone, please give them the site so that people stop supporting this racist site.

The problem is a lot of people come here, live the good life, and forget about the fucked up things they used to experience back home.

I've been in England for three years now, and i'll take one day of insanity over an entire year of insanity any day. I've had friends who have been mugged and threatened with broken glass bottles, know Arabs who were chased around being called "Paki" and told to "go home", people who were told by chavs not to speak English because "it wasn't their country"... NOTHING like that goes on here. And this happens on weekends mostly, not special occasions...

My point is that nowhere is perfect, but Qatar is better than most... at least there wasn't even a hint of violence, and nobody was under any kind of threat of injury as a result of the celebrations. I personally was very frustrated on Qatar National Day because of the traffic and noise (got stuck on Lusail St. for about one hour and a half that day lol), but its one day of the year, it isn't going to kill anyone if they get stuck in traffic or have to listen to a few horns blaring!

Either way... is the correct reaction to really hold Qatar Living responsible? From what i've read its individual forumers who have started these threads... it is unfair to destroy the website's reputation based on those select few.

^^
It's just like the media that always criticizes Dubai. I think the up and coming Arab world should prepare for this because some other countries and some of their people just can't take it to be beaten.I think it's all just based on jealousy and eventually it will go away.

I don't get what the big deal is.. LoL...

A few ppl made a thread complaining about traffic on Qatar's National Day, and all of a suddent there's outrage and ppl are feeling insulted?

The problem is a lot of people come here, live the good life, and forget about the fucked up things they used to experience back home.

I've been in England for three years now, and i'll take one day of insanity over an entire year of insanity any day. I've had friends who have been mugged and threatened with broken glass bottles, know Arabs who were chased around being called "Paki" and told to "go home", people who were told by chavs not to speak English because "it wasn't their country"... NOTHING like that goes on here. And this happens on weekends mostly, not special occasions...

My point is that nowhere is perfect, but Qatar is better than most... at least there wasn't even a hint of violence, and nobody was under any kind of threat of injury as a result of the celebrations. I personally was very frustrated on Qatar National Day because of the traffic and noise (got stuck on Lusail St. for about one hour and a half that day lol), but its one day of the year, it isn't going to kill anyone if they get stuck in traffic or have to listen to a few horns blaring!

Either way... is the correct reaction to really hold Qatar Living responsible? From what i've read its individual forumers who have started these threads... it is unfair to destroy the website's reputation based on those select few.


Your post is great! :)


But, yes, I would close this site if this is the harshest penality. This site lost its good reputiation for failing to ban these people who constantly bash on Qatar and insult Qataris and Qatar-loving expats.

Or, at the very bare minimum ban all those users who insult this great country. There is a way to criticize constructively, and to insult people.

I have and will lobby against the site, and make sure it stop getting funds from Qatari companies.

I don't get what the big deal is.. LoL...

A few ppl made a thread complaining about traffic on Qatar's National Day, and all of a suddent there's outrage and ppl are feeling insulted?

You havent read the original thread. It wasnt a complain. It was insulting directly the Qatari people, calling thm names, And the title was "Shame on Qatar National Day"

Qatar Living is a giant garbage, I didn't wait for this to personally boycott it ;) The site is so damn full of hatred and negativity, visiting it brings my mood down instantly. Without mentioning the general layout of the site which is -by any standard- crap. Can't even look at it, so ugly. One of the very worst sites I've come across on the web!

its our country
its our selabration
its our national day
its our freedom
this is Qatar
and this is us
who like it as its he is welcome and who dont he is welcome as well
its our right to selbrate as we want and as its fun for us
i think who write this is ...... i dont wanna say it
but we do what we want and this is the way we celbrate

i think who write this is ......

bitch

Ha....i disliked that site since i've seen ugly comments regarding qatar, eg. foreigners who look down on Qatar Airways.

^^ QatPhils, why are you leaving?

Oops hehe, i should have changed that since July, I left Qatar July 25 since my dad will be transferring.

I have seen the comment made by the owner of QL and he didn't seem to make any sign that they will moderate the site better. He just said these opinions are those of users and not of the site. Well I personally don't think it's enough. I was sent this online petition and I think something should be changed with these people! This is an online petition to try to force QL to change its ways. Please sign & spread the word. A peaceful resolution can't be done unless they see we mean business!

http://www.petitiononline.com/bcottql/petition.html

I have seen the comment made by the owner of QL and he didn't seem to make any sign that they will moderate the site better. He just said these opinions are those of users and not of the site. Well I personally don't think it's enough. I was sent this online petition and I think something should be changed with these people! This is an online petition to try to force QL to change its ways. Please sign & spread the word. A peaceful resolution can't be done unless they see we mean business!

http://www.petitiononline.com/bcottql/petition.html

Excellent! Thanks!

bitch

:okay: They should really just ban the site, people like them are not welcome here. They come here like leeches and suck on our money and still dont show any positive attitudes... i would rather have Bahrainis and Saudis working here than them. offcourse this is a solution if this dosent stop.

National Day is all about fun... no problem if you have heavy traffic in westbay-corniche area and roads leading to it or around it... it will only last 3 days (17th-19th)... if you dont want to celebrate then stay in your house ! learn your lesson... us Qataris love SHOW and parties... thats how we are..