[QUOTE="lo_Pine"][QUOTE="SaudiFury"] born in the USA, grew up in Saudi Arabia in the early to late 90's. Now I go back and forth a lot between the two. currently in college in the USA, will likely go back there for work. Don't know if i'll stay there forever, simply because i have no idea where i'll be in the long term future. SaudiFury
I am asking honestly, do people there hate Americans? Like what is the perception of the US there? Don't mind my extremists comments if you read them I am just being a dick .as honestly as i can say it is a love-hate relationship. they love American goods and media, even if you hear clerics talk about how sinful it is and all. but what most Saudi's really hate is American government and specifically their policy towards the Middle East. There is also an issue of immorality which is huge over there, but the feeling i get with most Saudis is this "that is what they do over there, what is important is what we do here". Many of the conservative types and even some of the 'patriotic' types have a huge issue when the West starts making social demands.
But as far as the immorality stuff goes, i see Saudi a lot like the 1950's America. all the $hit is going on, but it's all behind closed doors.
There is an obsession with keeping a proper public image, which really isn't that unique in the Middle East or the East for that matter.
The feeling i get nowadays about the reaction to 9/11 is one of two reactions. 1. That was an awful tragedy done by evil men, and 2. That is too bad but they had it coming. and by #2 i mean it in the sense, that if something terrible had happened in the Muslim world because it was messing with another country, Americans would probably think "that sucks.. but you know... it IS the Middle East and they've messing with them Israeli's for a long time now". it's a false lamentation.
There is still a sense of false delusion that Saudi's couldn't possibly have done the attack. That there was no way good Muslim men could do that. Some people have woken up to this problem when terrorists starting attacking the kingdom itself in 2003. but there are still those who can't believe it.
and i am a bit tained because i am a halfy, half white and half Arab (technically white by US government), and people generally know i'm from America, have an American mother, or know i live there for months or years at a time. So if someone honestly thought Osama was the 'man' they probably would never say it to my face.and i also don't associate myself with the hardcore conservative types.
trust me when i say, at times i'll defend Saudi, but a lot of times i won't. and though i have options as to where i can live and work, i have more care and have more at stake with what goes on in Saudi then what most people on this forum who ceaselessly criticize ever will.
Very nice insight, I enjoyed your point of view
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