GN heads to hell, in a handcart
"Lately, the local media has taken an increasing interest in highlighting labour issues which are wildly exaggerated for nefarious reasons.
"This can be judged from the malicious language used by the local press in reporting such issues."
Is this (PDF archive) the most ill-conceived, mendacious, hypocritical government-fawning Kretin Times-style tripe ever published in Gulf News?
"The government, which does not infringe on the workers' rights, has nothing to do with these violations. This is because the UAE is a state of law and institutions, where justice prevails."
Bollocks.
Gulf News used to be fantastic, what the hell is happening to it? Columns like that just embarrass the entire paper.
"This can be judged from the malicious language used by the local press in reporting such issues."
Is this (PDF archive) the most ill-conceived, mendacious, hypocritical government-fawning Kretin Times-style tripe ever published in Gulf News?
"The government, which does not infringe on the workers' rights, has nothing to do with these violations. This is because the UAE is a state of law and institutions, where justice prevails."
Bollocks.
Gulf News used to be fantastic, what the hell is happening to it? Columns like that just embarrass the entire paper.
14 Comments:
I think he writer is from the Arabic paper, Ittihad. No doubt they just stepped over the line of too much syndication.
did the same comment run in Al Ittihad too?
My take, over at Emirates Economist, is that GN published this op-ed to expose such attitudes and arguments. They exist and if all you can read is the English language press you are not aware it exists. (Or, at least, if the GN editor was forced to take this op-ed he/she took the opportunity in other ways to communicate that publication hardly constituted endorsement by the editor.)
I praise the GN for bringing these "thoughts" to light. Hidden away such ideas can mushroom. Exposed to the light of day they can be exposed. And eviscerated.
Either this guy is completely clueless or is a local trying to defend his country, or both. Could even be a information minister disguised as a less-than-competant reporter.
"There is no country in the world that welcomes foreign workers the way the UAE does"
Sadly, that last paragraph of his is most likely true.
And whats up with the crayon drawing of a construction helmet with the fish skeleton on it?!
And whats up with the crayon drawing of a construction helmet with the fish skeleton on it?!
Could be an awful rendition of Full Metal Jacket.
The Gulf News has been utter crap as long as I have been paying attention to it, which is about 2 years. With writers like Linda Heard, Patrick Seale, and Adel Safty, they could save money by sacking the editorial team and purchasing a piece of software that writes:
Israel, evil, USA, Bush, evil, west, neo-cons, hypocrisy, Israel, evil, USA, colonists, Bush, evil, Israel, the west, hypocrisy, USA, evil, Jews, colonists, etc.
ad infinitum.
Shaper85, you're right about the last sentence in the column. This is the only country that grants residence/work visas with ease, as long as you find a job. I am sure most labourers would rather go to the West, where their rights would be semi-protected, but nobody would let them near a border, let alone in the country. No use preaching labour rights when its someone else's problem. However, that doesnt let the UAE off the hook, that more needs to be done to protect a mainstay of their economy - the labourers.
@ Mohamed Elzubeir
When it comes to journalism, one factor remains of prime importance. And that factor is 'objectivity'. KT has never heard of the word and while GN has been exercising it now and then, it seems to have hit a rough patch with that article.
@Mohamed Elzubeir...not just 'Iran/Arabs/Muslims'...most Americans can't tell the difference between all brown people and terrorists...They aren't smart enough to know the difference between Persians, Arabs and who's a Muslim and who's not.
American publications do the same thing except that you can replace Israel/Jews/US/Bush with Iran/Arabs/Muslims
And? What's your point? That the Gulf News is not crap because there are American publications that are equally crap?
I did not argue whether it is crap or not. I simply am saying that papers reflect public opinion. So, your entire logic is flawed.
Wrong. Your logic is flawed.
A newspaper can be judged solely on its content, and the content of GN is garbage, whether this content reflects public opinion or not. A good newspaper prints a range of opinions, and does not produce garbage simply because that happens to be the prevailing opinion of the time.
Oh come off it! The crap that is printed in newspapers in the UAE is decided by the head honchos who have strong connections with the government. That's how it is and that's how it will always be.
If some poor brave soul attempts to print an anti govt. story, they get their wrists slapped and promptly lose their jobs. Fact with Emirates Today, Gulf News and Kretin Times...if you don't believe it then check the credit lines carefully and see how names of writers disappear after a few negative stories.
Hah! A gay sheikh? And the brother of Khalifa? Who knew? Its no wonder then that they keep him kept away in Switzerland.
I suggest you take another look around you. Life is not that simple.
I appreciate that you may find a discussion on the quality of newspapers a bit complicated, but the subject really is quite a simple one and looking around is not going to achieve much by way of greater understanding.
I'd also hesitate to extrapolate the complexities of Gulf News opinion pages as applicable to life in general, but maybe you have found a connection?
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