"Electronic pimps"
"Farewell forever, Mother, I sent an SMS to a vulgar TV channel and have just triggered the apocalypse."
Forget Iran and the Mad Mayor's nukes, the greatest threat to the UAE's national security is interactive TV channels, according to Dubai Police Chief Lt Gen Tamim in his speech "Negative Media threaten National Security":
The police chief warned that if they are not stopped, "every house will lose a son, every mother will lose a daughter, and every house will lose stability. Media ministers and Arab rulers must take up the issue of interactive TV channels."
He said there is a "psychological error" in the minds of the group of people who run such channels, as they do not mind spreading corruption in the society with the aim of destroying it. He said anyone who sells his beliefs, religion, reputation, family and himself, finds it easy to sell his country.
One small SMS for man, one giant treasonous societal meltdown for sandlandkind.
Cell Block G is happily unpolluted by such televisual perversions, having no satellite dish nor cable nor TV aerial. But God forbid Lt Gen Tamim ever stumble across the internet in his quest for purer morals.
Forget Iran and the Mad Mayor's nukes, the greatest threat to the UAE's national security is interactive TV channels, according to Dubai Police Chief Lt Gen Tamim in his speech "Negative Media threaten National Security":
The police chief warned that if they are not stopped, "every house will lose a son, every mother will lose a daughter, and every house will lose stability. Media ministers and Arab rulers must take up the issue of interactive TV channels."
He said there is a "psychological error" in the minds of the group of people who run such channels, as they do not mind spreading corruption in the society with the aim of destroying it. He said anyone who sells his beliefs, religion, reputation, family and himself, finds it easy to sell his country.
One small SMS for man, one giant treasonous societal meltdown for sandlandkind.
Cell Block G is happily unpolluted by such televisual perversions, having no satellite dish nor cable nor TV aerial. But God forbid Lt Gen Tamim ever stumble across the internet in his quest for purer morals.
Labels: censorship, culture, media
14 Comments:
Ahh.. elhamdilla.. I can pray 2 rakaas now East to celebrate the end of my traffic woes in Dubai.
"But God forbid Lt Gen Tamim ever stumble across [insert sonapur/al wathba/deira/etc] in his quest for purer morals"
SD, if you could read arabic you would want those channels shut down to. Every second channel on Satalite is fcuking interactive and it seems to be the same group of 12-18 year olds sending the same stink messages about their un dieing love, each time.
Jassim I can quite believe it. The issues for me are:
1. The stuff going on on the internet is way, way worse, even in English (ever dropped into #dubai ?)
2. The motivation of these young people. Is really sinister stuff going down, or is it harmless flirting? And while flirting is haram in local cultures here, is it realistic in the year 2007 with the internet and cinema and general TV to expect segregated hormonal young people not to seek one another out in any way they can? Maybe these TV channels are kind of a safe-ish outlet.
How interesting, old people are saying that young people's behavior is corrupt. What a real surprise, really a new concept. Old people need to relax, cause their parents did the same thing with their whatevers (short sleeved shirt! the world is ending!).
The article noted, however, that 74% of young Emiratis didn't know about these channels. Now, fortunately, this "awareness campaign" will tell them how they, too, can meet! more! mates!
Censorship creates excitement. There are no more grateful authors than those whose work are branded obscene; in history, it has inevitably heightened reader interest. Onward, warriors for decency, onward!
After the mobile phone number thrown unto unsuspecting passerbys in shopping malls, after the bluetooth revolution, now the vulgar tv channels are threatening the integrity of UAE youth...
Technology is the root of all evil,therefore electricity should be banned.
Sshhh! Dont tell Lt Gen Tamim about the Internets, he will get his buddies at the TRA to Broxy them.
Hmmm #dubai ...
/me heads off to #dubai with my trout :)
You know what really pisses me off, though.. while I find the entire thing funny (a TV channel corrupting kids, blabla.. whatever).. is that this guy needs to seriously take a drive around the many streets of Dubai where street hookers freely strut their stuff. Now, I would dare say that it is possible to be dramatic and make a statement such as "every house will lose a son... to AIDS." Perhaps the "psychological error" is something the people running interactive TV channels share with Lt. General Tamim.
Don't get me wrong, I think Tamim has a superb police force that I am thrilled to have around us. But if you are the dude calling the shots, you may as well look at your own backyard before starting to talk about freaking TV channels.
On another note, I have occasionally visited friends who would put on some music and I can see the messages scrolling down the screen. Yes, it's annoying. But, you know what, that's how those gazillion TV channels survive the deeply segmented market here (middle east).
Live and let live.. and if your house is made of glass... you know the saying, Lt. General Tamim..
Hahaha Poo!
Wow! So many people in here use IRC! That's pretty cool! In fact, I am surprised SD knows about #dubai on IRC hahaha. You seem like a REAL online junky, SD. But, your points are well taken.
In defense of the General though, I would say that he is right in trying to stop the vices that he can. Granted, there is too much going on from prostitution in the streets of Dubai to the a/s/l/pic of cyber world. But, that doesn't mean one should ignore obvious and nauseating lovey-dovey comments splashing all over TV (which is more accessible to young kids). Although what the authorities are trying to achieve is a double-edged sword: On the one hand, UAE wants to attract foreigners (white skin no less)to boost its tourism and at the same time preserve its traditions and heritage and not pollute its young minds. It's pretty hard (if not impossible) to get that delicate balance right.
I think the problem with Eastern media today is that we are getting way too vulgar. So much so, that we have left the Westerners behind! Try watching Indian channels for a day or 2. 24 hours non-stop bikini clad indian women dancing in the most seductive manner! The horror of all this is that indian movies/programs are not rated neither do they air on specific timings when young kids can be kept away from such content.
I normally dont watch movies, but some time back a stupid friend of mine forced me to watch this indian movie. I was told it was comedy. By God, it was more like soft porn! And Indian and Pakistani families had come en masse to watch this "comedy" with their children and elderly. And the icing on the cake, there was a local couple sitting next to me (who were pretty young).
Bah, I digress...
Kids here way to much time and money to send SMS to such channels.
The city life of Dubai or UAE is such that one cannot go out and play cricket or any other games at suitable place without shelling out cash, so i am not surprised at kids doing as such.
Long ago some general did woke up and shouted PROXY and now even harmless sites are blocked.
Sheez
Hey Al Republican,
Why does it bother you that other people enjoy watching those movies?
- DD
Hey, can anyone tell me where to go for #dubai? You have me intrigued...!!!
The stuff going on on the internet is way, way worse, even in English (ever dropped into #dubai ?)
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