Topic: My blog went viral. Went to MCDs in Pakistan.

[Pugnate]

This is what happened:

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/13812/this-is-an-islamic-republic-you-cant-sit-next-to-your-wife/comment-page-4/#comment-146820

The comments are making me sick though. It would be nice if you guys would read them and post some supporting replies.

Here is the world catching this news:

http://www.businessinsider.com/pakistan-mcdonalds-in-trouble-for-enforcing-its-own-moral-code-2012-9

http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/pak-married-couple-made-to-sit-apart-in-mcdonald-s_799183.html

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/pakistan-mcdonalds-asks-couples-to-sit-apart/290883-56.html

[Pugnate]

So the editor told me that the Tribune was required to post a right-winged approach to the subject. So they did. The responses are heartening:

http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/13844/please-spare-us-from-your-pda/#comment-146857

Maybe Pakistan isn't so lost.

[idolminds]

If he is inclined towards sitting with his arm around his wife, why go to a family restaurant?

Seriously, what the fuck? That last article reads like something out of The Onion.

[nickclone]

I read this on Facebook, its weird, but I'm not foreign to it. I used to go to this hookah bar all the time, it was filled with Middle Eastern people who would give us weird looks when we sat next to our female friends.

[scottws]

Man, I just do not understand that part of the world.  It's so similar yet so alien at the same time.

Like the attacks on the American embassies and consulates in Egypt and Libya... they are pissed because of some obscure anti-Islam movie that I didn't even know existed until yesterday.  I totally understand being upset by the film.  But these groups don't seem to have any concept of free speech.  It's not like the movie was state-sponsored or anything.  It was just made by a bunch of ignorant assholes and for better or for worse the American body of law allows these people to say what they want.

It's almost sad that people that aren't familiar with free speech can't see how important it really is.  If they want to come to the U.S. and make a movie about killing Jesus, skull-fucking Obama, or some crap like that more power to them.  People will be upset, but they still have the complete right to do that if they want to!

[Xessive]

There are a lot of jackasses posting on your blog, Pug.

The concept of free speech is shaky on this side of the world, especially since it doesn't truly exist here. Anything political, religious, or simply an opinion that doesn't agree with the local authority is grounds for imprisonment, deportation, exile, or at the very least becoming a social pariah. With that in mind, when people here see a film that goes against their beliefs (or is downright offensive to them) being publicly distributed in the US/EU the implication is that it went through an arduous process of verification and was approved by the governing body to be acceptable to the public, effectively saying "this is cool by us, suck it anyone who doesn't agree."

The problem with people's reactions is a matter of perspective. The core of the issue is the inherent lack of liberty in some cultures (such as my own). I'm lucky enough to be aware of my surroundings, my abilities/limitations, and my rights as a human being. Some other people don't even seem to be aware that there are such concepts as human rights and free speech. Even to some among those who are aware the concepts can seem foreign or alien to them.

Look no further than some of the comments on Pug's blog. Comments like "liberal crap" or the poster generally assuming that Pug was doing something vulgar in public is indicative of this notion that "the authority is always right, he must have been wrong, obviously. The authorities know what is best for us."

[gpw11]

Man, I just do not understand that part of the world.  It's so similar yet so alien at the same time.

Like the attacks on the American embassies and consulates in Egypt and Libya... they are pissed because of some obscure anti-Islam movie that I didn't even know existed until yesterday.  I totally understand being upset by the film.  But these groups don't seem to have any concept of free speech.  It's not like the movie was state-sponsored or anything.  It was just made by a bunch of ignorant assholes and for better or for worse the American body of law allows these people to say what they want.

It's almost sad that people that aren't familiar with free speech can't see how important it really is.  If they want to come to the U.S. and make a movie about killing Jesus, skull-fucking Obama, or some crap like that more power to them.  People will be upset, but they still have the complete right to do that if they want to!

A family friend of mine published "The Satanic Verses".  He ended up with a security detail for ten years.  People are fucked.

But wow, I really can't believe and if those comments. Like, I get ethical relativism, but they think you made it up? Cctv? Whacked

[Xessive]

A family friend of mine published "The Satanic Verses".  He ended up with a security detail for ten years.  People are fucked.

But wow, I really can't believe and if those comments. Like, I get ethical relativism, but they think you made it up? Cctv? Whacked

You know Salman Rushdie?!

[Pugnate]

Look no further than some of the comments on Pug's blog. Comments like "liberal crap" or the poster generally assuming that Pug was doing something vulgar in public is indicative of this notion that "the authority is always right, he must have been wrong, obviously. The authorities know what is best for us."

That's so true.

[scottws]

Look no further than some of the comments on Pug's blog. Comments like "liberal crap" or the poster generally assuming that Pug was doing something vulgar in public is indicative of this notion that "the authority is always right, he must have been wrong, obviously. The authorities know what is best for us."

I thought all the comments about PDA's were interesting. In this country PDA's are kissing, butt grabs or slaps, or fondling. The fact that merely sitting next to one another with one's arm around the other is an offensive PDA to some people is quite eye opening to me.

I bet sociologists eat this stuff up.

[Xessive]

I thought all the comments about PDA's were interesting. In this country PDA's are kissing, butt grabs or slaps, or fondling. The fact that merely sitting next to one another with one's arm around the other is an offensive PDA to some people is quite eye opening to me.

I bet sociologists eat this stuff up.

Yeah, it's ridiculous. I posted on there and one point I brought up is the definition of PDA.

I can sit side by side with someone I'm not particularly fond of so affection doesn't factor into that and I don't get how it can be construed as a public display of affection

[Pugnate]

You know Salman Rushdie?!

I think he means the publisher probably.

[Xessive]

I think he means the publisher probably.

Oh, prolly.. I should read more carefully Still, GPW knows someone who published for Salman Rushdie?!

[Pugnate]

hahahaha I know that's something I didn't know.

Now we'll have to kill GPW.

[Pugnate]

Man, I just do not understand that part of the world.  It's so similar yet so alien at the same time.

Like the attacks on the American embassies and consulates in Egypt and Libya... they are pissed because of some obscure anti-Islam movie that I didn't even know existed until yesterday.  I totally understand being upset by the film.  But these groups don't seem to have any concept of free speech.  It's not like the movie was state-sponsored or anything.  It was just made by a bunch of ignorant assholes and for better or for worse the American body of law allows these people to say what they want.

It's almost sad that people that aren't familiar with free speech can't see how important it really is.  If they want to come to the U.S. and make a movie about killing Jesus, skull-fucking Obama, or some crap like that more power to them.  People will be upset, but they still have the complete right to do that if they want to!

I agree with you Scott. Freedom of speech is important.

[gpw11]

hahahaha I know that's something I didn't know.

Now we'll have to kill GPW.

I...I was worried about this.  But yeah, the publisher is one of my parent's good friends.  I'm not sure if he was just the North American regional publisher or had more to do with it, but apparently he was enough involved that Penguin was pretty worried he was going to get all Fatwa-ed all up in there.

[Cools!]

Pakistan sounds more and more inviting!

[Pugnate]

Is your publisher friend likely to publish a fantasy novel from someone who recently got thrown out of MCDs?

[ren]

There are a lot of jackasses posting on your blog, Pug.

The concept of free speech is shaky on this side of the world, especially since it doesn't truly exist here. Anything political, religious, or simply an opinion that doesn't agree with the local authority is grounds for imprisonment, deportation, exile, or at the very least becoming a social pariah. With that in mind, when people here see a film that goes against their beliefs (or is downright offensive to them) being publicly distributed in the US/EU the implication is that it went through an arduous process of verification and was approved by the governing body to be acceptable to the public, effectively saying "this is cool by us, suck it anyone who doesn't agree."

The problem with people's reactions is a matter of perspective. The core of the issue is the inherent lack of liberty in some cultures (such as my own). I'm lucky enough to be aware of my surroundings, my abilities/limitations, and my rights as a human being. Some other people don't even seem to be aware that there are such concepts as human rights and free speech. Even to some among those who are aware the concepts can seem foreign or alien to them.

Look no further than some of the comments on Pug's blog. Comments like "liberal crap" or the poster generally assuming that Pug was doing something vulgar in public is indicative of this notion that "the authority is always right, he must have been wrong, obviously. The authorities know what is best for us."

I don't understand why this explanation isn't given more. There are so many people who are well-versed in both Western and Islamic countries who intrinsically understand this and so many more who have enough familiarity with both to piece it together. Like pretty much every other problem, a little education and empathy would go a long way.