The sex-on-the-beach case is not only getting coverage here in the papers and on radio, it's getting world-wide coverage.
What's irritating me is that, here as well as overseas, people keep talking about it in relation to the 'Muslim conservative society'.
They're saying it's not the way to behave here.
Look, it's not the way to behave anywhere.
For the one or two people who may not know, here's the basic story.
A British couple, Michelle Palmer and Vince, who'd just met at a drunken brunch, were engaging in sex in public, on a beach. A cop gave them a warning to stop, and moved on. When he returned they were still at it, so he arrested them. As the UK Sun tells us: She is alleged to have called the cop a f****** Muslim **** and tried to hit him with her high-heeled shoe.
I can't think of any country in the world where they wouldn't have been arrested. It's not to do with Muslim sensibilities. In liberal, secular, Christian Australia being drunk and disorderly, having public sex and assaulting a police officer would also see you arrested.
The sentence may well be more severe here than in the liberal West, that's all.
By the way, I mention the names because they're already in the public domain. Michelle has gone public, with a large photo and an interview with The Sun.
Elegant as always, they begin the story:
RANDY Michelle Palmer breached a strict ban on unmarried sex during a boozy beach romp in Dubai.
Public indecency, drunk & disorderly, inappropriate dress...can we please stop referring to them in relation to Muslim sensibilities. They are not acceptable in any civilised society.
Michelle has been fired by her empoyer, the publishers ITP, Gulf News tells us today. I'm not surprised.
Gulf News story here.
The Sun story here.
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13 comments:
tht's the only sensible post i've read about this story...
what were they thinking?
Well said Seabee.
I also think that if the first thing the police officer did was issue them a warning, then he has been more than fair. I know that in most countries warnings may not be given.
She deserves to get in trouble for what she called him and the manner that she acted. My only concern now is will the punishment fit the crime?
But what happened to her partner was he locked up too? And if they cut off your hand for stealing, what do they cut off for having sex on the beach???
Dave yes, Vince was charged too. They're apparently out on bail.
Dubai doesn't cut bits off so he's safe in that respect.
A very good post, Seabee.
What gives these people the right to even think that they can behave like this in public is beyond me. It would seem that the police officer was more than fair, I'm sure they would have been arrested in the UK.
One could say that the sentence they get here will probably be more severe than it would have been at home (of course they shall have to wait and see about that), but it has long been said that if you are going to travel then you must respect the laws of the country which you are visiting.
I think that the laws in the Emirates, certainly in Dubai, are easy enough to follow and this lady has been here for three years - she should know what she can and cannot do.
I am afraid that I can find little in the way of sympathy for either of them.
DB
well said ..
Well said, and I agree with saint who posted above that this is just about the first sensible thing I've heard anyone say about this case.
What she/they did was unacceptable everywhere, not just in Dubai. Sex on the beach aside, I seriously have to question the intelligence of someone who, on finding herself approached by a policeman for ANY reason, chooses to swear and strike at the officer. You don't bitch at the cops. You just don't. Everyone knows that. If you're too stupid to have picked that up, or if you're too drunk to remember, that's your own lookout.
In any case, even if this had been acceptable where she comes from, that doesn't have anything to do with the price of eggs ... you follow the law where you are. If you choose not to, then again, that's your own lookout.
I was not aware that this woman had been living in Dubai for three years - the way the case was mentioned in this country I got the impression that she was a tourist. If she's been living there for years, well, then I've lost every shred of sympathy I may have had for her. Sorry, but: Stupid cow.
Thanks Seabee for talking some sense about this issue! Personally I am getting heartily sick of the quasi-religious wahwah brigade who think they have the monopoly on the moral high ground.
The girl is an idiot. She has just learned that actions have consequences. I'm not surprised her mother is on anti-depressants, I'd be depressed to realised I had brought my child up so badly that they behave so stupidly. And all of that applies to the guy as well.
Agree! It has to do with basic decency, nothing to do with religion.
there are better places to do this...right in a middle of a public beach, you gotta be asking for it big time!
Nicely said, and yes Leisha, she is a very stupid cow.
SHe deserves whatever punishment is coming her way, no matter how severe, for what she has done has brought immense shame on the British people and more importantly on women everywhere.
Do any bloggers actually know her (embarrassing question, I know)?
Excellent analysis. I cited you in my sum-up of the story for my Middle East site at About.com. See:
http://middleeast.about.com/b/2008/07/12/sex-on-the-beach-in-dubai-voyeurism-of-orientalism.htm
Thank you, Pierre.
sorry for being late to comment .
Is it a big crime that they made it in a Muslim country ? yes , but I wonder what is the law in a none Muslim country ! , I mean , is wearing HIJAB(Scarf) in France not a civilized act , but making six in public is OK ??
I think there shouldn’t be a law in the whole world permits doing it without a trial . sorry to say that animals shy to do it in public in front of children , if I was there at the time , then I rather prefer seeing them Drunk-drowning than seeing them doing it for the same reason . UAE should go after SAUDI Arabia and not allow Alcohol and naked women any more , else they will face more than that .
the world will be better without Alcohol
the world will be better if women respected themselves on beaches .
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