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EDITOR'S NOTE
This article was originally
published by Arab
News on May 27, 2004 and is reprinted
with permission.
U.S. Group
Gets Positive View of Kingdom
By Roger
Harrison |
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The reactions of a group of
visiting American civic and elected officials to the
"real" Saudi Arabia focused on the similarities of the
peoples rather than the differences or the damage done to
Saudi-U.S. relationships since the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. The
group passed through Jeddah yesterday before concluding their
five-day familiarization tour of the Kingdom.
"We want the same things --
both our peoples are basically interested in family, education
and jobs -- these are traits common to both our societies,"
said Ed Bruley, chairman, Macomb County Democratic Party,
Michigan.
Journalist Thomas Lippman has
been a frequent visitor to Saudi Arabia. "The last time I
was here, in October 2002, I was quite taken aback to find the
people who should be our best friends were very upset with the
U.S. because of the mantle of collective guilt that we had
thrown over the Saudis," he said. He found that people who
had good relations and positive experiences with the U.S. for
many years found themselves on the defensive.
The group found that Saudis
wanting to go to the U.S. were very frustrated with the visa
situation and felt it was to the detriment of both countries
especially when some Saudi students are unable to get visas.
"Add to that the really
deep frustration and anger they have over the policies of the
Bush administration; collectively they made these the least
encouraging set of conversations I have ever had in this
country," said Lippman. "People are discouraged more
than angry, because they don’t see where the upturn is going
to come from."
The Honorable Walter Andonov,
Nevada State Assemblyman, said his visit had been the
opportunity of a lifetime. "My first impression was one of
surprise at the diversity of the country -- the physical and
attitude differences between Riyadh and Jeddah."
He too felt the frustration
among Saudis. "It disappointed me to hear young men say
they were afraid to go to the U.S. As an American I find that
sad after our long-standing relationship with the Kingdom,"
he said. "The fact that we have had a lot of young men
coming to study in the U.S. has been the foundation of our
traditional linkages."
Barbara Welty, member, Board of
Directors for the National Association of Towns and Townships,
had some long-held assumptions challenged by the visit. "We
know about Americans thinking that it is unsafe to come here,
but we had never really considered America to be unsafe. That
was a real eye-opener."
Welty was enthusiastic about the
tour of the Prince Sultan Humanitarian City in Riyadh.
"From what I saw, the things developing here in the health
field are fantastic."
Jennifer Salan, communications
director, Arab-American Institute, said the group met with some
"incredible people."
"Even I had some
stereotypes that were done away with on this trip. I didn’t
realize how well and vibrantly Saudi women were doing," she
said. "We have seen an incredible variety of Saudi women
who are well-spoken and are willing to speak out on issues --
not the perception you get in the U.S. They are in a much better
position than I thought they were. They seem to be the future of
this country in many ways."
The group was unanimous that
people are basically the same in Saudi Arabia and the U.S., with
the same needs and desires, only the cultures are different.
Understanding each other’s culture takes time and effort,
which is difficult when you are focusing on the family concerns
of work, health and education.
"The cultural gap is wide
but the human gap is narrow," said Edward Ferguson, deputy
executive director, National Association of Counties. "I
was saddened by the comments of the young. I feel we have
already lost a generation. Growing up post-Sept. 11, they want
to see some tangible things coming out of the U.S. to assuage
their fears and worries."
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