tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15456688.post115211831923973976..comments2024-03-28T22:59:15.275+04:00Comments on UAE Community Blog: Link (Article): High life in Dubaisecretdubaihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13115610824191031176noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15456688.post-1152132746605417702006-07-06T00:52:00.000+04:002006-07-06T00:52:00.000+04:00The privileges of entertainment. Wouldn't Mr. Aus...The privileges of entertainment. Wouldn't Mr. Austin be entitled to an arrest when he returns to Atlanta for possession?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15456688.post-1152126638865372162006-07-05T23:10:00.000+04:002006-07-05T23:10:00.000+04:00Personally, I wonder what would have been more exp...<I>Personally, I wonder what would have been more expensive for Dubai: Jailing Austin or freeing him?</I><BR/><BR/>The obvious conclusion is that this is exactly what motivated Sh. Moh'd to grant the pardon. It's all about sending the right message overseas. A lot of things are permitted, de facto, in Dubai that are technically illegal or at least against traditional moralities. There is always the risk that the <I>wrong message</I> will be sent, that Dubai is heretical (religiosly speaking), lacking in moral standards or guilty of double-standards with regard to the law. <BR/><BR/>But of course none of these are the intended message. The intent is simply to say that Dubai is a welcoming and tolerant state. Visitors need not fear being arbitrarily subjected to harsh laws.<BR/><BR/>In order to send this kind of message while at the same time avoiding what is described above as the wrong message, Dubai has to walk a very difficult tight rope. What happened with Austin is a clear example of this attempt to balance tolerance against adhering to high moral and legal standards.B.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/03604898558343997616noreply@blogger.com