Freedom's Just Another Word ...

A year ago, John R. Bradley wrote that Saudi Arabia was liberalizing its attitude toward its gay citizens and visitors -- if no longer chopping off their heads can be correctly described as "liberalizing."

In part, the government has realized that the thousands of Saudis who have recently returned from the United States because of stricter visa policies, and who are relatively liberal-minded, are unwilling to countenance such harsh anti-gay policies.

Now, however, as Iraqis elect national leaders for the first time in half a century and Lebanese and Iranians protest en masse in the street demanding more freedom, the House of Saud decides totalitarianism ain't so bad after all. Bradley writes this week that:

A S Getenio, manager of GayMiddleEast.com, said at the time Saudi Arabia seemed concerned about the bad publicity blocking the site would bring, "at the time it was involved in a multi-million dollar advertising campaign in the US to improve its image". Now the al-Saud have no such inhibitions. The website is once again blocked, and the Saudi religious police - acting on "tip offs" - are raiding gay gatherings in Jeddah on an almost monthly basis. More than 100 young men caught dancing and "behaving like women" at a private party were sentenced this month to a total of 14,200 lashes, after a trial behind closed doors and without defense lawyers.

A few months back, an acquaintance of mine finally escaped Saudi to refuge in Canada. (He lived in Jeddah, which must be Saudi's version of San Francisco -- it's mentioned in every Saudi/gay article.) While I may joke with him about living in the "Land of Ice ... and Ice," I am grateful he is out of that sand pit in one piece.