Steven, I can understand. I was in Pakistan a few years ago doing engineering work (fortunately I wasn't a journalist), and I saw many men holding hands. S'OK... as kids we all held our fathers' hands... However - and I don't want to read too much into this - this was done in America, in the public eye, and American ways are different.
There seems to be a definite chumminess, which under other circumstances is perfectly ok. P. ----- Original Message ---- From: OrionWorks <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: [email protected] Sent: Sunday, June 8, 2008 7:40:47 PM Subject: Re: [Vo]:Oil Gang responds Philip recently sed: > I thought I saw President Bush holding hands with a Saudi person > some time ago, ... and ed recently sed: > Well, Philip, you did see Bush holding hands with > the Saudi king. He was trying to get the Saudi to pump > more oil, which they refused to do. However, I see no > conflict with playing nice with the Saudi and supporting > everything the Israeli government wants. One is done for > money and the other is done for politics. Unfortunately, > the two have now formed an explosive mixture. While I'm no fan of the shrub I suspect one of Bush's advisers informed him of the Saudi custom than men held each other's hands in public. http://teachsaudi.50webs.com/culture.htm * Saudi men often greet each other with kisses, but Saudi men usually just shake hands with foreign men unless they are close friends. * The opposite sexes should never kiss in public. * Men sometimes hold hands with each other in Saudi Arabia (although not with women in public). Holding hands with another man is a sign of friendship, with no sexual connotations. * Foreign men may feel uncomfortable when another man grips their hand, but it would be insensitive to prematurely withdraw from the contact. * On the other hand, Western couples should avoid any physical contact with each other in public. You may see very modern-minded Saudi couples holding hands, but don't imitate them. * * * Of course, not everyone has interpreted Bush's recent "hand holding" gesture as a benign gesture: http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/363995_kelsoonline22.html Personal thought: How ironic that countries so apparently open about the custom of same sexes holding each other's hand in public without feeling it is a sexual advance are nevertheless terrified of the opposite sex, or worse, terrified of the notion of being sexually attracted to a person of the same sex. Go figure. Regards Steven Vincent Johnson www.OrionWorks.com www.zazzle.com/orionworks
