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Show a pinion Page A2 The Summit County Bee September 19, 2003 Tell Me About It ARAbiAN Niql ITS. . . OR KNiqllTS. WIlATEVER . . BY I LON SIMIS1LR You know. I've been doing a lol of thinking lately. . . uh, . . , about our Saudi Arabian buddies. Theres been a Intta talk that, uin, well, that they might not he as faithful (is that a good word for it?) or as with us on their suspected lies to, well, you know -that terrorist thing we Americans about. Like, after are so all. 15 of the 19 baddies on the Vl I Twin Towers horror, were Saudis, right? Well (long story, made short), so I did a little research. up-fro- nt all-ups- et Here's some of the stuff I quote, right? Now. that brings us to a point: It leaves a lot of time for young people (who may have been horn hating the soft Americans) to find company for their idle boredom in order to direct their talents towards something noteworthy. . . like terrorism? I certainly don't have the answer to that one. Maybe they are (in their eyes) truly. . . Arabian Knights, if and ride with the they saddle-u- p Kin Laden posse, right? Here's another comforting ihoughl: Plain, old Muslimisin is not just any kind of u true method to worship Allah. No. it seems that Abdul Azi. ibn Saud (the late founder of Saudi Arabia who died in 195.4) was honor-houn- d to enforce and follow the real, true type of Islamic religion. And this found. . . read on: First off. there's the Islamic (or Muslim) item. The Islamic faith is the olficial, national religion in Saudi Arabia. No other religion is tolerated. And absolutely No Christian churches are allowed on their ground. Note: agreement was the one struck between ibn Saud's ancestor, Islam enjoys a 1.5 billion voice choir of religion, and it prevails in the Saudi Arabia world of 24 million souls. Their population has inlerprel.it ion of the Muslim faith and. which, is almost the same one hooincd from 6.2 million ( 1970) to 24 million today, largely because the Saudi males (who rule with an iron fist) can marry all the wives they can afford) - and. kept and financed by their lucrative oil business. they cun afford plenty of 'em. . . and you think polygamy is a problem on our UtaliAriona border? In that Arabian chunk of heaven, the average Saudi woman bears over 6 diihlrrn in their lifetime! I Immm . . this may be due to the tact that most Saudi men do not wmk. No, they're supported by the oil revenue (largely due to us American consumers) and 40 pci cent of the young. Saudi men .tie unemployed - not by accitlenl by choice. You see, there are over 5.000 lYmces in their country who all have many wives and whose wives have many children, and whose children are all supported by the hmces' shares of oil money that we Americans provide them with. So foreigners make up 'XI percent ot all the woik force in Saudi Arabia, (sigh). Idle hands are the devil's tool, l umiliar Mohammad ibn Saud - way hack in 1744 - with a guy named Mohammed ibn Ahd Wahliah, who started the harsh ("pure." he called ill practice of Wahhabism (his practiced by the Saudis today. Ah. there's nothing like honoring commitments, Lxccpt that the 1744 Mohammad ibn Saud apparently was not aware that the Wahhah interpretation of the Islamic faith has proven to be the kind ol faith that (devoutly followed to its ultimate peak) encom passes a very severe code ol laws that are H. . . harsh, cruel, memorably brutal, and display radical intolerance." Here's a thought: Tribal leaders were, undoubtedly, quick to clue in to the tact that followers were cleaily moor obedient, much simpler to control (and rem.il kably easier to behead I when kneeling live times a day in prayer. Olvdience through strict, religious discipline scents to always guaran lee a higher degree of order. Think: religious olue (shades ol Saudi Arabia has Afghanistan). their eadre of the same lunction. only they named theirs the Muhin aerd. And the Saudi husbands, who are ol a particular dominating nature, are staunch allies ol these brutal policemen How else would you account lor (among other ol mankind's anom alies) the fact that half of all the and Saudi women were illiterate until about the that up way kept mid-HWO'- Most of the Arab world (as we're discovering in Iraq, Iran, by tribal etc.) are ruled cohcsive-ncs- s. the Apparently WahhahisSaudicx 1744 agreement was followed along the tribal lines as dictated, in order to gain allies for the Saud tribe. Note: The Saud Tribe and the Wahhab Tribe struck their deal mainly as a way to wrest control of the territory from the Ottomans and drive them out in order to assume total control. Waging war against other Muslims is strictly forbidden, hut because the Wahhabis convinced the Saudis that the Ottomans were guilty of 'unorthodox teachings,' and as such ". . . could and would be killed,' it provided religious approval to perform the dirty deed, loyalty to the various Arab tribal customs is a very devoutly practiced, and essential, part of the Arab world, without which any Arabic group lacking such credible tribal history is doomed to failure andor destruction. It was hack in I95H. when King Abdul Ai ibn Saud granted America the right to drill for oil in Saudi Arabia, and the American engineers hit a gusher, providing a lulcrum for Saudi history to change the balance point of the entire wot Id. . . I certainly don't have to take long to find a subject near and dear to my heart this week. The subject is one that most parents face at one time or another- when their last child leaves home and mom and - d.ul find that they are alone together again. It is sort of a funny feeling knowing you ean just up and leave ami not have to leave a note or message and just do w hat you want. At least within reason, because now the children ask where did you go ami why didn't you tell us?" Sod of a role reversal I suppose. Gelling back to the original topic mentioned, my hubby and I took part in a very beautiful summer lime wedding when our son, K land and his bride Clielsea were married Friday. Sept. 12. Her family transformed their bask yard into an elegant dreamland of beauty where their vows wete spoken and guests were greeted. The lloral sprjys. the table decorations, the photos, cake and lights transformed the night into a place of fun. happiness and best wislies for the happy couple. As mothers we are expected to take our babes into our arms, love them unconditionally, cry when they get on the bus for the first time or lake their first steps, cheer them when they make a home run or play the piano without a Hour note. Take photos of llwm ax they dress up for their first formal dance, proudly watch ax they graduate from school and smile when we load up their tilings and carl them olT for college. There is one thing that ix forgot ten! When they leave, things aie never the sank' again and although mom and dad may be consulted from tune to lime, their decisions are their own and they grow through the learning process called life how to stand on their own. 1 here is no guide hook to tell you how to deal with the strange feeling of no longer leaving the door open, buying their fjvorite food items, surprising them with a special little gift, decorating a cake for their birthday or just going into their nxmis and rinding their stuff all gone. Guess th.it is the patenting part of growing up. Although it has been hard to Live the fact our lives are changing AGAIN. I ain filled with so much thankfulness that I have had the blessing to watch our five xons marry and bring live beautiful, talented young women into our family circle. With the addition of Clielsea to our family, Kylaiul has chosen to stall his new life with a very svcial young woman and we are happy to welcome her into our family. living the mother of sons, I have learned that when tliey leave home they don't need their moms quite as much. Another thing I have been blessed with is that all of them have been adopted" into incredible families. My hubby ami I have been able to enjoy a great association with all of our sons extended family members - something we appreciate very much. In this world today, that truly is a blessing. We can share birthdays of grandchiland dren. holidays and cook-nut- s just helping one another if needed. We have shared both good times and bad and that bonds us closer together. It was also a special night because my mother, who resides in a care facility, was able to attend the ceremony. There has not been many things she hasn't shared in Just STUff M and it's still chang- ing. The Saudi people own 25 per- cent ol the worlds supply of oil with estimated reserves of 260 billion barrels along with 225 trillion cubic leel of natural gas. Whew! Lnormous wealth, and. translated into the power of petroleum, it has been referred to as . . .possibly the fulcrum ol the business wnild. . Really makes you think, doesn't it? Conlm! and power. They' 're indisputably inseparable. Thought for the day: "... the Saudis. . . control Mecca and Medina, the focal points of faith lor the more than one billion Muslims around the woild." -- 1:. Gregory Gaiisc III. Director. Middle Hast studies, I !iii versity of Vermont. Pam's PIace Well. vwwarryscarToonsxom the past so to see her ami dad hold ing hands as they have through OS years of marriage was a special gilt and gave the new bride and groom a goal to shoot lor. They arc true examples of how to love one another through good and bad. in sickness and health. I have shared friendships with several in our community who have suffered the loss of their clul dren and have had them leave home through various tragic means. My heart goes out to them and the trials they Live and makes me more ready to acceU the many blessings I have. Am I lucky? Yes! Messed? You bet! So. as for as the next step in my personal life I guess I will just buckle up and try to enjoy the rule. Changing the subject, if you haven't driven around the county and looked at the beautiful changing colors of the leaves, plan to do by Jan A few weeks ago. was lamenting the passing we had this recent cold snap, I was sorry to see it coming to a close. Hut my sadness was prompted by the ihoughl ol no more trips to the lake, no more dips in the pool, no more of that soothing feeling as the ice cold dnnk soothe the hot. dry heat of summer. I was saddened at the thought of saying farewell to slums and tank tops, sandals and Hut when summer ends, school starts, and I wasn't giving the stan ol school a second thought. Hut I should have. It is a reality. Summer ends traditional school starts. And. man. I hate school. Wail! "Hate' is a really strong word. We try not to use that in our house... How about "dislike"? I really dislike school" That's better. I really dislike school. And I don't even go to school. Hut I have kids who do. Two ol 'em - a second grader and a fifth grader. And they both seem to enjoy sclhxil. Hut not me! No sir! I really DISI.IKIi school. Wail! That's not entirely true. I have very fond memories of my school days. I had some great teachers, fun experiences. I even enjoyed learning. Frankly, I loved school when I was going to school. Hut now, I go to wmk and my boys go to school. And I really dislike school. Wail, again. That's still not entirely true. I love the school my boys go to. Oakridgc is an excellent elementary school. It has some of llic finest teoch-er- s and a fantastic principal. I love Oakridgc. Hut. school is already driving me cray, and I can already tell it will be another winter ol my discontent. In reality, it's not school that I dislike. It's the homework -- and it's not even MY homewoik. '' When I was a kill. I didn't start having homework until junior high. Oh. we were supposed to do some reading, and I suppose we had to study our spelling words. I of summer, liven before flip-flops- . 'fur-rca!- Hut. I don't remember having to do hook reports, or build dioramas, or finish ''comma" worksheets, work thiough math sheets, or do pages I can't believe the homewoik my kids have! I think in second grade I was still worrying or social studies. about Spot" and Mary" and whether or not Spot could run. Spot. run. There are kids in my second grader's class who read the fifth Harry Poller" honk AI.I, HY TIILMSLIATS! It's as thick as Gone With the Wind"! I considered it an accomplishment when we maile our wav through it reading it out loud as a family! Of course. I have to acknowledge that my hoys wouldn't have the bulk of homework they have if someone would use T III.1K time a little more wisely in class. (That's something we've been woiking on...) guess what it is that I really DISI.IKI! is havto wrestle my boys into DOING their homeing work. That's a challenge! Just getting them started takes about 15 minutes. They have to gel their hackp.b.ks. they have to sharpen pencils: they have to go to the bathroom. Tliey need a snack. Hut it's even more of a challenge once they've finislied getting started" and are actually working on homewoik. It's not just tryin to keep them at it. I find it hard, as a parent, not to do it for them. I want the poster to include certain colors: I want the diorama to hxik a certain way; I want certain key elements included in the report. And I have to keep reminding myself that it ISN'T MY IIOMhWOKK! They have to do it themselves! Of course, having kids have homework is a much of what great way for parents to we've forgotten. Why just last year. I the county seals of all the counties in Utah. All twenty-lim- e of them, and how to spell them. loo. I can tell e what a you triangle is, and I have been reminded about what is longitude" and what is latitude." I know that the speed of light is fast enough for something to go around the eatth 7 times in a second! That is pretty dang fast! So. in all honesty, I have to admit that I love school, and I 'in thrilled that my boys are learning. I don't mind homework, and I really DISI.IKL having to make my kids do it. Hut. they're kids. There aren't many kids who say "It's OK. mom. I'd rather stay in and work on my composition notebook than go out and roller blade." Hut I do miss the no homewoik" of summer! I right-angl- so soon before they are gone. Mirror Lake is especially beautiful! Thought for the week It is in the shelter of each other that people live." Irish lYovcih. See ya next time!!!! VLS, I County J3ec Stuff The Summit Mkl Tilo Summit County Bee Is Your llomdmvn Newspaper. Call us with your story Idwis! 336-550- 1 i County lice d IN' I'll'lllirl Hi'i'kK till JH'i ( iii .Siiiiiiiiii Cmiiiiiv, ; IVt.iiiiii, Vli hi umiiiv, 07 i Ail .4 i.iiiiiv l H'.HW ViMWilrir; nr., IhS Smith, UY VtVi. lli'I'H Chv, x4iM2. IVtiislik.ib T"0.im- - I'.ii.I ,ii ((..iUiIIc, XVI 7. X is MASII.K. Vn.l .hl.lit-lIihiiiio The .Suiiunfl County lire, IO. IV I silvillr. I ' I 4017. f( t'l 7)o entire ton tents of this news i.iH'r is GiiyrgiCD 2002 bummit ( minty Uee andor IV, nr Publishing hu. 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