Saudi Prince Orders Crackdown On Flirting

(AP)  A governor in northern Saudi Arabia has ordered authorities to punish men who flirt with women in public places by cutting their hair, local media said Tuesday.

Prince Fahd bin Badr, governor of the northern al-Jof region, ordered police to carry out the punishment after seeing a group of men with long hair pestering female students as they left school in the northern al-Qurayat province, Al-Hayat newspaper said.

It said the prince told a gathering at his palace in the northern town of Skaka on Sunday he has instructed police to apply the punishment to all youths guilty of flirting, including "the sons of senior military and civil officials."

"The decision doesn't include men who spend their free time in public places without hurting anyone," the paper quoted the prince as saying.

Saudi Arabia has long imposed a strict Islamic lifestyle in which men and women are segregated in public. That lifestyle is enforced by the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, a government body that runs the country's powerful religious police.

Its members patrol public places to make sure women are covered and not wearing make up, the sexes don't mingle, shops close five times a day for Muslim prayers and men go to the mosque and worship.

Many clergymen in this conservative Gulf country say men should not have long hair because Islam prohibits the sexes from emulating each other.

Sheik Mubarak al-Rushoud, head of the commission in al-Jof, told Al-Hayat the new punishment resulted from "the repeated pestering of women in souks and outside girls' schools."

He said Fahd has ordered that the punishment against the men "who emulate women" should be carried out at the scene of the infraction, according to the paper.

"The decision, however, doesn't include all men with long hair," al-Rushoud was quoted by Al-Hayat as saying.

[dmhphils]

The strength of "sin" is law. Human nature cannot be suppressed and the laws of the Muslims only mask the true colors of the human race. It is similar to putting your head in the sand and pretending that law can change the hearts of men.....can''t be done. Needs to be a supernatural overhaul of the heart to really change the nature of man. BTW, only God is capable of that one.

[underdogus]

You''''ve called every one of us Anti-Christian, anti-American, un-patriotic, muslems & terrorists
Posted by j-whitman ..that'' because you are anti-Christian,un-patriotic,muslim & terrorist supporter...

[j-whitman]

Oop''s, posted on the wrong page -- Yep still battiing singinrick

How''s everyone here tonight ??

[j-whitman]

Rick,,,, You''re too funny, you Hate every Christian who doesnt'' think as you do ----- You are the Taliban of Christians

You''ve called every one of us Anti-Christian, anti-American, un-patriotic, muslems & terrorists

[gce65]

It''s no secret that many or most of the Saudi princes drink, gamble, buy hookers, etc to excess whenever they leave the kingdom. They are some of the biggest hypocrites in the world and a joke!

[gce65]

Fahd bin Badr is a MINOR prince in the house of al-Saud. He''s probably just trying to make a name for himself by kissing some religious "arses" in the kingdom.

[erasmus81]

I''''ll try and send you an e-mail to finish the night.

Okay, Goodnight:)

[erasmus81]

He evidently didn''''t think he could handle you without some sort of control.

He doesn''t like how aggressive I am. They are not used to it there. I should have told him someone like RowdyTexan, who is American, was probably more aggressive than I. She would put a bullet between his eyes with her gun.:)

[ajmarine11]

All to talk to you.

I hope it was worth it.:)



You know it was and is.

[ajmarine11]

Yes, and I was just about to panic. That was scary.


I know, I could feel your stress.