that's my intent. i got a couple of drive-by facebook comments immediately upon the publication of that interview. which is fine. i've invited them both to engage here, on this thread, mostly because reader forums are just much easier places - better architecture - for having a discussion. they either will or won't post here based on whether they are truly serious about their message.
the one issue that, to me, was much much tougher than the response to the arab spring uprising was the kafala system that abuses and functionally enslaves foreign workers. this has been a persistent criticism of abu dhabi. this isn't anything that, to me, is defensible. bahrain's handling of the arab spring revolts is troubling, but there are offsetting realities that at least bear discussing. there is no offset to kafala.
it seems to me that the government in bahrain has been more out front on excising kafala from its country than other arab states, and i did look into this before i made my decision as to my posture on this race and our coverage of it.
i have always believed in sunlight. article XXIII, the newest and last of USAT's bylaws, is called the "sunshine policy" and lew kidder and i wrote it. it's been a topic of hot contention at USAT ever since. to me, our coverage of this race ought to bring sunshine to bahrain, everything in bahrain. i think bahrain is ready for it. we'll see.
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman
the one issue that, to me, was much much tougher than the response to the arab spring uprising was the kafala system that abuses and functionally enslaves foreign workers. this has been a persistent criticism of abu dhabi. this isn't anything that, to me, is defensible. bahrain's handling of the arab spring revolts is troubling, but there are offsetting realities that at least bear discussing. there is no offset to kafala.
it seems to me that the government in bahrain has been more out front on excising kafala from its country than other arab states, and i did look into this before i made my decision as to my posture on this race and our coverage of it.
i have always believed in sunlight. article XXIII, the newest and last of USAT's bylaws, is called the "sunshine policy" and lew kidder and i wrote it. it's been a topic of hot contention at USAT ever since. to me, our coverage of this race ought to bring sunshine to bahrain, everything in bahrain. i think bahrain is ready for it. we'll see.
Dan Empfield
aka Slowman