Expectations in Ancient Greece and Current Arab World

Expectations in Ancient Greece and Current Arab World
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Expectations in Ancient Greece and Current Arab World
In 2018, a human rights activist was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment by an appeal court in the United Arab Emirates. The court ordered the sentences on grounds that the activist had damaged the country’s reputation through lies and rumours published on social media accounts by the accused (Elwazer, 2018). These rumours were also said to promote hatred and sectarian feelings. Aside from the jail term, the accused was expected to pay a fine amounting to $1 million, hand over all personal communication devices, and close all his social media accounts (Elwazer, 2018). The decision by the court raised much concern among human rights activists who considered the conviction as unfair and demanded the release of the accused. The individuals who oppose the ruling believe that the actions by the court stain the UAE’s reputation since it reveals the government’s oppressive nature. The sentence adds to previous rulings by the UAE against human rights activists indicating that the country has been in constant fights with human rights activists.
The unfair rulings and constant disputes between the UAE government and human rights activists have much to do with fundamental values and customs. As an Islamic state, life in the UAE is governed by Islamic values. These values influence dressing code, eating, and consumption of products such as alcohol, and relations between women and men. The people of the UAE also have a deep respect for heritage and cultural values by adhering to high ethical principles and exercising integrity. The high respect for cultural values and heritage in the UAE draws a unique relation with ancient Greece.
Social classes were dominant in ancient Greece, with a sharp distinction between boys and girls. Boys had a more rigid and militaristic upbringing compared to girls. The fate of male children was determined by the state since healthy children were chosen to serve in the military while weaker boys were sent into slavery. At the age of seven, the boys received military training from trained personnel and were taught discipline and order. This preset order and way of life is also common among the UAE. From a young age, boys in the Arab states are expected to dress and behave respectably. Despite not having to undergo militaristic training, standards for Arab children are set by the age of five. By this age, children are expected to behave in a disciplined manner, failure to which the parent is allowed to punish the child (Ember & Ember, 2001). In the view of the UAE, Mansoor’s actions present a case of indiscipline and disrespect, by challenging the law. The UAE expects all individuals, including foreigners who visit the country to adhere to the country’s laws and Muslim standards (Khedr & Alnuaimi, 2010). Failure to which, a person might be fined, jailed or incarcerated. To prevent cases of individuals being influenced by foreign ideas and turning against their governments, the UAE has set up strict legal, political and educational systems that are based on Islamic laws. This ensures that children in the UAE are taught Islamic laws at a young age and uphold these laws as they progress into adulthood. Aside from parents, institutions are responsible for teaching children such laws. Similar to Ancient Greece, parents have little involvement in the lives of their children past a certain age. In Ancient Greece, by the age of 7, boys were sent to military training or slavery while the girls were taken to school to learn about their culture and ways of life, including physical training (Knottnerus & Berry, 2002). This practice is also common in the UAE where children are enrolled in schools as early as five years old where they are taught about their Islamic culture and values. These practices indicate that the two communities highly value their culture and ways of life.
Another similarity is the early training and education, which is necessary to ensure that the children value their country and its principles while growing up. Doing so ensures that the country nurtures individuals who are loyal and respectful to their country. Similarly, individuals who shamed the community were alienated and disgraced since both the Ancient Greeks and UAE had little respect for weak individuals. Spartans identified such individuals a few years after birth and sent them to slavery while...