Bringing pride to Dubai
Winning gold at the World Equestrian Games in France is not an easy task and we should not take it lightly (‘World Equestrian Games: Shaikh Hamdan strikes gold in France,’ Gulf News, August 29). Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, must have made a huge effort to clinch the trophy competing against 170 riders from 48 different countries.
He has brought pride to Dubai and to the people of the UAE. He always has the blessings of this father, His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. I think that he too would have won such events in the same field in the past, according to my historical knowledge. I wish him all the best in his future activities and events.
From Mr Mohammad Ashraff Nazim
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Website comment
Who lets a nine-year-old shoot an Uzi?
The chilling name of the gun range where the fatal shooting occurred was ‘Bullets and Burgers’ (‘Girl, 9, accidentally kills gun instructor with Uzi in US,’ Gulf News, August 29). It begs the question: Who would have the stomach to frequent a place with a name like ‘Bullets and Burgers’?
A nine-year-old New Jersey girl at an Arizona shooting range fatally shot her instructor. Physically, the hand of a nine-year-old child is not fully developed, which is why this most likely happened.
With the kick of such a powerful weapon, like the Uzi on full automatic mode, the girl lost her two-handed grip on the gun. The volley of shots pulled her to the left, where the instructor was standing and multiple bullets entered his head.
Among a host of other laws to protect children and others around them, a nine-year-old child is not allowed to buy cigarettes, to buy alcohol, or to have a driver’s license. Yet, at Bullets and Burgers a nine-year-old is allowed to handle a firearm.
This girl is now potentially scarred for life. The zeal of the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the gun lobby has clearly dismissed simple common sense.
From Mr John P. D. Batson
UAE
Scarred for life
This girl has to live with the fact that she killed a man for the rest of her life. Guns are unnecessary for children. This was totally preventable.
From Ms Shana Al Ansari
Dubai
Facebook comment
Appalled
Historically, America’s sovereignty lies in its people. Thus, our right to bear arms protects us from too much government. We put our trust in our people, not our government.
As an American and a gun owner, I have to say that 99 per cent of us are as appalled at this as everyone else. Judging all Americans on the idiocy of a few, makes as much sense as those that judge all of Islam on the actions of only those that are creating crisis in various regions. I think that we can all rise above that.
From Ms Rebecca Parker
Phoenix, Arizona
Facebook comment
Training children to shoot
In response to Rebecca Parker, it’s good to see your supportive answer, but tell me a reason why guns are so common in America? Are they a luxury or a necessity? I mean, a society in itself should avoid gun ownership by civilians – only if it is for people of the government like the military.
I guess this is more of an opinion, but I think to have peace one has to have instruments of peace and not of war! Children learn from adults.
Everyone wonders why there are ruthless school shootings, but I don’t see the reason why a child should be trained to shoot a gun.
From Mr Jeevan C. Jalady
UAE
Facebook comment
Should be banned
This is not normal. People should be telling children that the use of guns is wrong and should be prohibited. These Americans are encouraging children to use guns and then you all feel sad when accidents happen.
From Ms Asimah Bee
Dubai
Need to learn
Why is a child allowed to use a machine gun? No one in their right mind would allow this situation to happen in the first place. Americans and the gun happy mentality need to learn from this.
From Ms Lovetto Nazareth
Dubai
Back To School It Is!
While most of us are all geared up for the new term, it is quite hard to get over the fact that summer has come to an end (‘Back to school: The right stationery,’ Gulf News August 29). Many of our sleeping schedules must be wrecked beyond repair and our brains must be rusty from all the relaxation that we have experienced over the holidays.
It is time for us to be ready for the new term and show up to school ready for new surprises and excitement. Let this term be a new beginning for all of us, and let us start afresh and once again immerse ourselves in the joy of learning! Let it be like a new story, with us opening the first page. It’s all empty but ready for us to fill in the pages.
Summer lets us rejuvenate ourselves and recover from all the excitement that had taken place, but the starting of a new term always promises more excitement than the previous one. I would like to wish every student a great term ahead!
From Mr Farheen Kooliyattayil
Sharjah
Should be encouraged
Marrying outside of one’s own culture is a pattern that should be encouraged (‘More Emiratis marrying other nationalities,’ Gulf News, August 29). I think that it creates a sense of identifying and knowing each other. Indeed, God is knowing and acquainting us all.
From Mr Mohammad Aslam
Mombasa, Kenya
Website comment
Recipe for disaster
I think that the mixed cultural marriages are the reason why the divorce rate is so high (‘Divorce cases up 61% in Dubai,’ Gulf News, August 29). Marrying people who are not from your language, culture and traditions is a recipe for disaster. People should think of the consequences of marrying into a different culture.
From Mr Murshad
Dubai
Website comment
A misunderstanding
So let me get this straight: a US warship offshore of Iran encounters a trading vessel with a .50-calibre weapon on board, for obvious defensive reasons against piracy, and the US warship sends out a speed boat to this Iranian vessel in an apparent aggressive manner (‘US Coast Guard fires at Iranian boat in Gulf,’ Gulf News, August 29)?
Then, they blame the Iranian ship for showing hostility towards this speed boat, which for all they know, could have been an attack boat. Yet, the US is the victim here? Are we naturally expected to just buy into the American version of the story based on face value?
This mounting western hypocrisy is reminiscing of Israel strategy in Palestine. The oppressor is shown as the oppressed and vice versa. To me, this seems like apathy on so many levels.
From Mr Ahmad
Dubai
Website comment
A pity and a crime
Welcome to humanity in the 21st century, where militant organisations are creating humanitarian crises (‘Isil executes ‘dozens’ of Syria troops in new atrocity,’ Gulf News, August 29). When humanity already has a huge number of challenges, whether in global health, food scarcity, education, or even the existence of our planet altogether, this is just another large human crisis we have to face.
This world is juggling for powers and interests. I would say all of this can be tracked to economic interests. Only the poor and uneducated are manipulated by introducing dogmas, wrong ideologies and distortion of religion by playing with minds, supplying drugs and false promises to ignorant people. It is a pity to see this, and it is a crime against every human being.
From Mr Joseph Moussa
UAE
Facebook comment
Taking care of each other
Islam teaches us to love and to take care of our fellow human beings, whether he is Christian, Jew, Buddhist, Hindus, and most especially our brothers in Islam. This is very disappointing.
From Mr Bamb Salim
UAE
Facebook comment
Life is sacred
One has to always condemn these atrocities. There might be no answers to why and who does it, but it’s sad when human life is destroyed for sake of power and greed. Life itself is sacred. Loss of life is pitiful and sad. It stops the humans from evolving towards peace, love and understanding.
From Mr Ajay Bhatia
UAE
Facebook comment
Not real Muslims
These are sick people who are trying to prove something for nothing. They should not use the word God because no God would want people to kill the other. No man is allowed to take someone’s life - only God himself. Real Muslims do not do such things.
From Mr Nayumi Lars Cheche
UAE
Facebook comment
Stop them soon
God bless their souls. The world over is currently a disturbing place to be, and these atrocities throughout and by differing religions are so sad. The taking of any life, particularly in this way is disgusting. I hope they can be stopped and soon.
From Ms Emily Blenkinsop
Doha, Qatar
Facebook comment
Expired vs unused medication
Pradeep is correct in stating that medicines should not be wasted (‘Letters: August 28, Wasted medication, Gulf News, August 28). Expired medicine is not the same as unused medicine. I strongly feel that there should be a collection drive for unused medicines and let them be used by the sick and the needy with the supervision of volunteer doctors working under charity organisations.
From Mr U. K. Kataky
Dubai
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