Makkah newspaper

I recently read that the Shoura Council is working on drafting a law against racism. Frankly speaking, it would be a very good move on the council’s part. Let us hope they come up with a law that restricts and curbs the racism that some citizens engage in. Some Saudis discriminate against non-Saudis, believing that this is a patriotic and national duty. They mistakenly think that discriminating against expatriate workers through their words and actions is a reflection of their love for the Kingdom and for other Saudis.

Racism is ugly. Unfortunately, it is on the increase in our society. Some people confuse racism with Saudization. While I completely agree that Saudis should be given preference over non-Saudis when it comes to jobs, some Saudis have taken this to the extreme. They use racist words against non-Saudis. Things have become worse as some Saudis instigate other Saudis to hate non-Saudis, which is wrong.

Unemployment and lack of better job opportunities are the two cards that racists use when speaking about expatriate workers. They look down on expatriate workers, do not show any respect for them and even deny their contributions to the country’s development.

Engaging in racism against non-Saudis in the name of patriotism is wrong and should be stopped. This is dangerous behavior that will result in dire consequences. I believe some Saudis need to understand simple facts, such as that we are all human beings, we were all created from dust, we will all stand in front of Allah on the Day of Judgment and we will be rewarded according to our deeds.