A race to build bridges in Bahrain?

[Constantine Phaulkon]

Here's a question for racers, amateur and pro alike: if this was a motorcycle race, would you as a racer participate if a significant portion of the population was against the race (in Bahrain for Formula 1 Grand Prix some say it's at least 20% against, possibly higher)?

Hypothetical One: no money was at stake, it was purely a amateur affair.

Hypothetical Two: a rich patron said that you must race or lose money, and let's say it's a significant sum of money. And you have expenses and need the money.

Money talks eh? ;-)


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-17803310

The Bahraini government, headed by the al-Khalifa dynasty, had been keen for this year's race to go ahead this year to prove it has put the 14-month uprising against Sunni minority rule behind them.

BBC correspondent Caroline Hawley says that staging the event has had the opposite effect, highlighting the tiny Gulf state's political problems.

Race 'lends legitimacy'

On Friday, Bahrain's Crown Prince, Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa said cancelling the Grand Prix "just empowers extremists", and insisted that holding the race would "build bridges across communities".

 

[LivinLOS]

Fact is the west has such a hypocritical view of the ME..

Someone like Moamar, who says he is going to start trading oil in gold (funny that, just the same as Saddam with exactly the same outcome) and its war machine at the ready, protecting democracy and arming the rebels.. No ones mentioned democracy in Saudi.. Or Bahrain.. Etc etc..

Or how they rail against China for having a yuan peg, but total silence on the oil states pegging to the dollar..

A game as old as empire.

 

[LUFC]

I'm working in Bahrain now and have been here on and off for a few years.
The majority of people I talk to do want the race to go ahead, some dont.

I agree 100% with LivinLOS the west (media in particular) is so hypocrytical, yes there are human rights violations and protests in Bahrain, but what about China, with repotedly millions of political prisoners, where human rights really are abused, should we cancel the Chinese GP?
Naturally the media will not report this as it's not really news anymore (and there are no molotov coaktails to photo) and this will be conveniently forgotten when time rolls around for the Chinese GP. It's nice to have a selective memory when the truth is concerned.

But to answer you question, if I could race, yes I would.

 

[Stokes70]

Good Post LUFC, I agree totally. I for one would race there.