As of this morning, the United Arab Emirates has felt compelled to issue a warning to its citizens who travel abroad. The official state warning suggests to the country’s citizens that they not wear their traditional clothing when they’re not safely within the UAE’s borders. The warning comes in the hopes of preserving the safety of those people daring enough to venture beyond their own borders.
Unfortunately, this warning comes in the wake of a specific event last week. An Ohio hotel clerk was unnerved at the traditional garb worn by traveling businessman Ahmed al Menhali. The clerk called 911 and claimed that Menhali was “pledging his allegiance or something to ISIS” (which could not have remotely been the case, by the way). The call prompted Ohio police to approach the businessman with their guns drawn, forcing him to the ground and arresting him.
Thankfully, Menhali was released shortly thereafter and was issued a public apology a few days later. The incident is just one of several that have been cropping up around the country in recent weeks. Over the weekend, a man was beaten outside a mosque, for example. Though isolated, these terrible acts have a truly damaging impact on not only America’s appearance on the world stage but (potentially) the future of international cooperation.
Get it together, folks.
