Can someone tell me what Family Day is?

MissX
By MissX

I'm not quite sure what everyone means by family day. From the information I have read, family day is on Fridays and you are not allowed to do anything, or not allowed to shop unless you are married and with your family? Is this true? Seems a little bit harsh for the unmarried people who work 6 days a week, and the only day they get off from work, they are not allowed to do anything?
I'm sure my info can't be correct, so please feel free to correct the things I have said.

By britexpat• 22 Mar 2012 23:15
britexpat

It's the day I have to pay Chcoholic to accompany me to Villagio .. :0(

By anonymous• 22 Mar 2012 21:23
anonymous

family day is a day when you spend time with your family,, It does not matter if it's tueday, friday, thursday, monday, wednesday. or october

Family day here in Qatar is just another failure and poor planning

By junaid_qatar• 22 Mar 2012 21:10
junaid_qatar

Rascist Family Day at Villagio supermarket.....

http://www.indyarocks.com/videos/UNDERCOVER-JIM-GOES-SHOPPING-IN-DOHA-QATAR-2996133

By anonymous• 30 Mar 2009 05:51
anonymous

LIVING IN QATAR

hahaha lol missx,

I am thankful that I live to see President Barack Obama be the first Afro AMerican president in the US. Salam

By MissX• 30 Mar 2009 03:31
MissX

wow I really did open a can of worms. But my question was answered within 5 posts. Thanks for your very clear answer Bleu.

Now you all may continue talking about Hitler. :P

By bleu• 29 Mar 2009 15:31
bleu

fubar, not fair, I was thinking the same thing.

By bleu• 29 Mar 2009 15:29
bleu

Godwin's law and back, quickly - QL.

By fubar• 29 Mar 2009 15:28
fubar

Mandi, it's called Godwin's Rule of Nazi Analogies.

The law states: "As [an online] discussion grows longer, the probability of a comparison involving Nazis or Hitler approaches 1."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwin's_law

By Mandilulur• 29 Mar 2009 15:24
Mandilulur

I love QL! From Louis Vuitton to Hitler in only five posts!

Mandi

By bleu• 29 Mar 2009 15:00
bleu

kahel, wtf?????

By anonymous• 29 Mar 2009 14:03
anonymous

LIVING IN QATAR

Discriminatory and racist does it ring a bell? how about hitler?

By fubar• 29 Mar 2009 13:32
Rating: 4/5
fubar

I still don't see the fundamental difference, other than to say that the primary commercial purpose of a hotel is to provide accomodation and for a shopping mall it is to provide retail facilities.

But even hotels have shops inside, such as the Mont Blanc shop inside the Four Seasons, Via Moda at the Ritz and Zai at Sharq. There are banks inside hotel lobbies, such as the Sheraton and Sharq, a newspaper shop inside the Movenpick hotel.

It doesn't matter to me whether or not these guys have the means to stay in the hotel or shop in the shops. At the end of the day the owner of the development, shop or hotel, has the last say about who should be let in.

And if all the guys being barred just want to buy some groceries, they can easily do that at any number of supermarkets throughout Doha. I don't see why this is reason enough for them to be granted access to the mall.

I can easily perceive why it doesn't seem 'nice' to not allow these guys entry, but shopping centers (like the hotels in the counterexample) are businesses. They have every right to dictate who should be allowed entry.

If you don't like it, boycott and see if market forces are enough to persuade the malls to change their policy. But don't hide behind unsubstantiaed accussations of 'racism'. There is no evidence that the malls are being 'racist'. Discriminatory, yes. Racist, no.

By marhabtain• 29 Mar 2009 13:20
marhabtain

I have a brilliant idea that I am sure will work in all the Malls. All strangely brown bachelors should be made to buy a shopping voucher which can be exchanged for goods of their choice within the Mall. Something generally affordable - say QR 5000.00 that way both the Malls and the Bachelors win! Great idea eh! Hic! Yippee, Yippeee, its GORDONS gin for me!

WINNER Gordons Gin Personal Consumption Award 2008 Hic!

By arecel• 29 Mar 2009 12:51
Rating: 4/5
arecel

fubar, you can't compare hotel properties and shopping malls. malls have consignees including a supermarket where you can buy your groceries and food court where food are served. perhaps a lot of these guys can not afford the shops there but they can definitely afford to buy some groceries and dine at the food court.

hotel is a totally different place altogether. all of us know that dining is very expensive there and that the facilities (pools, gym) there are not only expensive but almost always exclusive to hotel residents and members only. hotels do not cater at all to everyone, that's for sure.

mo lang!

By Andrews• 29 Mar 2009 12:44
Andrews

MD you are spot on...OBSERVING HUMAN RIGHTS...lol

By anonymous• 29 Mar 2009 12:44
anonymous

LIVING IN QATAR

TO THE MODERATOR:

How can I post a picture here? I have some photos of FAMILY DAY RACISM

(the code is not working)

By bleu• 29 Mar 2009 12:40
bleu

marhabtain, I like this rule.

p.s. I hate the new LV bags with highlighter scribbles...

By fubar• 29 Mar 2009 12:37
fubar

I also don't understand why people see it as their right to enter a shopping mall.

If these same people wanted to go for a wander around the Ritz or the Four Seasons, would anyone complain if they were denied entry by hotel security?

And if you extend the logic, should the Intercon be able to turn people away from its beach facilities? Should it also be everyone's right to go and sit on the sand at the Intercon?

If they have the 'right' to be allowed in to a shopping mall, surely they have the right to go and sit by the sea at the Marriott? What's the difference?

By marhabtain• 29 Mar 2009 12:33
marhabtain

The rule is simple - if one cannot afford to shop in Louis Vuitton one simply should not be allowed into the posh malls of Doha. Hic! Yippee, Yippeee, its GORDONS gin for me!

WINNER Gordons Gin Personal Consumption Award 2008 Hic!

By anonymous• 29 Mar 2009 12:28
anonymous

LIVING IN QATAR

How can I post a picture here? I have some photos of family day racism (the code fdggfds is not working)

By anonymous• 29 Mar 2009 12:27
anonymous

LIVING IN QATAR

(the code sfgs is not working)

By fubar• 29 Mar 2009 12:23
fubar

Why do people continue to refer to Family day as racism?

I've been to the malls heaps of times as a single guy on family day without any problem. Inside the mall you will find plenty of single men from all over the world - India, Bangladesh, Africa, Europe, Middle East, America...

Granted there are lots of single people outside the mall NOT being let in, but for it to be purely racist, as it is alleged, then ALL people of a certain ethnicity must be denied entry.

The reason certain people are not let in is not because of their race, but because of the economic standing, their personal hygiene, and their appearance.

Some Indian men are allowed in, others are not. Some Arab men are allowed in, others are not. Some African guys are allowed in, others are not.

How can it be 'racist' if the same racial standard isn't being applied to ALL Indians, Arabs and Africans, etc?

By marhabtain• 29 Mar 2009 12:08
marhabtain

When only single white men and couples with obnoxious bratts are allowed to shop in Qatars fabulous Malls. Yippee, Yippeee, its GORDONS gin for me!

WINNER Gordons Gin Personal Consumption Award 2008 Hic!

By anonymous• 29 Mar 2009 11:57
anonymous

LIVING IN QATAR

congrats to Qatar

By anonymous• 28 Mar 2009 12:08
anonymous

On the other hand Qatar was given an award by the UN for "observing" the Human Rights. Guess they were "observing" them in other countruies.

By wolfman• 28 Mar 2009 11:49
wolfman

both racism and sexism maybe... family day is a concept beyond me... it seems like it is the day the security guards are most powerful. just like in VIP bars..

"For the strength of the Pack is the Wolf, and the strength of the Wolf is the Pack."

kabayan! usap tayo sa Barangay!

By JMT• 28 Mar 2009 11:31
JMT

then you are family.

If you are man, then you are not family (unless you have a woman with you).

Is it racism or sexism?

By anonymous• 28 Mar 2009 11:28
anonymous

LIVING IN QATAR

I was in the Corniche (a 30 km bay area try to shoot sunset)last friday and blue police officer harass me and he said I am not allowwed in the area because of family day he stoped me of doing a simple thing photographing a sunset. PURE RACISM TO ME

By anonymous• 28 Mar 2009 11:23
anonymous

LIVING IN QATAR

PURE RACISM TO ME

By nadinenana• 27 Mar 2009 21:29
nadinenana

everywhere i go, ppl shit on laborers...i feel so bad for these ppl:(...why can't they enjoy the malls they helped build?

By heero_yuy2• 27 Mar 2009 10:59
heero_yuy2

Go forth and multiply! LOL

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By britexpat• 27 Mar 2009 10:58
britexpat

We Qlers are a sad bunch.. There is a whole wide and wonderous world out there and we continue to discuss to death topics relating to "Family day" and "local driving habits" and ofcourse "religion"..

By bestinbusiness• 27 Mar 2009 10:49
bestinbusiness

Dude! this topic has been repeated alomst dozen times till now.

This Family Day only applies on that person whom a Security Guard stops at gate.

You just be confident and go and do not afraid if someOne stops you and asks you question.

By Oryx• 27 Mar 2009 10:22
Oryx

Its a day to celebrate fornication and procreation...

Go spread the seed!

By Weasel• 27 Mar 2009 10:16
Rating: 2/5
Weasel

By the way, it's no different to what David Jones / Myers tried in summer 2004. They wanted to stop the local construction workers from hanging about at their store-fronts on Bourke St. Apparently they were scaring off the ladies during their lunch hour. The whole media was up in arms, and David Jones had to back down.

By Weasel• 27 Mar 2009 10:13
Weasel

A pretty accurate description by Bleu. MissX - are you an Aussie who's never been to Qatar? I see a lot of Gulf related reports appearing in The Age, Melbourne. Maybe you could pass this on to them and we could all have a hoot here reading about Family Day in a newspaper down under.

By anonymous• 27 Mar 2009 09:58
anonymous

P.S. "Family Day" is not a religious issue!

By anonymous• 27 Mar 2009 09:57
Rating: 4/5
anonymous

"Family Day" is a new racist day in Qatar targeting smelly bachelors from Asia while allowing non-smelly bachelors from Europe or America to enter those places that are meant to serve the community while on Fridays only "families" with a minimum of 3 members (a pair of two is not a family!!)are given access, while Qatari bachelors, smelly or not, are allowed in, because the guards are afraid that they will get deported if they resist the "owners" of the country.

By heero_yuy2• 27 Mar 2009 09:56
heero_yuy2

Can't they make it a bit simple for kids to read?

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By Kathrina• 27 Mar 2009 09:46
Kathrina

"People Think of changing the world but no one think of changing himself first" ....

By arraya• 27 Mar 2009 09:30
arraya

To Live Is To Die.....Life Is Like A Fuse.....So Short And Burning Really Fast.....So Live Your Life To The Fullest.....!!!!!

By judascave555• 27 Mar 2009 09:26
judascave555

you know the answer, come on.

By bleu• 27 Mar 2009 09:23
Rating: 5/5
bleu

It seems you don't live here, I'll give you the definition of family day:

Family day: It's a day of the week, usually Friday, when some shopping malls (not every shop in Qatar) put their security guards at the doors and regulate entry.

They would allow women, groups of men and women, people with children, and even (well-dressed) men who are confident enough to walk in.

By well-dressed, I mean who don't look like bums or laborers.

The malls do it because the whole mall used to get filled with laborers who are not there to buy anything, and many others stopped going to the malls because they are too crowded.

It's called family day because there's no way to describe it without being offensive.

As usual, this thread will soon be about it being by nationality, and then it will be about NOC, slavery, "poor smelly people" (that's a quote from a newspaper), and maybe a little Qatari-bashing just like all the other threads.

Let the games begin.

By Vegas• 27 Mar 2009 08:49
Vegas

You can't teach experience...

By MissX• 27 Mar 2009 08:46
MissX

I have read a lot of threads in QL about this already, and that is why I am asking this question. All the people who write in the previous threads already seem to know what Family day is, so therefore fail to define it. I agree there are pages and pages of posts, but they are all opinion based, and seem to hold consensus that it is unfair. But to who exactly, I am not sure yet.

I thought it is only families that are allowed in to business, as per the name suggests. But some people say that only single men are not welcome. Then others say single Qataris and Westerners are allowed. Hence my confusion. Would someone be so kind as to define exactly who is and is not allowed into shops, and which shops, and why?

By buntsokoy_rich• 27 Mar 2009 08:03
buntsokoy_rich

Abuamerican your correct it's already discussed MissX..

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