this isn't freedom

Have societal standards for common decency dropped dramatically and I wasn't informed? Or was I hibernating for more than 100 years to wake up to such a shock of how our community has given in to the double standard edition of dealing with their daily lives?

Fine, teenagers will be teenagers and granted we were once in that state where rebelliousness was a common factor of our age group and that helped us out in doing almost everything what we wanted. And granted also that we - I speak for myself - have outgrown that phase and probably become more mature in a sense. But, honestly speaking, waking up one day to see girls and boys who are 10 or more years our junior sitting in public places being luvvy duvvy is something I am not acquainted with at all in Oman.

Oman is lenient on many laws, regulations and matters of societal differences but this is stretching the thread far too long; especially when you see youngsters kissing with no bother to people who pass them by or another couple who sit on their laps because they 'feel like it', or young girls wearing fancy dresses fit enough for Britney Spears.

I am not against liberalism. I am against the double standards that are set in our country. Our government placed certain laws and regulations that were meant to be adhered to and not be broken. And that applies on everyone who resides in the Sultanate whether you're a citizen or a resident or a national or a tourist.

You may say that such behavior only comes from how parents deal with their children but that is only half the truth, especially when the surroundings encourage it. By that, I mean the current freedoms that are on the front line that none of us ever got to experience when we were young.

And it is such a shame to think that whoever fought for this country's freedom, fought for a certain idea to be kept alive; fought so that their children could live a better more easier life; fought so that they could get a better education and better treatment; they fought for their right to be seen equal.

Somehow, that idea is now slowly evaporating into the air..