The name of the late Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Shubayri, one of the pioneers of Saudi media, came to the forefront once again during artist Saad Kadr’s lecture. Although he caused widespread controversy with the novel, which is more than 50 years old, Dr. Al-Shubairi’s family considered the novel to be a clear insult that had nothing to do with his biography.
The story, which was presented in the context of recalling old memories and situations to which the artist was exposed, had racist and condescending connotations, according to the content mentioned, which quickly sparked a storm of criticism after his daughter Shaden al-Shubairi sharply reacted to the content, calling it “nonsense, slander, an insult to the tall and the dead” and stressing that her father had never been foul-mouthed or disrespectful. His professional career was known for literature, sophistication, fighting racism, and supporting young talent.
She emphasized that al-Shubairi’s history in managing the media and creating its programs cannot be reduced to individual contradictory narratives, considering that searching for “trends” does not justify defaming the deceased and is not consistent with professional ethics.
The family’s anger continued unabated. Author Idris al-Dries acknowledged that anyone who knew al-Shubairi knew that he had “polite manners and a chaste tongue,” but scholar Dr. Abdul Wahed al-Hamid said this story contradicted what he had known for more than 40 years about his polite behavior, clean hands and tongue, and eagerness to help others.
According to many, the debate here goes beyond the debate between novels and memory to deeper issues. Does our guest, Saad Kadru, have the right to narrate old events without documentation or scrutiny?!
Bringing up the deceased’s name imposes a double burden between the individual’s delayed testimony and a defense based on a long history of media activity. This issue is still disputed between the novel, which did not survive the biography of a man whose name is connected to the creation of the Saudi media and its leadership, and a person who does not exist in this world and has no right to protect himself. In both cases, they demanded an apology from Mr. Saad Khadr…Will he apologize?!
