>

Saudi Arabia was always and will always be a no-go zone for me!
Well that's fucked up. >

This is what happens in weak autocracies.  The leadership becomes so sensitive to criticism for fear that it might lead to an uprising that any statements that show the government in a bad light are treated as treason. >

My mom's boyfriend used to scare us into silence about his abuse, saying if the cops ever showed up at the door, he wouldn't be taken alive and he'd take us with him. 
When I hear about regimes threatening the death penalty for people speaking out against them, all I see are cowards with a little bit of power flexing it every chance they get, but terrified they'll lose it. 
I also think about this passage from the Old Testament. It basically says it all when it comes to religious zealots of any stripe.

The people of the town demanded of Joash, “Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal’s altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it.” But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, “Are you going to plead Baal’s cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar.” 

Religious nutters just like killing people. The religion is just an excuse. >


My mom's boyfriend used to scare us into silence about his abuse, saying if the cops ever showed up at the door, he wouldn't be taken alive and he'd take us with him. 

That's rough, my wife had to work through that kind of trauma with a therapist.
But I honestly don't understand that mentality.  I never had to raise a hand or raise my voice to my child.  I would just look at him when he made me mad and he would whither and apologize for disappointing me.  Maybe I just have that face or maybe because I treated him with respect, the potential loss of that was more weighty than any physical repercussions could be. >

The thing is, you're not a coward who makes himself feel less afraid by terrorizing women and children. You're not an oppressive government regime doing the same shit on a much larger scale.