“I think that it is only a lack of knowledge or familiarity with Saudi Arabia that leaves many Westerners with extreme stereotypes. Because it is a closed country, the only contact or knowledge that most Westerners have of Saudi is of Osama bin Laden and 9/11. Most Westerners know only of the 9/11 attacks or a romanticized version of Saudi Arabia from movies such as Lawrence of Arabia. Most Westerners have never met a Saudi national in person, and that makes stereotypes much more likely, I think. Most Westerners have no access to Saudi media. Therefore, even if the Saudi media were promoting a positive side of Saudi culture, few Westerners would see it. Where I do see positive portrayals of Saudi Arabia is generally through non-news sources, such as Facebook pages for businesses in Saudi that tend to promote a more positive view.”