"Rally" vs "Demonstration"

Hmm... interesting choice of titles in the Arab Timesand Kuwait Times today.  The anti-corruption demonstration held downtown was termed a "rally" whereas the demonstration for Bidun rights was deemed a "demonstration."

Arab Times:
"KUWAIT CITY, Sept 21: Thousands of Kuwaiti protesters called on Wednesday for the resignation of the prime minister and the government over an alleged corruption scandal involving several MPs. In one of the strongest show of force, more than 5,000 protesters attended the opposition-sponsored rally in the capital Kuwait City amid tight security measures by hundreds of policemen and elite special forces. “For the sake and interests of this country, we urge the Amir to dismiss the prime minister immediately,” said Islamist opposition MP Faisal Al-Muslim as the crowds chanted: “Go out.”

"...Elsewhere in Jahra, the scheduled Bedoun demonstration did not get the needed response as security was very tight in preparedness for the proposed demonstration. According to a security source quoted by Al-Seyassah daily, the authorities took all measures and set up barriers and checkpoints inside the areas in anticipation of the demonstration."

Interesting.  "Democracy" is subjective, eh? Kuwait Times used both terms in their story about the corruption demonstration.  Oddly, Alwatan Daily had nothing on their opening page about the demonstrations.
Kuwait Times estimated the anti-corruption crowd at 70,000 whereas Arab Times had the figure at 5,000.  Huh.  Gee, I wonder why that is.

I have been here since 1996.  There have never been strikes nor demonstrations against the government since I've been here. 

I've heard a lot of expat friends say recently, "Arab Spring won't come to Kuwait. Why should the Kuwaitis demonstrate?  They have it all and the Government gives them everything. They should be happy."  Well, if you look at it one-sidedly, yes.  If you dig deeper, speak to Kuwaiti friends, and learn a little about the history of Kuwait, you'll see that the social problems currently occurring in Kuwait have not come up before.  A lot of people are not happy and a lot of people are getting much more organized in how they voice their concerns.  It should be interesting to see what will happen next in Kuwait.