As 2012 closes and as 2013 dawns, I find myself reflecting back on some of the more poignant stories of the year. After all, our past is often a guide to our future. So, let's take a brief stroll and look at a year that was.
2012 was marked as a year of change. We had the revolutions for democracy throughout the Middle East. Egypt, Libya, and Syria started a massive movements to end their totalitarian dictatorships. Tens of thousands of people took to the streets and protested for weeks. Some of the protests were peaceful, while others degenerated into Civil War. But , here's the puzzlement. If , as in Egypt's case, this was a revolt for freedom, then how did Morsi, a member of the rightwing theocratic Muslim Brotherhood get elected? This is not a pro-democracy, but pro-Islamic oriented government; the exact opposite of what the Egyptian wanted.
Morsi, after promising to support religious diversity and support democracy, declared himself virtual dictator, with more power and authority than the former president, Hosni Mubarak. Then after back off, and again promising to support the concept of democracy, proposed a new constitution essentially wiping out freedom for many Egyptians, especially the Christian minority and women. Again, tens of thousands of angry Egyptians took to the street in protest. It was so bad, Morsi and his Cabinet hide behind palace walls and called in the army to protect them.
But despite two votes, the Sharia oriented constitution is ratified. How is that possible? Well, it shouldn't be. There's no way Morsi should have ever been elected in the first place. Secondly, Egyptians, angry at the outcome make a tactical mistake. In protest, they decided to stay home and not vote, thinking that would make a difference. Stupid mistake. In doing so, with only a 34% turnout, Morsi got his supporters to the polls and pass the constitution they wanted, not the one the Egyptian people wanted. Morsi used every terroristic threat he could, including "rape gangs" to keep women at home and men there to protect them (not unlike what happened in Afghanistan and Iraq previously, and is now happening in India). By the way, by staying at home, Egyptian women may lose their right to vote, and with it, just about every other basic human right.
The Egyptians have to learn that democracy means voting no matter the threat, and it's not just voting, it's who counts the votes the matter. That's the only way Egyptians will rise out of their poverty and backwardness to become a great power again. The same can be said of Libya and Syria, not to mention Iran and practically the rest of the Middle East.
Speaking of Libya, another highlight of the year was the Obama Administration's blunder at Benghazi. Here we had a terrorist attack on a US Embassy resulting in a dead ambassador and three aides. The ambassador had been communicating for weeks about the changing situation in the area, but Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of the State and various government agencies ignored the warnings. Even with the assault underway (including a nearby CIA station), Washington refused to authorize any type of military relief, up to and including relieving US Commander, General Carter Ham, of duty when he said he was moving ahead with relief efforts (Defense Secretary Leon Panetta refused to authorize relief efforts. General Ham, head of military command for the region, advised a second time that he was prepared and going forward. Panetta, within 30 seconds, relieved him of command). Despite the overwhelming evidence, the White House continued to deny this was anything but an ad hoc attack by a random group. Even now, the "blame game" continues. Washington must be a very warm place with all the covering up going on.
In America, Barak Obama was re-elected to a second term despite a full on assault by Conservatives, a failing US economy and foreign policy. For years, the Right had been waging a not-so-covert attack on Obama's character, birth, and his alleged "plans" to turn America into a "socialist" gulag. Yet, all the Republican Party could muster was a uber-rich white dude with no charisma and poor communication skills who couldn't even begin to relate to the average American. There was no realistic plans put forward; no attempt to reach out to an increasingly diverse electorate. Was Romney really the best the GOP could do? Seriously? The result was a narrow victory for Obama. The secondary result was to show how of touch the Republican Party was from ordinary Americans. Like with Egypt, I am perplexed at how what was a seemingly forgone conclusion turned into a continuation of the status quo. Reminds me of an old mafia fixed boxing match.
The Tea Party too showed its weakness. After being formed as a "back to basics" political movement, it's become infested with much of the right wing nutterry that has all but destroyed the viability of the GOP as a national party. While there's little hope for the future of the Republican Party in its present form, the question is whether the Tea Party can reinvent itself into what it once was and carry the banner of the traditional Conservatism. Meanwhile, the Occupy movements have turned into a "tempest in a teapot" to borrow a line from Shakespeare. While there's much to legitimately protest, without organization and a plan of action, it will waste its energy like a storm at sea. With the two key groups for change having thus been nullified, the status quo can carry on without further interference.
Sadly, there's been an increasing number of mass murders in America, with 151 victims for 2012 alone. Some involved only a few people, while others involved dozens. Regardless, all were lives lost needlessly. The most recent, and the most painful was at Newtown where evil walked into a school and murdered 26 children and teachers. However, some good may come out of the tragedy with treatment of the mentally ill back in the limelight. For far too long, the mental ill were basically tossed aside as funding for treatment was cut or eliminated. However, darker forces have been stirred too as talk of "gun control" is back as the hot topic in liberal media.
Now, while I agree that the average person doesn't need incendiary or armor piercing ammo or military oriented weapons, the majority of the guns used in these recent killings were not "assault rifles". They were actually typical hunting caliber with fancy stocks to give them the "look" of being military. Nevertheless, those who wish to disarm Americans for their own nefarious agenda, use these tragedies as an excuse to disarm all Americans of their guns. Does depending on the government and law enforcement to show up after the fact or you being able to defend yourself at the time make you more secure? That's the crux of the argument.
While this may seem hard for others to understand, guns and the right to own them are as fundamental to the American psyche as free speech or freedom of or from religion. It was written into our Bill of Rights expressly to protect us from a tyrannical government; something our Founding Fathers feared. Next to our right to openly express ourselves without fear of government reprisal, it is our most important right. Some individuals have voluntarily turned their guns in, mostly in exchange for cash. In these severe economic times, some value cash more than their rights. Perhaps it's part of some grand plan.
Then there is the looming "financial cliff". In yet another example as how dysfunctional our government has become, both Congress and the White House are still engaged in a game of "Russian Roulette" with the gun aimed at the head of the American People. Of course, neither Congress or the White House have any fear of repercussions. They'll merely find some other crisis to divert the public's limited attention, and there is always gerrymandering to partially guarantee their re-election. But not to worry America, we have the best economy of any second tier nation in the world.
As if to throw salt on the national economic wound, Congress quietly agreed to extend portions of the "Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978" dealing with monitoring, opening emails, unwarranted wiretaps, and surveillance on all domestic and foreign suspects so long as its intended goal to gather foreign information. In exchange, as if a Presidential "thank you", the White House agreed to a pay raise for Congress of .5%. Yelp, while many Americans are struggling to keep their homes, pay their bills, and afford their healthcare coverage, Congress got a nice pay increase. Wasn't that nice of you America? After all, the pay raise was made possible with your tax dollars, which, by the way, are going up again.
Lastly, this article marks the 200th edition of AO. It's been a pleasure to reach out to each and every one of you over the years, and I hope to do so for many more. I hope I've inspired at least some of you to look up and question what's going on around you. It has been my goal to encourage and challenge you to think for yourselves; to step away from the herd and accept that you are an individual capable of thinking your own thoughts and reaching your own conclusions. Remember, John Lennon told us it was "Power to the People", not "Power to the Sheeple". So, as I ask in every blog, what are you prepared to do?
General Losing His Job Over Benghazi
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/robbins-report/2012/oct/28/general-losing-his-job-over-benghazi/
A Guide to Mass Shootings
http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2012/07/mass-shootings-map
Congress Extends FISA Wiretapping Act
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2012/12/28/168220266/congress-extends-fisa-wiretapping-act-to-2017-awaits-obamas-signature
Obama Order Raise
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-orders-raise-biden-members-congress-federal-workers_692223.html
Showing posts with label Moslem Women. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Moslem Women. Show all posts
Monday, December 31, 2012
Saturday, March 03, 2012
Enough is Enough
Six dead US servicemen. 30 dead Afghan civilians. US flag burnings. Rioting. Stone throwing. Cars and buildings burned and destroyed. Roving mobs of protesters. The head of US troops in Afghanistan, US Marine General John Allen, US Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta, and the US President have made repeated apologies, and the rioting continues, now entering its third week while the unstable and allegedly corrupt Afghani government of Hamid Karzi looks on; either powerless to stop it, or simply unwilling to do so. Enough is enough.
Look, we're sorry. No one ever intended to slight or insult Islam or the Afghan People. There were five US servicemen and one Afghan advisor who were instructed to dispose of material at the Parwan Detention Center. Typically military protocol is that you burn all paper products. They screwed up. They apologized. The head of US ground forces in the region, General Allen, apologized and promised the appropriate "punishment" (and when a Marine says he's going to do something, it gets done...pronto). That's what civilized people do. That's what supposed allies do. They accept responsibility and do something about it. Do you think that the US and Britain haven't accidentally stepped on each other's toes over the decades? Neither has murdered anyone; or looted anything; or burn buildings and cars. It's really time to knock it off.
We went to Afghanistan at the request Afghan People; not as conquerors did in the past, but as liberators. Sure, we were going after Bin Laden and his group of lunatics anyway, but that didn't require committing massive qualities of American material and manpower. However, it was the Afghan People who asked us to liberate them from the brutal and backwards Al Qaida and Taliban. Remember them? They were the ones throwing acid in the faces of your daughters who wanted to go to school. They were also the ones beating your wives and daughters with cane sticks for not following their version of the Islam while you did nothing. They were the ones who deprived you of modern technology and medicine. By the way, how did you like living in the Stone Age?
And something else Afghanis, we helped secure your freedom from the invading Russians, or did you forget that? We've built schools, roads, hospitals. We've helped you rebuild your infrastructure from the ground up...literally. We helped you form a new government of you choosing. To paraphrase our Benjamin Franklin, it's up to you to keep it or lose it. And from what I've seen over the past two weeks, maybe the Taliban weren't so bad after all. But, you see, Americans don't do that. We believe in peacefully protesting. We believe in peacefully challenging our elected officials, not murdering people and destroying property. When you burned our Bible, you don't see the same inbreed behavior did you? You don't see us freaking out when you burn our flag (although it makes us just as mad as you were. I think the two word combination where is "civilized restraint". Look it up if you all haven't burn all the dictionaries.
Now, what are you planning on doing about the six murdered US servicemen? How's that criminal investigation going? Any arrests? Same questions about the murdered Afghanis. Who's responsible for the destroyed property? Who's paying for that? I suspect the answer is "nobody", which is what most of the world now expects.
Now it's time for us to go. We did all you asked of us and much much more. We're not looking for any praise or even "thank you for saving our collective tuckus". I guess it's just what a freedom loving people with the greatest men and women in uniform do. We would, however, hope you stop killing people and breaking things. It's like watching a nation throwing some sort of collective three year old temper tantrum. If you want to remain medieval, that's fine; it's your business. But you keep biting the hand of the people who've repeatedly saved your country on your behalf, and we may decide to leave you to your collective fate next time, which would be a terrible loss to the world. Your call.
Look, we're sorry. No one ever intended to slight or insult Islam or the Afghan People. There were five US servicemen and one Afghan advisor who were instructed to dispose of material at the Parwan Detention Center. Typically military protocol is that you burn all paper products. They screwed up. They apologized. The head of US ground forces in the region, General Allen, apologized and promised the appropriate "punishment" (and when a Marine says he's going to do something, it gets done...pronto). That's what civilized people do. That's what supposed allies do. They accept responsibility and do something about it. Do you think that the US and Britain haven't accidentally stepped on each other's toes over the decades? Neither has murdered anyone; or looted anything; or burn buildings and cars. It's really time to knock it off.
We went to Afghanistan at the request Afghan People; not as conquerors did in the past, but as liberators. Sure, we were going after Bin Laden and his group of lunatics anyway, but that didn't require committing massive qualities of American material and manpower. However, it was the Afghan People who asked us to liberate them from the brutal and backwards Al Qaida and Taliban. Remember them? They were the ones throwing acid in the faces of your daughters who wanted to go to school. They were also the ones beating your wives and daughters with cane sticks for not following their version of the Islam while you did nothing. They were the ones who deprived you of modern technology and medicine. By the way, how did you like living in the Stone Age?
And something else Afghanis, we helped secure your freedom from the invading Russians, or did you forget that? We've built schools, roads, hospitals. We've helped you rebuild your infrastructure from the ground up...literally. We helped you form a new government of you choosing. To paraphrase our Benjamin Franklin, it's up to you to keep it or lose it. And from what I've seen over the past two weeks, maybe the Taliban weren't so bad after all. But, you see, Americans don't do that. We believe in peacefully protesting. We believe in peacefully challenging our elected officials, not murdering people and destroying property. When you burned our Bible, you don't see the same inbreed behavior did you? You don't see us freaking out when you burn our flag (although it makes us just as mad as you were. I think the two word combination where is "civilized restraint". Look it up if you all haven't burn all the dictionaries.
Now, what are you planning on doing about the six murdered US servicemen? How's that criminal investigation going? Any arrests? Same questions about the murdered Afghanis. Who's responsible for the destroyed property? Who's paying for that? I suspect the answer is "nobody", which is what most of the world now expects.
Now it's time for us to go. We did all you asked of us and much much more. We're not looking for any praise or even "thank you for saving our collective tuckus". I guess it's just what a freedom loving people with the greatest men and women in uniform do. We would, however, hope you stop killing people and breaking things. It's like watching a nation throwing some sort of collective three year old temper tantrum. If you want to remain medieval, that's fine; it's your business. But you keep biting the hand of the people who've repeatedly saved your country on your behalf, and we may decide to leave you to your collective fate next time, which would be a terrible loss to the world. Your call.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
A Global War: Deliverance from Intolerance?
This week is one of the holiest for Jews and Christian. Passover, which celebrates the Israel's deliverance from Egypt, and Easter, when Christians of all denominations and sects come together to celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus following his crucifixion at the hands of the Romans. Indeed, Easter can be said to be the crux of Christianity. Both events celebrate good over the evil; of faith in God so save the righteous. Yet, today, both religions, along with Hinduism, Buddhism, and numerous others, are under threat again. This time it’s by radical Islam, which calls for the establishment of a global Caliphate and worldwide enforcement of the extremist interpretation of Sharia law. While most religions would choose to live in peace, radical Islam has literally declared a “jihad” or “holy war” on anyone, including non-conforming Moslems that don’t accept their rule. The penalty is death. There is no “compromise”. There is no “negotiation. After all, in their eyes, how do you “negotiate” with God?
Over the past several years, dozens of churches have been destroyed. Christians have been beaten, threatened, harassed, and murdered. Just last week, Moslem troops in the African state of Ivory Coast, murdered 1000 Christians. Yes, you read that number correctly. Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists have fared little better. Who doesn’t remember the brutal assault of radical Moslem attacking Mumbai India in 2008 or the destruction of Buddhist statues, hundreds of years old in 2003? Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, not to mention Zoroastrians, Taoists, and others have often faced the same fate as Christians with beatings, murders, and the ubiquitous decapitations.
We are at war. This war has little to do with geopolitics, Afghanistan, or Iraq. It has to do with God. It’s a global religious war, and whether or not we want to accept it make little difference to do those who are waging it. Perhaps, from their perspective, it’s even better. Taking a lesson from Sun Tzu, its good strategy to talk peace or be seen as promoting peace while engaging in war. What better way to expand your influence?
What can we do? First, we have to acknowledge it. We can expect our current administration to do nothing. Washington is not just leaderless, it’s clueless. We must build a grassroots movement of interfaith to not just focus on religious tolerance, but demand it. We should encourage and support moderate or liberal/sectarian Moslems to speak up and speak out. After all, it’s ultimately their faith being hijacked. For those living in the West, we should encourage the adoption of western dress, values, and language. If they don’t “buy into” Western Culture, how they can be expected to defend it? This is, of course, the near opposite of multiculturalism which wants to be everything to everybody while undermining the essence of what it means to be an American, or German, or English, or French, or Russian. Multiculturalism is ultimately cowardice.
The West, and I include Eastern Europe and Russia as well, must come together with a zero tolerance of radicalism in their own countries. Radicals must be dealt with swiftly. Prisons are the fastest breeding ground for radical Islam. It must stop. Moderate Islam must be introduced and encouraged in the world’s prisons. India too must take the same steps to curtail the growth of extremists groups. The World must not just protest acts of atrocity, they must demand swift action. These countries, which allow churches and temples to be burned, and the murder innocents depend on the West for their economic survival. Perhaps we should flex our economic might by demanding immediate and public justice. The fact that most of these acts happen in poor and often illiterate countries, shows why education (especially of females) is so feared by radicals. Education requires empirical thought---reason and logic. That’s something radicalism can’t tolerate any more than cockroaches can tolerate the glare of light.
My hope is the realization of the meaning of both Passover and Easter, which is namely the celebration of freedom from intolerance, fear, and tyranny, be it from a Pharaoh, the Romans, religious fascism, or globalism.
Over the past several years, dozens of churches have been destroyed. Christians have been beaten, threatened, harassed, and murdered. Just last week, Moslem troops in the African state of Ivory Coast, murdered 1000 Christians. Yes, you read that number correctly. Hindus, Sikhs, and Buddhists have fared little better. Who doesn’t remember the brutal assault of radical Moslem attacking Mumbai India in 2008 or the destruction of Buddhist statues, hundreds of years old in 2003? Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, not to mention Zoroastrians, Taoists, and others have often faced the same fate as Christians with beatings, murders, and the ubiquitous decapitations.
We are at war. This war has little to do with geopolitics, Afghanistan, or Iraq. It has to do with God. It’s a global religious war, and whether or not we want to accept it make little difference to do those who are waging it. Perhaps, from their perspective, it’s even better. Taking a lesson from Sun Tzu, its good strategy to talk peace or be seen as promoting peace while engaging in war. What better way to expand your influence?
What can we do? First, we have to acknowledge it. We can expect our current administration to do nothing. Washington is not just leaderless, it’s clueless. We must build a grassroots movement of interfaith to not just focus on religious tolerance, but demand it. We should encourage and support moderate or liberal/sectarian Moslems to speak up and speak out. After all, it’s ultimately their faith being hijacked. For those living in the West, we should encourage the adoption of western dress, values, and language. If they don’t “buy into” Western Culture, how they can be expected to defend it? This is, of course, the near opposite of multiculturalism which wants to be everything to everybody while undermining the essence of what it means to be an American, or German, or English, or French, or Russian. Multiculturalism is ultimately cowardice.
The West, and I include Eastern Europe and Russia as well, must come together with a zero tolerance of radicalism in their own countries. Radicals must be dealt with swiftly. Prisons are the fastest breeding ground for radical Islam. It must stop. Moderate Islam must be introduced and encouraged in the world’s prisons. India too must take the same steps to curtail the growth of extremists groups. The World must not just protest acts of atrocity, they must demand swift action. These countries, which allow churches and temples to be burned, and the murder innocents depend on the West for their economic survival. Perhaps we should flex our economic might by demanding immediate and public justice. The fact that most of these acts happen in poor and often illiterate countries, shows why education (especially of females) is so feared by radicals. Education requires empirical thought---reason and logic. That’s something radicalism can’t tolerate any more than cockroaches can tolerate the glare of light.
My hope is the realization of the meaning of both Passover and Easter, which is namely the celebration of freedom from intolerance, fear, and tyranny, be it from a Pharaoh, the Romans, religious fascism, or globalism.
Saturday, January 01, 2011
After Don't Ask Don't Tell: Gay Marriage?
The Conservative Right may have dug themselves into a very deep hole. As I last reported, “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”, which was first enacted by Democrat President Bill Clinton, has been repealed. Although technically “illegal” until the appropriate bureaucratic steps are completed, it’s now essentially legal to be openly gay in the US military (there are already 23 other countries where gays openly serve in the military. So much for that ole “first in freedom” line I suppose).
So, here’s the next quandary for the Republicans and the Conservative Right (especially for the socially Conservative). If it’s now ok to volunteer to fight, and possibly die or become disabled in the defense of this country, why isn’t ok to marry the person they love regardless of their gender? Now I can just see some finger wagging Conservative hyperventilating and accusing me of not being “pure enough” to be a Conservative and that’s ok. It’s a “relatively’ free country at the moment, but it also doesn’t change the argument.
Vice President Biden recently said that he would support a measure to make gay marriage legal, which in my opinion is no big deal. I personally couldn’t care less what Biden thinks, but it does give some indication as to which way the White House will lean on the issue. Of course, “Hollyweird” and “Left Coast” has long been a proponent of gay marriage and all things liberal. Perhaps more important that the Vice President’s opinion is Oprah’s opinion, and she is an ardent supporter of gay marriage.
On a personal level, I’ve always believed that marriage should be between a man and woman. When I ran for State Representative in 2004, the issue of allowing gay marriage was on the ballot, and I, for one, opposed it. My opponent, Denver Butler, a Democrat and perhaps more tellingly, a conservative Catholic, opposed it too. In fact, you were hard pressed to find anyone outside of Jefferson County (Louisville) who supported it (it was hard to even find someone in Jefferson County, which is perhaps the most “liberal” of Kentucky’s 120 counties, who supported it. The issue failed overwhelmingly by the way). My logic was that marriage was something that formed the nucleus of society; the very foundation of civilization itself. People got married for the purpose of creating and raising a family; passing on knowledge; adding to the workforce; it created familial units which in turn, created villages, communities, towns, and cities. All this, of course, increased the exchange of ideas and thus, systems of government and religions were created. Well, I’m sure you get my point.
However, in looking back at history, I found the gay relationships openly existed. In fact, they were generally quite common. The Sumerians had them. So did the Babylonians. The Hittites and Assyrians, both notably militaristic, had them, as did the Persians and Greeks (remember Alexander the Great?). Even the mighty Roman Empire had openly gay relationships. On the other hand, I didn’t find any evidence that the Egyptians did or for the matter, the Chinese. In fact, some ancient civilizations down right forbid it on pain of death, such as the Huns, Vandals, Mongols, Goths, Norse, Celts, and Germanic tribes.
Of particular importance was that I didn’t find mention of acceptance among the certain nomadic Semite tribes, such as the Hebrews. Their reasoning, as was the Egyptians by the way, was that the desired outcome of a sexual encounter was to produce offspring, which was seen as a form of wealth in what was an agricultural or nomadic society. It seems to me that gay relationship seemed to be more openly accepted as the complexity of a given society increased and/or became more settled.
In today’s society, relationships are not always about procreation any more. They are just as often about companionship or financial arrangements. Technology has made knowledge available to everyone equally. As we become more global, we are exposed to more cultural traditions and religions. No longer are we just Judeo-Christian society. As such, does society therefore have a right or obligation to impose what is chiefly Judeo-Christian values system onto others? There’s a tenet in the ancient nature oriented religion of Wicca which says “Do as you will, but do not harm to others”. Should an otherwise upstanding individual be denied what you and I take for granted, that is, the legal right to share our lives with whomever we chose? We’ve agreed they have the right to fight and die for the freedoms this country stands for, and yet we as a society have said that they don’t have the right to legal relationship with someone of the same gender.
Of course, there are many other issues to consider, such as the right of survivorship, insurance coverage, healthcare coverage, joint ownership of property, a tax deduction, right to adopt, etc. By repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”, the GOP and its Conservative allies, have opened Pandora’s Box, and perhaps it’s a box which needs to be opened. Certainly, we as a society need to reexamine what constitutes a legal as well as moral relationship and what, if any, are its boundaries.
The Gouge Gage
As just about every holiday traveler will tell you, gas prices across the country are outrageous. The AAA reported on 12/10/10 that the average price for a gallon of unleaded was $2.98. A week before, it was eight cents cheaper? So what happened in one week to see that kind of an increase? Well, oil company officials will tell you some cockamamie story about a price adjustment due to oil production on a rig in BFG being affected by the flight pattern of birds. The truth as you and I know is much simpler. It was an opportunity to gouge consumers while knowing damn good and well that the government won’t do a thing to interfere. In fact, it’s government’s job to clear the way for the oil companies by creating the illusion of “protecting” us.
Former Shell Oil Chief, John Hofmeister predicted that by 2012, the price of a gallon of gas will be $5.00. He’s not far off the mark. Already, the average price where I live is over $3.00 a gallon. People who are making at or just above minimum wage are already talking about it becoming to expensive to go to work. With bus routes being cut, what are lower income people supposed to do? I don’t see this as a Democrat or Republican issue. I see this simply as corporate greed running amuck and being all but sanctioned by the government. Perhaps the time to nationalize the oil industry is about to dawn.
A few months ago I reviewd a book by Dr. Ida Lichter entitled “Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression” which is published by Prometheus Books, New York. If you haven’t read it yet, you seriously need to. This is perhaps one of the most important books ever written about conservative Islam and its treatment of women you’ll ever read. Recently, Dr. Lichter wrote an article for the Huffington Post (12/20/10) about an often overlooked relgious group, the Bahai and the human rights violations they suffer daily in Iran. I thought you would find the article as compelling as I did.
Baha’is in Iran are Easily Forgotten
Wikileaks has revealed government and diplomatic violations of the truth while paradoxically keeping their own sources secret. In the process, editor in chief and whistleblower Julian Assange has become a hero for human rights defenders. Sadly, the intense publicity surrounding Wikileaks diverts attention from serious injustice and continuing human rights violations, some already on the back burner and badly neglected. A good example is the state-sponsored persecution of Baha'is in Iran.
The 300,000-strong Baha'i community, the largest religious minority in Iran, represents less than 1% of the population. Over the past 30 years, they have suffered torture and execution. They have been denied tertiary education and government jobs, their shops and properties are often seized, cemeteries desecrated and children harassed at school. In addition, Bahai's are facing stepped-up persecution and have been falsely blamed for organizing and inciting anti-government protests although they abstain from partisan political activity on religious principles. Charges against them include espionage, "propaganda activities against the Islamic order" and "corruption on earth," the latter a capital offence. Baha'i communities around the world insist these charges are spurious and part of a campaign to scapegoat members of the faith.
During the Shah's era, Baha'is strove for education and became successful and prominent, creating envy and suspicion, and although police sometimes protected them against Islamic extremists, they were victims of periodic outbreaks of violence.
A major source of ideological friction with Islam is the doctrine of a hierarchy of traditions that subsumes previous ones. According to Baha'is, the Prophet Mohammad was not the last prophet but one in a progressive line, and the next one is not due for a thousand years!
Women's rights are central to Baha'i teaching and in stark contrast to the discriminatory sharia laws implemented by the Islamic Republic of Iran. These rights include full support for the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
There are numerous documented stories of violent arrests and incarcerations in the hundreds of prisons situated in basements of houses in Tehran.
Rozita Vasseghi is a Baha'i prisoner. In Kafkaesque fashion, a man claiming to be a 'postman' arrested her three years ago after a knock on the door, and during repeated interrogations while blindfolded, her captors threatened her with death. Throughout her ordeal, she was denied a lawyer. Following release from prison, she found a job but government authorities exerted pressure on her employers to have her fired. A few years later, she was arrested at her home, and for the next six months, found herself in solitary confinement. Her elderly mother, who was allowed visits of only five minutes, was horrified by her wasted appearance. Accused of insulting Islam, acting against national security and teaching the Baha'i religion, she is serving a five-year sentence.
Rozita's sister Rosa, suffered multiple incarcerations before escaping Iran. She was on her way home in a shared public taxi when the driver asked about her religion. Discovering she was a Baha'i, he stopped and made a phone call. A car with several people soon showed up, the women fully covered in chadors. Rosa was blindfolded and forced into the vehicle and when they reached their destination, she was thrown onto the pavement, her hands were tied and she was dragged down stairs to a room and beaten. Her captors repeatedly called her an infidel and declared her blood would be impure until she renounced her faith and converted to Islam. Over several years, she was repeatedly arrested and imprisoned.
As proponents of a religion originating from Islam, stamped by modernity, universal human rights and compatibility with many Western values, Baha'is are vulnerable targets for persecution by the Iranian theocracy. Baha'i women are doubly at risk, being female and Baha'i, and as victims of severe injustice, they deserve more outrage and support than Assange and Wikileaks.
Ida Lichter is the author of Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression, published by Prometheus Books, New York.
So, here’s the next quandary for the Republicans and the Conservative Right (especially for the socially Conservative). If it’s now ok to volunteer to fight, and possibly die or become disabled in the defense of this country, why isn’t ok to marry the person they love regardless of their gender? Now I can just see some finger wagging Conservative hyperventilating and accusing me of not being “pure enough” to be a Conservative and that’s ok. It’s a “relatively’ free country at the moment, but it also doesn’t change the argument.
Vice President Biden recently said that he would support a measure to make gay marriage legal, which in my opinion is no big deal. I personally couldn’t care less what Biden thinks, but it does give some indication as to which way the White House will lean on the issue. Of course, “Hollyweird” and “Left Coast” has long been a proponent of gay marriage and all things liberal. Perhaps more important that the Vice President’s opinion is Oprah’s opinion, and she is an ardent supporter of gay marriage.
On a personal level, I’ve always believed that marriage should be between a man and woman. When I ran for State Representative in 2004, the issue of allowing gay marriage was on the ballot, and I, for one, opposed it. My opponent, Denver Butler, a Democrat and perhaps more tellingly, a conservative Catholic, opposed it too. In fact, you were hard pressed to find anyone outside of Jefferson County (Louisville) who supported it (it was hard to even find someone in Jefferson County, which is perhaps the most “liberal” of Kentucky’s 120 counties, who supported it. The issue failed overwhelmingly by the way). My logic was that marriage was something that formed the nucleus of society; the very foundation of civilization itself. People got married for the purpose of creating and raising a family; passing on knowledge; adding to the workforce; it created familial units which in turn, created villages, communities, towns, and cities. All this, of course, increased the exchange of ideas and thus, systems of government and religions were created. Well, I’m sure you get my point.
However, in looking back at history, I found the gay relationships openly existed. In fact, they were generally quite common. The Sumerians had them. So did the Babylonians. The Hittites and Assyrians, both notably militaristic, had them, as did the Persians and Greeks (remember Alexander the Great?). Even the mighty Roman Empire had openly gay relationships. On the other hand, I didn’t find any evidence that the Egyptians did or for the matter, the Chinese. In fact, some ancient civilizations down right forbid it on pain of death, such as the Huns, Vandals, Mongols, Goths, Norse, Celts, and Germanic tribes.
Of particular importance was that I didn’t find mention of acceptance among the certain nomadic Semite tribes, such as the Hebrews. Their reasoning, as was the Egyptians by the way, was that the desired outcome of a sexual encounter was to produce offspring, which was seen as a form of wealth in what was an agricultural or nomadic society. It seems to me that gay relationship seemed to be more openly accepted as the complexity of a given society increased and/or became more settled.
In today’s society, relationships are not always about procreation any more. They are just as often about companionship or financial arrangements. Technology has made knowledge available to everyone equally. As we become more global, we are exposed to more cultural traditions and religions. No longer are we just Judeo-Christian society. As such, does society therefore have a right or obligation to impose what is chiefly Judeo-Christian values system onto others? There’s a tenet in the ancient nature oriented religion of Wicca which says “Do as you will, but do not harm to others”. Should an otherwise upstanding individual be denied what you and I take for granted, that is, the legal right to share our lives with whomever we chose? We’ve agreed they have the right to fight and die for the freedoms this country stands for, and yet we as a society have said that they don’t have the right to legal relationship with someone of the same gender.
Of course, there are many other issues to consider, such as the right of survivorship, insurance coverage, healthcare coverage, joint ownership of property, a tax deduction, right to adopt, etc. By repealing “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”, the GOP and its Conservative allies, have opened Pandora’s Box, and perhaps it’s a box which needs to be opened. Certainly, we as a society need to reexamine what constitutes a legal as well as moral relationship and what, if any, are its boundaries.
The Gouge Gage
As just about every holiday traveler will tell you, gas prices across the country are outrageous. The AAA reported on 12/10/10 that the average price for a gallon of unleaded was $2.98. A week before, it was eight cents cheaper? So what happened in one week to see that kind of an increase? Well, oil company officials will tell you some cockamamie story about a price adjustment due to oil production on a rig in BFG being affected by the flight pattern of birds. The truth as you and I know is much simpler. It was an opportunity to gouge consumers while knowing damn good and well that the government won’t do a thing to interfere. In fact, it’s government’s job to clear the way for the oil companies by creating the illusion of “protecting” us.
Former Shell Oil Chief, John Hofmeister predicted that by 2012, the price of a gallon of gas will be $5.00. He’s not far off the mark. Already, the average price where I live is over $3.00 a gallon. People who are making at or just above minimum wage are already talking about it becoming to expensive to go to work. With bus routes being cut, what are lower income people supposed to do? I don’t see this as a Democrat or Republican issue. I see this simply as corporate greed running amuck and being all but sanctioned by the government. Perhaps the time to nationalize the oil industry is about to dawn.
A few months ago I reviewd a book by Dr. Ida Lichter entitled “Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression” which is published by Prometheus Books, New York. If you haven’t read it yet, you seriously need to. This is perhaps one of the most important books ever written about conservative Islam and its treatment of women you’ll ever read. Recently, Dr. Lichter wrote an article for the Huffington Post (12/20/10) about an often overlooked relgious group, the Bahai and the human rights violations they suffer daily in Iran. I thought you would find the article as compelling as I did.
Baha’is in Iran are Easily Forgotten
Wikileaks has revealed government and diplomatic violations of the truth while paradoxically keeping their own sources secret. In the process, editor in chief and whistleblower Julian Assange has become a hero for human rights defenders. Sadly, the intense publicity surrounding Wikileaks diverts attention from serious injustice and continuing human rights violations, some already on the back burner and badly neglected. A good example is the state-sponsored persecution of Baha'is in Iran.
The 300,000-strong Baha'i community, the largest religious minority in Iran, represents less than 1% of the population. Over the past 30 years, they have suffered torture and execution. They have been denied tertiary education and government jobs, their shops and properties are often seized, cemeteries desecrated and children harassed at school. In addition, Bahai's are facing stepped-up persecution and have been falsely blamed for organizing and inciting anti-government protests although they abstain from partisan political activity on religious principles. Charges against them include espionage, "propaganda activities against the Islamic order" and "corruption on earth," the latter a capital offence. Baha'i communities around the world insist these charges are spurious and part of a campaign to scapegoat members of the faith.
During the Shah's era, Baha'is strove for education and became successful and prominent, creating envy and suspicion, and although police sometimes protected them against Islamic extremists, they were victims of periodic outbreaks of violence.
A major source of ideological friction with Islam is the doctrine of a hierarchy of traditions that subsumes previous ones. According to Baha'is, the Prophet Mohammad was not the last prophet but one in a progressive line, and the next one is not due for a thousand years!
Women's rights are central to Baha'i teaching and in stark contrast to the discriminatory sharia laws implemented by the Islamic Republic of Iran. These rights include full support for the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
There are numerous documented stories of violent arrests and incarcerations in the hundreds of prisons situated in basements of houses in Tehran.
Rozita Vasseghi is a Baha'i prisoner. In Kafkaesque fashion, a man claiming to be a 'postman' arrested her three years ago after a knock on the door, and during repeated interrogations while blindfolded, her captors threatened her with death. Throughout her ordeal, she was denied a lawyer. Following release from prison, she found a job but government authorities exerted pressure on her employers to have her fired. A few years later, she was arrested at her home, and for the next six months, found herself in solitary confinement. Her elderly mother, who was allowed visits of only five minutes, was horrified by her wasted appearance. Accused of insulting Islam, acting against national security and teaching the Baha'i religion, she is serving a five-year sentence.
Rozita's sister Rosa, suffered multiple incarcerations before escaping Iran. She was on her way home in a shared public taxi when the driver asked about her religion. Discovering she was a Baha'i, he stopped and made a phone call. A car with several people soon showed up, the women fully covered in chadors. Rosa was blindfolded and forced into the vehicle and when they reached their destination, she was thrown onto the pavement, her hands were tied and she was dragged down stairs to a room and beaten. Her captors repeatedly called her an infidel and declared her blood would be impure until she renounced her faith and converted to Islam. Over several years, she was repeatedly arrested and imprisoned.
As proponents of a religion originating from Islam, stamped by modernity, universal human rights and compatibility with many Western values, Baha'is are vulnerable targets for persecution by the Iranian theocracy. Baha'i women are doubly at risk, being female and Baha'i, and as victims of severe injustice, they deserve more outrage and support than Assange and Wikileaks.
Ida Lichter is the author of Muslim Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression, published by Prometheus Books, New York.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Obama's Religion/Ground Zero Mosque/Muslim Women Reformers
Nearly 20% of Americans believe Obama is Moslem according to an August 19, 2010 Pew Research Center report. Nearly 1/3 of those polled do not believe he’s Christian. Of course, rumors like this as well as others such as his “real” place of birth and/or “fake” birth certificate have been flying around the internet since before Obama’s election nearly 2 years ago (and Obama’s well publicized poor decision to support the Mosque near Ground Zero certainly doesn’t help dispelled the rumors either). Part of it too comes from Obama failing to pick church as well as his cozying up with Moslem countries and the cooling of relations with Israel (washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/04/AR2009060401024.html). So, let me tell you where I am with this.
Obama’s mother, born Stanley Ann Dunham, was an idealistic white woman from the Kansas. Her upbringing was generally considered Christian. Religiously speaking, she didn’t belong to a particular faith. Her parents were non-practicing Baptists and Methodists. Of her personal faith, Obama wrote in his 2006 book, The Audacity of Hope, “Religion for her was "just one of the many ways — and not necessarily the best way — that man attempted to control the unknowable and understand the deeper truths about our lives”. He added that his mother knew many Christians, but there were few fond memories of them. Obama’s step sister, Maya Seotora-Ng said of her mother that she “wasn’t what one would call an atheist, but more of an agnostic”. It was also said by Obama that his mother had a “healthy skepticism of religion as an institution”.
Obama’s father, Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was born Kanyadhiang, Kenya, although he was raised in the village of Nyang’oma Kogelo, Kenya. His family was of the Luo ethnic group, which is the third largest ethnic group in Kenya. By the way, the majority of the Luo are Christians with only a minority being Moslem. It should be pointed out Obama Sr. was born into a mixed Moslem and Christian family, he was raised Catholic and later converted to Islam before declaring himself an atheist. Thus, his mother came from a Protestant Christian background and became atheist while his father came from a mixed Moslem/Christian background and also chose to become atheist.
Of his own faith, Obama said that this “My father was from Kenya and a lot of people in his village were Muslim. He didn’t practice Islam. Truth is he wasn’t very religious. He met my mother. My mother was a Christian from Kansas, and they married and then divorced. I was raised by my mother. So, I’ve always been a Christian. The only connection I’ve had to Islam is that my grandfather on my father’s side came from that country. But I’ve never practiced Islam” (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2007/12/23/2007-12-23_im_no_muslim_says_barack_obama.html).
So, while some argue that since Islam traces descent from the paternal line, Obama is, therefore, by definition Moslem, I disagree. If a person self identifies with a specific faith; follows their social traditions and practices, then that’s what they are. In Obama’s case, they attended the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago for about 20 years. The church embraces the so-called “Black Value System” and gained some measure of notoriety for the racist, anti-America and anti-Semitic sermons made by Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr. which were caught on video (http://sweetness-light.com/archive/barack-obamas-church-ultra-left-and-afrocentric and http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=3392). I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.
Ground Zero Mosque—The Victory Mosque
Much has been written and said about the “Ground Zero Mosque”. Obama rather nefariously said recently that he supported the mosque and added that he was tired of discussing it as he promptly left for vacation. Public opinion is overwhelming opposed to allowing the mosque to be located so near the site of the cowardly attack on America. While Americans have no objection to the mosque in general, over 63% believe the choice of location is “insensitive” or “inappropriate”. Of course, no one truly expects Obama or any one else in Washington to listen to us. After all, Americans opposed the bailouts; Obamacare; the “Obama Apology Tour” and so much more. Obama and Company went on their merry way and did what they wanted. I suppose with the new “paternalistic” outlook coming out of Washington, they “obviously” know what’s best for us, but that’s fodder for other articles.
My opinion about the Ground Zero Mosque is this---I don’t care if the Moslem community in NYC wants to build a mosque, but I think there choice of location was intentional and insensitive. If they truly wanted to make a statement that Islam is truly a religion of peace and not all Moslems are crazy fanatics (which they aren’t) as they claim, they would have opted for a site less likely to incite so much ill feeling. I think the community would be better served if a historical museum and/or community center were erected there instead. Heck, if it was a museum/community center run by the Moslem community in honor of those murdered, that would make a true statement about Islam. Oh yeah, the mosque won’t be called the “Ground Zero Mosque”. It will be named the “Victory Mosque”. Victory for whom I wonder?
As for Obama, I really don’t care what he wants. He was elected to serve us, not the other way around. If America wants to talk this out, then he needs to join that conversation or stay on vacation. Our so-called “leaders” in Washington need to remember this simply like rule in my opinion---lead; follow; or get the hell out of the way”.
By the way, while we’re on the topic of this particular mosque, did you know that we---you and I---get to pay $16,000.00 in US tax dollars to send the mosque’s imam (spiritual leader) on a trip to the Middle East? Yelp, he’s going on a tour of Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain and it’s going to cost us $16,000.00. Who pays for your minister or rabbi to visit the Holy Land? I bet it isn’t US Taxpayers. Read more about it here: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.politics/browse_thread/thread/8beb0acf4fd6d743.
Book Review
Moslem Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression by Ida Lichter
At first I was a little hesitant to review this book. Sure, I’ve seen numerous news articles about the abuse of women in Moslem counties. Yeah, I knew women in these countries lacked, in many cases, even basic human rights. Who hasn’t seen images of women covered head to toe in black burqas often walking in a group or with male members of their families. Every now and again, I would come across a story about a so-called “honor killing” in which some unfortunate women was bludgeoned to death by her father, uncles, brothers, or even sons for some seemly insignificant offense like talking with a non-family male without permission and in the presence of her family. Surely these stories weren’t accurate I thought. At best, I had always thought these were rare cases. Who treats another person like cattle, not in the 21st Century? Obviously, I was very wrong.
To say Dr. Lichter’s book was eye-opening would a gross understatement. It was riveting; shocking; horrifying; and yet, at the same time, it was inspirational. In short, it was brilliant. The book is ideally broken up by country with stories of different women and how they are engaged (often risking death) in trying to reform a social structure where women are third class citizens at best. We’re talking about physical and often disfiguring abuse; routine rape (one story talks about how domestics are considered the “property” of their employers, who are free to do whatever they wish without fear from any legal recourse) and are bought and sold with no recourse (child brides still remain commonplace), and genital mutilation. To escape this oppressive and abuse system, many women flee to the West. For those who can’t, suicide is often the preferential option
Dr. Lichter profiles women engaged fighting for the right for the basic dignity that people like me mistakenly assumed that everyone enjoyed. Many defy the prohibition of educating women (other than basic religious or domestic instruction) face not just verbal abuse and physical intimidation, but also disfiguring acid attacks. Several of the interviewees have described this extreme version of Islam as the “new fascism”, whose intent to nothing short of imposing Shari’ah Law throughout the world and establishing a global Caliphate (both England and France are currently dealing with this issue. Moslem immigrants at first asked to be exempt from national laws in favor of Shari’ah Law. Now that they are sizable minorities, their “requests” have become demands).
Muslim Women Reformers, which is 402 pages, also contains an excellent resource section in the Appendix along with a glossary to help folks with some of the terms. I want to emphasis that this book is a must for anyone interested in human rights, Islam, or issues dealing with education, health and welfare, spousal abuse, as well as for anyone interested in the growing influence of Islam. This is truly a remarkable book. Thank you Dr. Lichter.
Obama’s mother, born Stanley Ann Dunham, was an idealistic white woman from the Kansas. Her upbringing was generally considered Christian. Religiously speaking, she didn’t belong to a particular faith. Her parents were non-practicing Baptists and Methodists. Of her personal faith, Obama wrote in his 2006 book, The Audacity of Hope, “Religion for her was "just one of the many ways — and not necessarily the best way — that man attempted to control the unknowable and understand the deeper truths about our lives”. He added that his mother knew many Christians, but there were few fond memories of them. Obama’s step sister, Maya Seotora-Ng said of her mother that she “wasn’t what one would call an atheist, but more of an agnostic”. It was also said by Obama that his mother had a “healthy skepticism of religion as an institution”.
Obama’s father, Barack Hussein Obama, Sr. was born Kanyadhiang, Kenya, although he was raised in the village of Nyang’oma Kogelo, Kenya. His family was of the Luo ethnic group, which is the third largest ethnic group in Kenya. By the way, the majority of the Luo are Christians with only a minority being Moslem. It should be pointed out Obama Sr. was born into a mixed Moslem and Christian family, he was raised Catholic and later converted to Islam before declaring himself an atheist. Thus, his mother came from a Protestant Christian background and became atheist while his father came from a mixed Moslem/Christian background and also chose to become atheist.
Of his own faith, Obama said that this “My father was from Kenya and a lot of people in his village were Muslim. He didn’t practice Islam. Truth is he wasn’t very religious. He met my mother. My mother was a Christian from Kansas, and they married and then divorced. I was raised by my mother. So, I’ve always been a Christian. The only connection I’ve had to Islam is that my grandfather on my father’s side came from that country. But I’ve never practiced Islam” (http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2007/12/23/2007-12-23_im_no_muslim_says_barack_obama.html).
So, while some argue that since Islam traces descent from the paternal line, Obama is, therefore, by definition Moslem, I disagree. If a person self identifies with a specific faith; follows their social traditions and practices, then that’s what they are. In Obama’s case, they attended the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago for about 20 years. The church embraces the so-called “Black Value System” and gained some measure of notoriety for the racist, anti-America and anti-Semitic sermons made by Reverend Jeremiah Wright Jr. which were caught on video (http://sweetness-light.com/archive/barack-obamas-church-ultra-left-and-afrocentric and http://www.christiancentury.org/article.lasso?id=3392). I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions.
Ground Zero Mosque—The Victory Mosque
Much has been written and said about the “Ground Zero Mosque”. Obama rather nefariously said recently that he supported the mosque and added that he was tired of discussing it as he promptly left for vacation. Public opinion is overwhelming opposed to allowing the mosque to be located so near the site of the cowardly attack on America. While Americans have no objection to the mosque in general, over 63% believe the choice of location is “insensitive” or “inappropriate”. Of course, no one truly expects Obama or any one else in Washington to listen to us. After all, Americans opposed the bailouts; Obamacare; the “Obama Apology Tour” and so much more. Obama and Company went on their merry way and did what they wanted. I suppose with the new “paternalistic” outlook coming out of Washington, they “obviously” know what’s best for us, but that’s fodder for other articles.
My opinion about the Ground Zero Mosque is this---I don’t care if the Moslem community in NYC wants to build a mosque, but I think there choice of location was intentional and insensitive. If they truly wanted to make a statement that Islam is truly a religion of peace and not all Moslems are crazy fanatics (which they aren’t) as they claim, they would have opted for a site less likely to incite so much ill feeling. I think the community would be better served if a historical museum and/or community center were erected there instead. Heck, if it was a museum/community center run by the Moslem community in honor of those murdered, that would make a true statement about Islam. Oh yeah, the mosque won’t be called the “Ground Zero Mosque”. It will be named the “Victory Mosque”. Victory for whom I wonder?
As for Obama, I really don’t care what he wants. He was elected to serve us, not the other way around. If America wants to talk this out, then he needs to join that conversation or stay on vacation. Our so-called “leaders” in Washington need to remember this simply like rule in my opinion---lead; follow; or get the hell out of the way”.
By the way, while we’re on the topic of this particular mosque, did you know that we---you and I---get to pay $16,000.00 in US tax dollars to send the mosque’s imam (spiritual leader) on a trip to the Middle East? Yelp, he’s going on a tour of Qatar, UAE, and Bahrain and it’s going to cost us $16,000.00. Who pays for your minister or rabbi to visit the Holy Land? I bet it isn’t US Taxpayers. Read more about it here: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.politics/browse_thread/thread/8beb0acf4fd6d743.
Book Review
Moslem Women Reformers: Inspiring Voices Against Oppression by Ida Lichter
At first I was a little hesitant to review this book. Sure, I’ve seen numerous news articles about the abuse of women in Moslem counties. Yeah, I knew women in these countries lacked, in many cases, even basic human rights. Who hasn’t seen images of women covered head to toe in black burqas often walking in a group or with male members of their families. Every now and again, I would come across a story about a so-called “honor killing” in which some unfortunate women was bludgeoned to death by her father, uncles, brothers, or even sons for some seemly insignificant offense like talking with a non-family male without permission and in the presence of her family. Surely these stories weren’t accurate I thought. At best, I had always thought these were rare cases. Who treats another person like cattle, not in the 21st Century? Obviously, I was very wrong.
To say Dr. Lichter’s book was eye-opening would a gross understatement. It was riveting; shocking; horrifying; and yet, at the same time, it was inspirational. In short, it was brilliant. The book is ideally broken up by country with stories of different women and how they are engaged (often risking death) in trying to reform a social structure where women are third class citizens at best. We’re talking about physical and often disfiguring abuse; routine rape (one story talks about how domestics are considered the “property” of their employers, who are free to do whatever they wish without fear from any legal recourse) and are bought and sold with no recourse (child brides still remain commonplace), and genital mutilation. To escape this oppressive and abuse system, many women flee to the West. For those who can’t, suicide is often the preferential option
Dr. Lichter profiles women engaged fighting for the right for the basic dignity that people like me mistakenly assumed that everyone enjoyed. Many defy the prohibition of educating women (other than basic religious or domestic instruction) face not just verbal abuse and physical intimidation, but also disfiguring acid attacks. Several of the interviewees have described this extreme version of Islam as the “new fascism”, whose intent to nothing short of imposing Shari’ah Law throughout the world and establishing a global Caliphate (both England and France are currently dealing with this issue. Moslem immigrants at first asked to be exempt from national laws in favor of Shari’ah Law. Now that they are sizable minorities, their “requests” have become demands).
Muslim Women Reformers, which is 402 pages, also contains an excellent resource section in the Appendix along with a glossary to help folks with some of the terms. I want to emphasis that this book is a must for anyone interested in human rights, Islam, or issues dealing with education, health and welfare, spousal abuse, as well as for anyone interested in the growing influence of Islam. This is truly a remarkable book. Thank you Dr. Lichter.
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