women rights... don't just ignore this
 

i'm not sure everyone heard about this already...

just click here

http://www.islamonline.net/english/n...rticle03.shtml

it's awful that they have to wear that kind of clothes and it's just wrong. i mean i know it's their religion and everything but if they wanted to wear something else, they should be allowed to. it's weird. i bet their policemen don't have to dress like that.
i gotta admit i laughed the first time i saw that picture in a newspaper but then i felt really sorry for muslim women. i guess they should be grateful they can work in a police department, huh? it seems that people there live like 200 years ago... :usehead: or just "under a BIG BIG rock" that doesn't let them think straight

I noticed women's rights activists like to bring in this issue about muslim women, completely disregarding the cultural differences. Are there no muslim women in your area? Yes, there are some that are "westernized", but most wear these garments, whether they are in the kingdom, the US, or in Iran. I dont know anything abou the Qur'an, so I'm not going to try to explain the religious aspect. But, it's not a matter of whether they have to, but I think they want to. In Iraq, it was a slightly different story, because women were typically not employed in government and had to cover their entire body (including the face).
You come off sounding racist, I know that's not what you were trying to portray. But, you shouldn't feel bad. They might not be able to wear spagetti straps and flip-flops and belly rings, but I doubt they want to either. This is their culture, that is the only thing they know, and want to know. The global community always speaks in terms of "saving" the Islam world. From what?

Hookers, I agree with yur statement:
these women wear those garments becuz they HAVE to over there, but when they come here, they still continue, even though they are protected by our laws and police to not let them be killed if that were the case....sometimes they have been taught this so thuroughly throughout their upbringing, that they cannot imagine anything different! I still personally don't belive that you should be forced to cover yourself, you should be free to be proud of yourself and body! But then again, that is coming from a woman in Canada, I say each to their own...however, when you come to this country, you have to abide by our rules and regulations....we accept your faith, just not all the consequences for breaking the followings...you cannot beat & kill your wife, steal your children or carry around a massive sword, if there is a problem with that...then give back your assistance cheque or give up you job and health care and go home....
I am NOT a racist! so plz don't tak that as a racist statement, it is just a feeling I have when I read about all the tragaties going on in our country,
Headline this morning in the Sun: "Man throws himself and 4 year old daughter over bridge"
apparently, his wife left him, and he was not getting good access, so he threw her over the bridge, and she broke every bone in her body, he died on impact...they were a muslim family...those kinds of actions are wrong.

I`m sure those women would point out to you that they would find people not wearing those clothes just as offensive as you find them wearing them.

They do it because they feel they will be spiritually rewarded for it in the next life.To me thats a much better arguement for it than a load of PC bull**** against.

^ once again Urban, well said. This is basically what I wanted to say, I just couldn't piece the words together. Excellent.

oh, I don't find it offensive whatsoever.....
how could you find someone making a choice offensive, I am offended only with the disregard for our laws that we all have to abide(unwillingly or not)
I just think, you can do whatever you want, just don't think you can kill and cause someone to fear for their lives in a country where it is unacceptable....
not saying that is what all West Indians do....it just seems that spousal abuse is more ok, and these women are scared to make a decision, when they have all the support in the world.....

Agreed.

Most of the women wearing those clothes accept them as there dress for reiligios and social resons. Just because the US does something dosnt mean the rest of the world should be doing it too. I just think its sad that American people have this attitude like muslims dont WANT to be Muslim. They have this idea that its somehow forced on them or something. And thats just insane. Its just another religion with different customs, nothing more nothing less. We dont pity Jews and try to free them because they wear skull caps. And we dont try to liberate the pope because he wears that funny hat. Its just another way to convince people to force other cultures to assimilate our belief systems.

Um, the idea that they are forced to wear that is not insane, it's a fact. In some countries in the middle east, it is against the law for a woman to be seen outside her own home without being covered properly. Aside from that, in these same countries, women aren't allowed to drive, leave the country without their husband's (or father's) permission, and a whole long list of other things that men are free to do without hassle. So no, in some countries, it's not only a matter of personal preference.

In many many many cases it is. Its part of Muslim cutlture. I have seen many muslim women in downtown Minneapolis wearing burkas. I do agree that women should have the choice to wear what they like, but for many muslim women there dress is very traditional. Obviosly not all women want to live in the same place forever and be in servatude to there husbands, but your missing the point I was trying to make. Many of these rules arn't argued because they are part of a sacred religion. Women wear burkas in many pats of the world because there religion dictates it, and they are very faithfull. i do agree that women are being repressed and there rights are being violated, but that dosnt change the fact that many of these women chose to wear burkas simply because there religion dictates it.

Yeah, if a woman is living in a part of the world that gives her the choice, then it's fine. Personally I think it's degrading, but I understand that they have a completely different upbringing and culture than I do (obviously, since I grew up in the middle east), so I don't have a problem with that. Unfortunately, some people don't realize that in certain parts of the world, they are required by law to wear it and merely pas it off with "well it's their choice, what's the big deal?"