Fighting Gender Apartheid Laws in Iran
Madame Secretary Clinton: Where are you on this? For that matter: Christiane Amanpour, your father is Iranian, you grew up in Tehran, you are proudly “ethnic” — where are you on this? How are either of you working to free the women prisoners of Tehran?
To Secretary of State Clinton’s credit, she has issued a video message which repeats the words of her 1995 speech in Beijing: “Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights. … Women have made great progress but there is a long way to go.”
Madame Secretary: Is issuing your old words enough? Is translating them into Persian (which you’ve done) enough? Is hosting an International Women of Courage event (which you are doing later this week), in which one awardee will be from Iran, really enough?
Secretary Clinton knows that nothing short of overthrowing Ahmadinejad and the mad mullahs will open the prison doors in Iran. And she knows that President Obama is not even sitting not on the fence on this; he is tip-toeing through the tulips, reading the lines that Stephen P. Cohen, the founder of the Institute for Middle East Peace and Development, pens for him with which to address the Muslim world in Cairo. Words fail me on this one so I will remain silent.
Nah, just kidding. Dr. Cohen, a native Canadian from Montreal, is an alleged “peace profiteer” who reaped millions from his business dealings with the terrorist, Yaser Arafat. Dr. Cohen: Are you proud that America has fought for the right of Muslim girls and women to wear the hijab? Did you pen those words? Do you regret them — or stand by them now?
I do not believe that America can free the world. We have enough on our plate right here at home. And yet, to engage in symbolic gestures without admitting how little we are willing to do is simply not enough — actually, it is heartbreaking. America even lags behind Europe in terms of understanding and dealing with honor-related violence, including honor killings, which are mainly a Muslim-on-Muslim and male-on-female crime. But it is a crime that has landed on our shores. At least Europeans are trying to take a stand on Islamic gender apartheid on their own continent. They are wrestling with issues such as the burqa, hijab, and niqab. In America Stephen P. Cohen is proud that America has taken a stand on behalf of hijab.
Madame Secretary Clinton is a diplomat,
pursuing the interests of the US, not
those of oppressed women, in Iran or
elsewhere; Some of the most shameful
incidents in US diplomatic history
have resulted from giving oppressed
peoples false hope, and/or urging
them to resist their oppressors,
and then proving to be unwilling
or unable to make good on implied
promises of aid.
Christiane Amanpour is a field reporter;
Her access to events, and her own safety,
depend on not speaking the truth too plainly.
I am not qualified to express an opinion, but
I can compare and contrast the opinions of
those who are, and I can find no certainty
or unanimity among them, beyond a reluctance
to risk action: First, do no harm.
#2 Nuts.
For great evil to exist, it is only necessary for good people to stand by and do nothing.
“Human rights are women’s rights, and women’s rights are human rights.”
Human rights are men’s rights, and men’s rights are human rights.
worse – Hillary eliminated all the programs for women’s development in Afghanistan and Iraq within the Office of International Women’s Issues at the State Dept. We are trading women’s rights for Taliban cooperation in Afghanistan – It is absolutely critical that Hillary Clinton implement the International Violence Against Women Act within the State Dept. Clinton should consult regularly with Condi Rice. The three of them, Albrecht, Rice and Clinton and Barbra Bush should meet regularly on implementing programs to address women’s equality issues. In their first meeting, Rice could give a report on her programs and accomplishments as Clinton does not seem to have a clue. Maybe the previous staff and eventually Michelle Obama will join this women of State meetings and can return Rice’s programs and build on them.
Think how those powerful women could mobilize both repub and dem power to assist Muslim women gain equal rights and security if they decided to act as WESTERN non Muslim women working directly for the rights of Muslim women. Feminists want advocacy and programs and domestic violence shelters and women’s police units in Afghanistan – economic and educational development projects for widows and women globally …..feminist reconstruction projects under the protection of the US military not ineffective UN peacekeepers..
http://www.huntalternatives.org/pages/7689_security_sector.cfm
Who will raise the child if there are no women (not to mention men) left in the village? Not to forget that children are being used as bomb deflectors and mine sweepers…
Dear Evil Pundit:
And your point (other than to display your ignorance to the world)?
The US does not give women equal respect or representation in the U.S. so it is no surprise that the foreign policy is weak on this. The U.S. does not even allow mothers in our own country to protect their children from abusive homicidal fathers. Women who try to protect their kids are called liars and/or mentally ill. It is reminiscent of Sharia law where women who are raped have to have a men speak for them. Take a look at two recent issues in the news. In Maryland, Amy Castillo championed the right to get a protective order based on a preponderance of evidence and this was blocked by a group of legislators who voted against this 15 to 6. Amy’s 3 children were drowned by their father after Judge Dugan refused to grant them protection even after he made death threats. In California, Katie Tagle was called a liar multiple times by Judge Robert Lemkau. He ordered her to turn over her 9 month old son Wyatt to the father despite death threats. Stephen Garcia shot Wyatt and himself 10 days later. The US does not allow women to be free to even protect their own children. We have a huge problem with violence against women and children inside the US. When will the United States declare war on the abuse of women and children here and abroad?
Maryland Amy Castillo link:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/06/AR2010030601948.html
California Katie Tagle link:http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/victorville-17779-judge-lemkau.html
#2 “Do no harm” does not mean do nothing at all out of fear. Clinton and Amanpour are in positions where their words can actually make a difference in the lives of oppressed people. In this world today, we must all be willing to speak out against evil with no fear.
@ 3. valerie: Nuts; Do something.
First, do no harm.
Find out what the women of Iran want, and
what they want the women of the world
to do to help them get it, then ask
yourself: Is this a dream or a plan ?
The difference is that a plan
has a chance of coming true.
To be honest, I don’t see the benefit of freeing Muslim women from various oppressions. They remain Muslim women, and the cycle simply returns to where it left off. The slaughter on the periphery still continues, and their oppressive environment remains as distasteful as ever. What’s the point of pretending that there’s progress to be made?
In Celebration of the 100th anniversary of the 1st call for international womens day in 1910, we are making an online reader’s edition of our new book, Wings & Dreams: 4 Elements of a New Feminism, accessible here.
http://www.sophiasirius.net
Please share this among your women’s communities.
The Sophia Sirius Publishing Team
Women in Iran (and their Iranian supporters abroad) often have a Communist agenda, which doesn’t help to really solve problems. On the other hand there is a harsh criticism toward other religions (for instance Christianity), which doesn’t help to really solve problems.
Totalitarianisms are a problem – for human beings, and therefore for women;
Islam/”Islamic civilization” is a problem – for Non-islamic human beings first, and for Islamic women secondly.
At the risk of sounding unfeeling, I have little sympathy for these women who allow the Islamic moderates and Western voices to speak for them. If millions rallied in the streets across the Middle East, I believe their voices would be heard. Women are more powerful than they think, that is why they are so feared in Islam. I see that the hijab/burka indentured servants that come to North America conspire willingly with their masters in the honor killings of their daughters. They joyfully attend vicious anti-Israel rallies across our cities and campuses. Let them all rot as far as I’m concerned.
#9 Lou Santacroce:
Are you saying that men’s rights are not human rights?
After World War II, the United States successfully forced democracy down the throats of Germany and Japan. That was a most undemocratic thing to do. But it worked. Germany and Japan are now richer and more moral countries than they ever were before. Furthermore, Germany and Poland share the title of being the least anti-Israel countries in Europe.
Why shouldnn’t we expect Iran to become democratic? In Beijing in 1989, my daughter Miriam and I spoke to a group of Iranian tourists waiting in line to enter the new Kentucky Fried Chicken at the southern end of Tiananmen Square. A woman in that group, wearing a headscarf, asked my daughter and me where we were from. When she learned we were from America, she said, “We are old friends.” I must have looked surprised. She went on, “The mullahs are not your friends and are not our friends. WE are old friends.”
@ 18. George Jochnowitz: US made Axis Powers democratic, moral, and rich.
Anyone who thinks that the US changed
the societies of Germany, let alone Japan,
is dangerously deluded, and Iran is a far
harder society to influence: Territorial,
nationalistic, Fundamentalist Moslems, who
want (AFAIK) to be left alone to develop
into an Islamic State; Their current unrest
seems to be due to a takeover by secular
forces who were once the enforcers of the
Mullah’s rule.
16. This is the(ir) problem: an essential inconsistency –
they want/need our (Western) help, but they do not want us
(they are still pushing for their anti west mentality, harshly criticizing so called Imperialist and Capitalist west and people like Geert Wilders – who warns against Islamic mass immigration -, calling them a racist, …).
***
17. The problem is that human rights of women (and children) are still not fully recognized by men. International society is still mainly a pyramid, where at the top there are males, and all around women (and children) meant to serve them.
Feminist movements were born to fight against this abusive hierarchy and to ask for equal human rights for women (and children).
You’re showing that men are really really really selfish (no wonder Islamic mullahs are a male).
It seems a lot of so-called Feminist Orgs are just Fronts for Leftist/Collectivism and Abortion on Demand and they all want to blame Men for all their problems….most are nothing but frauds, just like Clinton and Amanpour. Wake up and smell the coffee!
16 Toronto gal
Thousands women are dying and being tortured in Iran right now. In the face of horrific torture they still demonstrate. They use cranes to hang them slowly so they suffer. Girls in Afghanistan risk acid to go to school. 10 year old girls in Saudi Arabia found brave women to defend them against forced marriages. These women are fighting for their freedom and we who are safe must stand for them or be called hypocrites. Girls are being honor killed in the US and Canada for trying to live free. Don’t use excuses to betray them the way Hillary Clinton does. Find the women who are fighting for freedom and support them by pressuring for more women’s programs in countries where US troops can defend them.
#22 Please don’t lecture me. I lived in the Middle East. I live in a city where visible Moslems increase daily. As a Jew, they outnumber me 3:1 now. I read/see on the news the montly anti-west, anti-Israel rallies that take place in my city. Moslemm wives/mothers ASSIST the murders of their daughters. Of course I support those brace women who are fighting against tyranny, but they are the minority, not the majority.
#20: The problem is that human rights of men are not fully recognised in the West.
You’re just showing that feminists are really really selfish.
Snake Hunter sez,
In reading the words of Allah’s Apostle in Bukhari, Vol. 4, Book 52, the casual citizen will learn about the origins of terror. If one reads the poetry of the famous Arab poet Abu Nuwas, you will read of the joys of sodomy.
If the curious wish more on this subject, read Qur’an 52:24 – Qur’an 56:17 – Qur’an 76:19
If the curious would like to understand the mind-set of a sitting U.S. President, I have a 10 minute U-Tube of BHO speaking eloquently, about Islam, and the Holy Qur’an… it’s posted on Snake Hunters Weblog: “What Did Obama Say?”
reb
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Maybe the previous staff and eventually Michelle Obama will join this women of State meetings and can return Rice’s programs and build on them.
24. Are you a Teenager, are you jocking or are you a silly Islamist?
Hillary is making calls to Israel threatening them about the settlements – telling them it hurts the “PEACE TALKS” I blame Israel here. Why, after all the statements of the Palestinians about never accepting Israel does Israel keep up this charade of peace talks? Why don’t they just say there will be no peace until the thugs who oppress the Palestinian people are dead or allow truly free elections with peace candidates?
Israel should refuse peace talks until their soldier is returned. They should tell Hillary and obama that there will be no peace talks until the soldier is returned and thousands more settlements will be built until he is returned – and then they should bomb Iran. I am getting tired of all the so called peace talk charade. Hillary Clinton is garbage who has congratulatory award dinners for Malinda Gates, Queen Noor and Avon while women die under her feet.
Toronto Girl
They are NOT the majority. The majority live in fear of what will happen if they resist but they do resist in ways we cannot see. With all the women killed in Iran just in the past two years how can you judge all the slaves. Until they have a chance to fight back you have no idea how many are just waiting for the hope of success to move forward. Fight unrestricted immigration not Muslim women who want freedom. When we started the women’s movement how many women ridiculed us and then called us at night? We have our Phyllis Shafely and right to lifer women but they are not the majority. They seem like it because they are just the big money of the catholic church talking. The men are voting against abortion rights in Congress. It will be the same with Islam. Build the shelters and they will come.
This is great for all the women becoz its coming women time any every field.They are reservation in every field and doing well in very well in every field.
Find out what the women of Iran want, and
what they want the women of the world
to do to help them get it, then ask
yourself: Is this a dream or a plan ?