lavezzi wrote:The Arab world is the polar opposite of the Western world; the former being a conservative patriarchy
This is a common misconception of the islamic world. The islamic world is MORE matriarchal than the christian world. Islamic men are MORE OPPRESSED than christian men.
I really do wish that people in the christian world would stop looking at ISLAM as something that seems to be patriarchal and good for men. ISLAM is HARDER on men than women.
Example.
My fav#1 went on about how women were oppressed in Islam because they had to wear black, could not drive cars and were expected to be at home with the kids.
So I said to her.
"That is a common lie that people, especially women believe. Let me tell you the truth about Islam. You had a husband that you say was bad and a drunk and you had to leave him to take care of your son. You say you are here in germany and your son is in the Ukraine with your mum. You say you miss your son dearly and wish you could be with him to raise him rather than here working in Germany. (all of which she confirmed)
Ok. If you and your husband lived in Saudi Arabia he would not be allowed alcohol AT ALL. If he refused to labour his hardest for you and his son he would be taken into a local public square and he would be tied to post and he would be WHIPPED until such time as he promised to do his best for you and his son. He would not be allowed a second wife while his first wife had legitimate complaints.
In return for all the proceeds of his labour you are expected to stay in the house and raise your son to the best of your ability which is exactly what you say you really want to be doing. When you go our to buy food you would be accompanied by a man who must DEFEND YOU WITH HIS LIFE IF NECESSARY. And you are expected to cover up so as not to provoke other men who have no wife and no chance of ever getting a wife into attacking you. You are expected to keep yourself only for your husband and not to flaunt yourself to other horny men who might NEVER have had sex IN THEIR LIFE.
Further. If you were a boy? Like in Iran? You might be expected to walk across a mine field to blow up the mines. If you were a girl you would be protected from such a role.
So..now let me ask you...who is more oppressed...men or women...boys or girls."
Her response was "no one ever told me any of that before."
I said "No...no one has...but now you know...in Islam MEN are FAR more oppressed than women. The OPPRESSION of women is exactly what you SAY YOU WANT. They OPPRESSION of women is to make it their priority to raise their children. And that is most certainly in the best interests of the children and the wider society."
She was very thankful for the education. I lived in Saudi Arabia for 15 months and have many Saudi friends. Saudi men know they are very heavily oppressed but they do it for their women and children.
One of the men I worked with? He as my boss. He was about 50 at the time. We were talking one day and we got onto the topic of my children. I asked him if he had children. His daughter was killed in a car crash at 24. The look on that mans face left me in no doubt at all just how much saudi men love their children and their women. This was a strong man of very strong character...he would negotiate the devil himself out of his pitchfork....but in that instance, that flash in his eye, the look on his face...it was clear to me this man loved his daughter with all his heart and soul and was terribly, terribly hurt on the event of her death.
This man gained great respect from me in that instant. I have never questioned his love for his daughter, his religion, or anything to do with Islam since that point. If his was the face of Islam then that is a perfectly good religion as far as I am concerned.
The idea that this man would allow his daughter to be "oppressed" is laughable. This man would, I am sure, kill any man who injured his daughter deliberately.
ISLAM is a religion that asks men to surrender...namely, oppresses them, for the benefit of the overall society.
In Saudi Arabia you will see the mahtawahs whip men who are too slow to be getting along to prayer. They will whip them in the street. NEVER women.
So is a place where a man can be whipped in public in the street for being slow to go to prayer when the same NEVER happens to women oppressing men or women, eh?