Freedom and equality

[cinnabar]

The BBC website has a page called Have Your Say, where anyone from anywhere in the world can contribute a paragraph of their opinion on current topics of interest. It''s not a messageboard where everything is posted (which would need a dedicated moderator) but I think they do try to publish a fair sample of representative opinions.

One of the topics this week is: Freedom and Equality for Arab Women: Good or Bad Idea?

BBC readers'' opinions

I recommend you only read it if you like the feeling of steam coming out of your ears

This is one of my personal favorites:

Arab women should not be given full rights. Just look at the mess it''s led to in the West: broken homes, broken families, soaring divorce rates. When women are no longer financially dependent upon their husbands, they no longer have any reason to stay once romantic love fades, and its society and its children that suffer. The less political and economic freedom women have the better.
Phil Owar, Los Angeles, California

 

[MINE!!]

Ignorance.. pure ignorance..

 

[fire&ice]

Me thinks there is WAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY too much testostorne

 

[movie zombie]

cinnabar, i don''t think i dare read the website link....i''m pissed enough re the idiot in LaLa land!

geez, men have no responsibility for the way things are...its all the fault of women!

what''s more worrisome is that there are many that think like this man and if they had their way we''d all be barefoot and pregnant. remember: women didn''t get the right to vote in this country until 1920....and if certain far right groups had their way, they''d rescind that right.

it never pays to take democracy and/or freedom for granted. democracy/freedom has never been something that was ''given'' but was fought for...whether it be in the trenches, in the streets, or in the courts. women were jailed and beaten so that you and i can vote. we owe it to them, to ourselves,and more importantly to daughters to be ever vigilent against any erosion of our rights whether they be financial, civil, etc.

its easy to say it could never happen here but look at what''s happening to the women in iraq: this administration said not only were we after WMD, but that we were going to ''free'' the iraqi women. instead they''re ending up discounted and disenfranchised. i bet they also never thought it could happen to them.

ok, so one quote sent me off into a rant...i''d better not look at that link!

peace, movie zombie

 

[mightyred]

I have to say I like reading the ''have your say'' links there.....they cover a multitude of topics ...often split 50-50 of views published (probably to stir the pot). It''s good to be challenged and it''s good to listen to other points of view no matter how much

.

You only showed one quote so of course we are going to be up in arms. ...... I always like to show all sides so are some more quotes:

"The Arab world is not one monolithic body as many would like to think or as implied even in the question as it is posed. Women in many countries in the Arab world have had varied levels of participation in society, outside the home. Women in Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Tunisia have been participating in public life for at least 50 years. Their numbers in the political, medical, engineering and other professional fields are substantially more than even here in Canada. So this broad brush finger waving to the Arab world from the West needs to reflect all of reality not only taking the worse of some members of a group and attribute it to the whole, for if we did that would could be said about us in the west."
Eric, Toronto, Canada

and

"The oppression of women is not exclusive to the Arab world but it is a falsehood to suggest that equality for women is simply a corrupt Western idea. History shows that many cultures in the past gave much more equality to women than some of today''s societies. "
Griff, Cardiff, Wales


With all quotes in mind and on the topic of freedom and equality..... the new Geena Davis tv show ''Commander in Chief'' is on....why is it we have''nt had a female president yet and/or do you think it will happen in your lifetime?

 

[movie zombie]

no, i don''t think a woman will be elected anytime soon.

peace, movie zombie

 

[fire&ice]

Date: 9/29/2005 2:23:07 AM
Author: movie zombie
no, i don''t think a woman will be elected anytime soon.

peace, movie zombie

I agree.

But, I wonder why that is (not the marvel that we agree - the women pres thing)?

On a stream of conciousness thought - many are still alive who remember when women didn''t have the vote..........but I think it has more to do with the returning vets from WWII. I think this country needed "normalcy" & a routine. Women''s role in society was knocked back generations. Here are these women in the work force being independent w/ no man - sometimes raising their family alone & poof - a house, kids & staying at home with their coffee clutches. Never mind that pretty little head in politics. But - I really don''t know. Personally, - and this sounds bad - few women in policitcs don''t sound "b*tchy". When Nancy Polosi (sp) speaks - I just see her mouth open and close - she whines.

I don''t know a women in politics who I would vote for. Maybe Condi Rice for VP - showing some of my closet repub tendencies.

 

[movie zombie]

at this point, there aren''t many men out there that could get me to vote for them. i''ve met condi rice and i wouldn''t vote for her. but then, i wouldn''t vote for ms hillary either. anyone remember barbara jordan from texas? now that''s a woman i would have voted for.....

peace, movie zombie

 

[AGBF]

Date: 9/30/2005 1:35:10 AM
Author: movie zombie
anyone remember barbara jordan from texas?

You bet!

Deb