The Burka and the Bikini (Moral equivelance alert!)

Boston Globe ^ | November 23, 2001 | Joan Jacobs Brumberg and Jacquelyn Jackson

[jalisco555]

THE FEMALE BODY - covered in a burka or uncovered in a bikini - is a subtle subtext in the war against terrorism. The United States did not engage in this war to avenge women's rights in Afghanistan. However, our war against the Taliban, a regime that does not allow a woman to go to school, walk alone on a city street, or show her face in public, highlights the need to more fully understand the ways in which our own cultural ''uncovering'' of the female body impacts the lives of girls and women everywhere.

[jalisco555]

Only intellectuals could say things this dumb.

[MarkWar]

>...the woman trapped inside needs to be liberated from cultural confines in whatever form they take.

Such folk aren't complaining about repression. They're complaining about the very concept of culture. It's the classic libertarian whine. ANYTHING which interfers with the "individual" from doing WHATEVER s/he wants and being treated HOWEVER s/he wants is EVIL.

Mark W.

[Texaggie79]

Tell me, does she look repressed?

[BufordP]

This is so counter to what I've learned attending wet t-shirt contests.

Skin to win!

[ken5050]

I hereb nominate Elinor Clift and Margaret Carlson for the burkas...

[SAMWolf]

A big difference is that in the West no one forces women to wear bikinis

(Although there should be laws prohibiting some women from wearing them)

[ken5050]

kewl pic....was that a recent A&M homecoming queen (g)....

[Texaggie79]

not unless YOUR MOM went to A&M :-P

[Right of Buchannan]

Why do I get a mental picture of Joan Jacobs Brumberg and Jacquelyn Jackson being a pair of severely over-weight frumpy women who will use any major issue today as a grindstone for their axes for going dateless in high school? Perhaps if Kathy Bates were the new image of American beauty these two would be satisfied

[ken5050]

Excuse me.....I should have known.....it's the left tackle on the football team......actually, they could have used her against Texas...

[cyberaxe]

.....OMG.....

.....i could tell you.....

.....but then i'd have to......

.....(get you a visit from her).....

[alcuin]

It reads like a parody.

Maybe it is. .

Inside every burka and bikini there's a perfect inner woman crying "LET ME OUT!"

When she's out, I hope she doesn't choose sensible shoes.

[Mike Darancette]

I guess that hairy legged, smelly European Womyn might be acceptable. I haven't seen beared zelots whipping women in the streets because they are overweight or out of fashion.

Women are not chattel in this society however the author's deserve to be encumbered by some type of mental Burka.

[jalisco555]

It reads like a parody.

Maybe it is. .

I doubt it. Cornell feminists are incapable of humor.

[jocon307]

"Feminism exists to allow ugly women access to the mainstream of society"

LOL, I realized when Limbaugh said this that I had always known it to be true. This, and also maybe a devotion to abortion on demand. Very sad movement, feminism never had any appreciation for femininity at all. It's been nothing but a sick, destructive force since day one. And since I came of age in the 70's I was there when "feminism" got its start. This is a hard truth to tell people, but it is TRUE.

[dighton]

THE FEMALE BODY - covered in a burka or uncovered in a bikini - is a subtle subtext in the war against terrorism.

WHAT the HALE is a subtext anyways? I ain't had no book-larnin.

[TomGuy]

Taliban's hatred of American culture

Well, I'm beginning to get a little irritated at this continual barrage of "why they hate us."

If someone wrote "America's hatred of Taliban culture," the media would certainly spew out reams of PC babble putting down such a comment. However, as long as America is the one being hated, all seems to be okay.