About Face for Afghan Women

Time ^ | 11/25/2001 | RICHARD LACAYO

[Utah Girl]

ping

[summer]

bttt

[BunnySlippers]

OK, I can't help myself. ;-)

[Utah Girl]

That is a good cartoon. It is just so sad that the Taliban saw fit to keep half the population like it did. Such a waste.

[Diogenesis]

[alloysteel]

Some eighty years ago, Afghani women probably enjoyed greater rights than their sisters in, say, Switzerland, or even the United States, as they had the right to vote and own property, not granted in many parts of the Western world at the time. But time and stress from many quarters eroded those rights away, something that should be noted by the supposed "feminists", whose voices that were not raised on the behalf of these unhappy Afghani women during their recent captivity by the Taliban.

[Utah Girl]

I agree, although the feminists were trying to tell the world about the plight of women in Afghanistan. I have to give them credit on this one.

[FITZ]

"I want to be freed from Allah,"

Certainly can't blame her for that. Hopefully these people can find a better religion to follow, one that lets them have hope and joy but atheism would be better than having to bow to that false god named allah.

[FITZ]

They're beautiful, it's a shame the religion taught the men to find their faces sinful and hideous, something to be hidden or punished.

[Utah Girl]

And I can't blame her for that sentiment. The Taliban have twisted and perverted the Islam religion to demean women and control all. It is just evil.

[BunnySlippers]

I agree, although the feminists were trying to tell the world about the plight of women in Afghanistan. I have to give them credit on this one.

The feminists wouldn't agree with ANYTHING Bush did ... they have virtually deserted this issue. Photo: Finger polish back in Kabul.

And a woman shedding her burkah.

[MissAmericanPie]

A nice 45 is a very good tool for "soothing a husbands ego".

[McGavin999]

The important thing is not to try to force change, but to insist on tolerance. Once the Afghans see that families that allow their women to work have a much higher standard of living, this will take care of itself.

Another thing that will help is when tourists begin to go to Afghanistan once again.

[Utah Girl]

Very well said. I'm really afraid that some in the US will go hardline on womens rights in Afghanistan, and that isn't going to accomplish anything good, just resentment. Perhaps show the husbands that if their wives are educated their standard of living will go up.

[Utah Girl]

A 45 works very well. And I always wonder (ahem) why the wives don't withold their favors? Perhaps that isn't possible, but I've heard that can be a pretty effective weapon also...

[MissAmericanPie]

With holding favors isn't allowed when you are considered no more than cattle. But when you stand on your feet like a human being, insert the barrel of a 45 gently into the left nostril of one you are trying to impress with your humanity, it concentrates his attention on your message.

It takes some of the sting out of your message if you are holding a plate heaped high with that nights dinner in your left hand. Simply tell the man he has a choice to make, a nice dinner prepared just the way he likes it, or, would he like to spend the rest of the evening scraping his brains off the ceiling. hehe When was the last time you heard of anyone shot by a cow?

[Utah Girl]

That's what I figured. I have read that the Soviets (and maybe the Taliban too ) disarmed the people when they took power. After the Taliban took power, and made impossible promises, the people did relinquish their weapons. They were tired of war. That has taught me never to relinquish weapons, hide them, or whatever, but do not give them up.

[McGavin999]

That and a few trade trips for some of the locals. As they see our prosperity, a few little words can be dropped about how much women have contributed and how valued women are in our society. I certainly hope we buy that TV network to compete with Al Jazeera, seeing other Muslim countries with women treated as equals will help immensely.

You don't have to beat people over the head with a club to get them to change their minds, just show them that the rest of the world is passing them by. Some will respond immediately, some may take longer, but the key is to stress tolerance of whatever lifestyle people choose. If they're free to choose, sooner or later they will choose freedom.

[MissAmericanPie]

You and I would never be with a man that hit us, we live in a free society that allows us to leave a situation like that without the pressure of public opinion against us.

These women in Afghanistan will never be treated with respect unless and until they demand it first in their own homes from their own husbands by what ever means neccessary. It is a sad state of affairs but not hopeless if they have the courage to stand up and get mean.