It would seem that you can bring together even the most unlikely groups when your purpose is to keep women in their place. Here, in the way of evidence, is an article from the Guardian on a recent meeting of international groups looking to “defend traditional family values.” (Thanks for the link, Arun.)
Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi is a controversial Islamic scholar who approves of wife-beating and believes in traditional family values. The Mormon church, having abandoned polygamy more than a century ago, believes in traditional families too.
With that much in common, they have joined forces to “defend the family” and fight progressive social policies at the United Nations.
Other members of the holy alliance include Cardinal Alfonso Trujillo, who campaigns against condoms on behalf of the Catholic church, and Mahathir Mohamad, the dictatorial former prime minister of Malaysia who sacked and jailed his deputy for alleged homosexuality.
They all met in Doha, the capital of Qatar, last November for what was officially described as a conference to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the UN’s Year of the Family. In reality, it brought together some of the world’s most socially conservative religious forces…
I guess I’m a “glass half empty” kind of guy. Here we have this great story about people from around the world putting aside their political and religious differences and coming together for a common cause, and all I can think about is the fact that they’re assholes… I don’t know if I’ve written about it here before or not, but I find myself incredibly unsympathetic to the cultures of others when those cultures revolve around the subjugation of women. I can accept a lot in the name of tolerance, and, when confronted by an idea distasteful to myself, I usually think, like the good little liberal, “Who am I to judge?” I can accept, for instance, that Korean’s drink dog’s blood, and that Japanese businessmen buy the soiled panties of schoolgirls out of vending machines. In my opinion, however, there’s no room for compromise when it comes to honor killings and female genital mutilation. I don’t care if it’s your religion. It’s wrong… And, I can’t help but think that if we took the money that we spent in Iraq and used it instead to promote women’s rights in the Middle East, that we’d be well on our way to living in a safer, more secure world right now.
8 Comments
I’m sure my born-again Uncle would join that group. He believe a woman’s place is in the kitchen. Good thing for him that my aunt ignores him and goes out to work or they’d have no money.
Family Values is code for Male Dominance the same way School Choice is code for Let’s Just Keep the Poor Stupid.
I agree Tony! The Family Values crowd is the same one that goes around calling people “Ass-Selling Pimps”.. and then harping about how they follow jesus… bunch of phonies.
Yeah, screw family values and male dominance. And screw just keeping the poor stupid, we are doing a fine job right here. Hey, let’s protest the right to be stupid. We could all wear the “I’m with stupid” t-shirts but they could have multiple arrows. It will look cool when we are protesting. ANd dudes, what’s up with all the code words? I am starting to get confused again.
Neocons lie just like their president. Can’t anyone kick all the repugs off the site so we can discuss our topics without their intrusion? They are not needed here. They have their own sites that they can go to.
We should have the right to express our views without anyone else challenging us. I want to have the right to free speech without a bunch of necons trying to punch holes in my arguments. I can’t succeed in anything else, can’t I at least be able to act self-important on the internet.
This is the real warren. I do think the repugs should be kicked but not for the reasons the second warren says. He was just copying my name and trying to make it sound like me. I think they should be kicked because there are plenty of other places that they can go to spread their rhetoric. It’s just offensive that’s all.
I’ll post more on this topic but my mom just called down the stairs, I have to go help her with something.. and no I’m not 16 I’m a 45 yr old man who own’s his own comic book store. Mother needs me.