February 20, 2007
So, liberals, do you think all cultures are equal? (Except Western of course. Oh, and as far as religion goes Christianity and maybe now Judaism are to be scorned as ignorant and oppressive, or even feared. The others are exotically diverse, kind of like an imported objet d'art)
So what do you think about this?
Do we accord a culture that allows genital mutilation the same respect as one that views women as equal members of society? Do we allow this kind of culture to override our own laws?
This is the trap of multiculturalism.
"Just because one rejects tribalism, doesn't mean tribalism goes away. For whether or not it is written into any holy book, it is written into human nature. The West's own struggle against tribalism continues to the present day, and verily, we are currently losing it through the triumphant emergence of "multiculturalism" — which is just tribalism, by another (postmodern) name."
And Christopher Hitchens, in his review of Mark Steyn's book, argues that we in the West must demand "an end to one-way multiculturalism" and the cultural self-contempt that goes with it. He warns against extremist interpretations of Islam prevailing more and more:
"The Koran does not mandate the wearing of veils or genital mutilation, and until recently only those who apostasized from Islam faced the threat of punishment by death. Now, though, all manner of antisocial practices find themselves validated in the name of religion, and mullahs have begun to issue threats even against non-Muslims for criticism of Islam. This creeping Islamism must cease at once, and those responsible must feel the full weight of the law. "
And yes, we may have to jail people or deport them. I recently read, can't remember where, a story about British colonial rule in India. A man about to burn alive the widow along with her dead spouse defended the local practice as part of the culture. The British governor responded — in our culture men who burn women alive are hanged by the neck until dead — so you may follow your practice, and we will follow ours.
Hitchens goes on to urge America to make common cause with other countries under siege—multiethnic and democratic India for one, and the oil-rich countries of West Africa, as well as keeping faith in Iraq and Afghanistan as best we can.
| • Read the Blue Skirt response. |
Hirsi Ali herself, though, believes the enslavement of women is at the heart of fanatical interpretations of Islam. (I would just underline the point, aside from the harsh cruelty that is practiced on women in some parts of the Muslim world, in the Arab world HALF the women can not even read or write! And the level of schooling is abominable. According to an amazingly honest 2002 Arab Human Development Report "The entire Arab world translates about 330 books annually, one fifth the number that Greece translates ... in the thousand years since the reign of Caliph al Ma'mun, the Arabs have translated as many books as Spain does in just one year.") She spoke last week in the Chicago suburbs about the dangers of multiculturalism elevating a culture that brutalizes and demeans women to a respectable alternative lifestyle.
Having fled The Netherlands after Van Gogh's killing, even in America she requires permanent bodyguards. So feminists and liberals — you may think America needs to be non-judgemental about other cultures. You may think you can safely stay on the sidelines of this great struggle. You may think religion and traditional morality are unimportant in the grand scheme of things, only adhered to by the ignorant. But unless you start appreciating and defending the very American democracy and Judeo-Christian principles of Western civilization that defend and celebrate individual freedom, you may not be able to make any independent judgements at all, you may be judged and found lacking by a triumphant Islamofascist culture that is truly and cruelly intolerant. You may be trapped and have nowhere to go.
And who will be left to defend you?
Comments
bornin1955 (anonymous) says...
Red Skirt is obviously an educated, articulate and intelligent woman. I will say that, even though I disagree with her politics. Unfortunately, it is this kind of thinking that spawns hate crimes by people too ignorant to see the shades of gray on any issue. Conservatives, in my experience, see things in black and white and are overly willing to use scare tactics in an attempt to make their point.
February 21, 2007 at 11:34 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
srocknroll (anonymous) says...
In exactly which shade of gray would liberal/progressives view the cultural practice of cutting off a young girl's clitoris and labia, then sewing the incision shut, all without anesthetic? Maybe "bornin1955" can make the case for tolerance of this operation, which has been part of growing up for 140 million Muslim girls (including Hirsi Ali, in Somalia) because it "doesn't affect her directly." That is the usual argument by moral relativists who eschew or postpone tackling moral dilemmas head-on. The true black and white viewpoint is to be found not in the conservative camp, but more likely on Main Street in Saudi Arabia.
February 21, 2007 at 1:31 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
alieberman (alieberman) says...
Maybe srocknroll will join Red Skirt in making a donation to one of the organizations I mentioned (see: Blue Skirt). We liberals welcome all women concerned about these practices to work to end it now. Thanks to both you and bornin1955 for your comments. It's good to talk about these things!
February 21, 2007 at 4:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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