Quote:
Originally posted by valkyrie
Okay, I think this can potentially be an interesting discussion, but I'm in a hurry right now so I'm only going ot comment on the part I've quoted here.
The fact that any woman would feel that she needs religion to make her feel she doesn't "have to conform to western standards of sexy dress" etc. is incredibly sad. If you don't want to dress like a ho, don't. It's THAT EASY. You don't need religion to tell you that.
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I agree with Val here. But this is the essence of the fundamental difference between Arab Islam and (non-Islamic) Americans. We just don’t get each other.
Being a non-Islamic American, I can only speak from one perspective, but I find #3 above incredibly sexist. The way the statement is written, (and what some Islamic Arabs believe) is this whole nonsensical thing that women are a slave to their sexuality; that it is some uncontrollable force that they just cant fight off (ignoring the fact that most all of the fighting, killing, raping and pillaging done throughout humanity has been done by men) and they need men (or the Qur'an) to save them from themselves. Damn near every woman I know loves their sexuality and its an essential part of who they are.
Why do people believe always believe that fashion and popular culture is driven from the top down 'liberal media'? When in fact, the media leaders and fashion pioneers always look to the people on the street (specifically the 18-24 demographic) for whats hot and new. The 'western' culture isn’t driven from the top down. Its driven from the bottom up. (Just spend 12 minutes with a group of 'cool' college kids. Listen to their vernacular.) Three years later you'll see that same vernacular repeated on the most popular TV shows.
Again, Arab Muslims just don’t get it. American women don’t feel threatened by our culture and the 'in your face' sexuality. I always love how people who aren’t familiar with our culture (whomever the author was) seem to be experts on it. If its so 'refreshing' for Arab Muslims to wear the hajab and stuff, why on international flights do the wealthy women peel off the beekeeper outfit to show off the channel suits and dresses as soon as they land in Paris or London or NY?
Again, this is the same nonsensical argument from the Islamic right that I am tired of. "The corrupt western culture" blah blah blah. Ever been to Cairo? Every apt. balcony has a satellite dish (same with many other middle eastern cities) pointed to the west cause the youth are watching Pimp My Ride, Charmed and The OC. Hypocritical much? I think so. Don’t worry tho. Hypocrisy isn’t inherent to Islam. In the states we have a term called 'back row Baptists' or sometimes called 'Sunday morning Baptists." It describes those who rally against the 'drink' and alcohol use, and are at the bar on Saturday night, but always at church on Sunday morning.
The root of the 'hatred' of 'corrupt American culture' is nothing more than thinly veiled jealousy. For thousands of years the Arab countries were the world leaders in art, science, mathematics, language, trade and culture. That’s hardly the case anymore. Jealousy+Poverty=Hatred bred in the madrassas. If it wasnt for the oil, the mid-east would be the biggest, best deserted beach on the planet.
BTW, I went to an Eid celebration last December. It was pretty cool.
*Edited to fix spelling, and that I hadn't used an uppercase "I" in Islam. Dont wanna piss no one off.