Isn't a pity. When a human being develops breasts and a vagina, suddenly, this human becomes a feared object of control?

Ironically, within Iraq and Afghanistan, there were secular governments that did a great deal more protecting women's rights then do the present US-supported theocratically-directed governments.

Of course, this Islamic influence on Middle Eastern governments and culture was a response to the US's campaign of destroying left-wing, secular nationalist and Pan-Arabic governments and movements.

For example, a democratically elected government took power in Iran with the presidency of Mossedegh. Under the direction of the CIA (the lead man on the mission was Kermit Roosevelt), this government was deposed and it was replaced with a true semi-fascist secular government.

What were a poor people to do? The Shah of Iran at least allowed people to meet in mosques.

Viola! Since people were not allowed a secular expression of their desires and concerns, they naturally followed the religious route.

We can also observe this with the collapse of the PLO and the emergence of Hamas among the Palestinians.

In Third World countrie, when the US destroys all left-wing secular movements, usually religious groups take up the slack.

In South America, this relious path can go to the Left. (However, even in this instance, the Theology of Liberation movements were entangled with the Catholic Church's reactionary views of and proscriptions against woment.)

But mostly, religious protest and rebellion takes an Islamic or Hindi cast that reduces the control women have over their public and private lives.

And these religious movements are many times revolutions against actual secular fascist or semi-fascist governments supported by the US.

This wide spread social regression is simply an expression of a political and economic system that can only buy time for its increasingly repessive social, economic and political order.

Wearing the Hijab has nothing to do with Islam. Do not confuse cultural with religion. Zealots of all religions identify faith with garb.

Iraq was a secular country before the USA and British invasion and occupation. The intent to destroy the country was not to "liberate" the populace from Saddam Hussein, but to feed the USA's energy needs to fuel their consumerist appetite, and military misadventures. The curse that has befallen the people of the Middle East region is oil. The West will continue to ensure instability of the region by their support of kingdoms, sheikdoms, militia's, dictators as long as they are willing lackeys of the big oil companies. Also factor Israel's role in this equation. Pity the peoples of the region.

#
ezeflyer December 18th, 2007 1:18 pm

Priests, Reverends, Imams and Rabbis, today's witch doctors.

Witch's would rather you did not mention their names in the same sentence with "Priests, Reverends, Imams and Rabbis'.

It's actually just as demeaning to be forced to display sexual attributes to get jobs and attract husbands as it is to be forced to hide them.

Those people who are actually killing and raping women in the name of religion would probably just do it for fun anyway if laws did not stand in their way. Lawlessness has just turned them loose. They are all around everywhere, all the time, just one of the demons war always turns loose.

Oh and as far as dress goes, who the hell cares? If we shouldn't get the vapors over women who choose to bare their features, we should do so over women who choose modesty. Quite frankly, and perhaps I'm a prude, I wish more women would choose to cover themselves instead of screaming "look at me please!" with their attire.

Maybe if we left Iraq alone, the Iraqi people would stop taking out their rage on each other. That's what this essentially is. They feel powerless because they have a giant boot stepping on them. Men who feel powerless often take it out on women.

bligh-Yes, American feminists have been outraged by the gender violence in Iraq. But as I said in another thread, that change has to come from within that culture, and those feminists totally get that. America can't impose our will on Iraq, especially when we still haven't achieved gender parity here and violence by men against women is still commonplace. Not to mention the fact that the neo-cons (who truly couldn't care less about the rights of women anywhere) just use this sort of thing as an excuse to "stay the course" in Iraq, and thusly continue to maim, kill, and fatten their bank accounts.

Irish Eddie-I agree with you in that Catholicism and Christianity in general needs to stop being kicked around (I was raised Catholic myself), and yes liberals can often be ineffectual. It's partly why I stopped posting here. The hyperbole, self-righteousness, self-loathing, proselytizing, smugness, encouraged resentment, and demonization got to be too much. People aren't going to come to our side if we're throwing vials of battery acid at them. It only subverts Progress, not the powers-that-be who pretty much have all of us fighting with each other. It ultimately leads to paralysis and impotence.

On the other hand, you're doing that a lot of liberals do in regards to Christianity. You're defining a faith by its underbelly.

There's nothing wrong with being Catholic, nor is there anything wrong with being a Muslim. Every religion has its extremists, manipulators, and frauds.

"Are you sure you liberals want the 'Religion of Peace' setting up mosques in our country like they are?"

Well, your tone indicates that your view of Islam isn't favorable.

I am not totally aware of what's going on in Ireland in regards to Catholic/Muslim relations. I did see a special on CNN that touched upon it, but again it's CNN, so I'm not going to take that bait. They showed some sort of town hall meeting, and the one Muslim I recall who was pounding his fist and calling for jihad appeared to be a plant in that he too over the top for me to buy him as legit. He was also rebutted by several moderate Muslims, one of whom declared him mentally ill. Anyway, I think it has more to do with the growing pains that are a side-effect of immigration.

I'm partly of Irish stock myself, and I'm a huge Thin Lizzy fan. That's about all I know. :)

Marriken- thanks for the link. They actually have something to say on the subject. I searched the "Stephen Lewis" and "NDP" websites and didn't see a word about it.

Re Hijab,

Yeah Capricorn, but why kick little girls out of soccer or out of school because they are wearing one. Let's just accept that it is important to them and not make them choose. We should be encouraging girls to stay in school. And we should be encouraging girls to play sports.

Look what we did to the Native Peoples with residential schools - we stripped them of their language and their culture and their identity.

People got to forge their own identity and decide for themselves what to include in it. Maybe later the girl will decide that a hijab is not who she is, maybe she won't - who cares! We let Saskatchewan Roughrider* fans wear hollowed out watermellon shells on their heads (we put up with their insessent gloating) - I think we can live with hijabs.

I don't doubt that there will be female Muslim Hockey players - but when that day comes - Team Canada will still beat Team USA!

*CFL=NFL only Canadian

"Many women say they are threatened with death if they do not obey."

Male superiority has always been the dominant theme in all religions. It's very clear in the Adam myth written in the second chapter of Genisis.

On the other hand, if you read "The Kabbalah Unveiled" by Knorr von Rosenroth, you will discover that the translators of the Bible have literally abolished or left out every reference to the fact that the "Deity" is both masculine and feminine. The Deity was androgynous! "The Ancient of Days" conforms himself simultaneously into the Father and Mother, and thus begets the Son. Prior to this transformation, "The earth was formless and void".

The Diety was apparently very comfortable combining the energies of the masculine and feminine, unlike most of his/her predecessors.

Should they just be left to their fate? Why aren't womens groups, who are so quick to find oppression in the West, saying anything?

Just another example of why religious extremists should be locked up.

Congratulations, Bligh, for being so quick to jump on the "blame the women" bandwagon. In fact, jumping on the bandwagon will be a new Olympic sport at the games in 2008, I hear. You are certainly in the running for a gold medal.

"Should they just be left to their fate? Why aren't womens groups, who are so quick to find oppression in the West, saying anything?"

They are saying-plenty, both here and there -- but their voices don't penetrate the cacophony and bluster of MSM/'party-line'/Propaganda any better than yours-does (or mine).
To be sure, none-of-above (or much anything-else since-and-before 9/11) was a 'mistake' or 'unintended consequence'. All proceeds "according to Plan", and Yes -- the Surge/'war' is 'working' (just not the way publicly-pretended).

"All proceeds "according to Plan", and Yes — the Surge/'war' is 'working' (just not the way publicly-pretended)."

And I DO mean a Plan both-side of our 'Aisle' formulated/enacted...

Saddam Hussain may have been a asshole, but at least Iraq was a secular state under his rule.

Excuse me but I think we're missing a point here; the fate of Muslim women is decided in Muslim culture by the Muslim Laws and Regulations, i.e. Sharia Law and that law is intended to apply to Muslim communities around the globe. Western interference is yet again another example of imperial meddling in the belief that somehow Western Culture and values are in some way superior to that of other cultures.

Simply put, it's not Westerner's place to interfere in Muslim Cultural affairs.

Priests, Reverends, Imams and Rabbis, today's witch doctors.

ezeflyer: "Priests, Reverends, Imams and Rabbis, today's witch doctors."

But the question is, who are tomorrow's witch doctors?

There is nothing wrong with just being a moral person who does not pay any attention to any cleric.

Mitt Romney to show his tolerance, especially pointed out his respect for orthodox Jews and Muslims - both of them make a large display of praying daily.

The beautiful European cathedrals are empty - as Romney critical of that pointed out.

Well those folks know that religion has led to a lot of bloodshed- that is why !

Of course Mitt Romney is miffed because he was on a Mormon mission in France as a teenager for two years and I bet the people slammed the door in his face a lot. Frenchmen take their culture seriously even if they don't show up in a cathedral.

This article here is again a huge turnoff on all the clerics of all fundamentalist brands of religion. The salem withc hunt was just another example of their viciousness.

May their alms and coffers be empty. May everbody give to the human rights organizations and care, and the environment and leave these preachers unemployed.

Most Muslim women that I've heard are dead set against Sharia law.

The Canadian Council of Muslim Women were very vocal in their opposition to the implementation of Sharia law in Ontario:

Islamic Principles are Equality, Social Justice and Compassion. These values are also articulated in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

http://www.ccmw.com/activitites/act_no_religious_arb.html

Though no one ever is as vocal as the Muslim Canadian Congress:

I will not give you MCC's "Sharia based Arbitration Racist and Unconstitutional" but will give you this:

Sharia Myths

myth: Other religions do faith-based family-law arbitrations.
fact: Only the Jewish Rabbinical Courts do, and they only handle a couple of cases each year.

myth: faith based arbitrations have been working well.
fact: In the only known study on the issue, Sally Armstrong found that Jewish women were generally ill-treated and unhappy with their experience with the Rabbinical Courts.

myth: Anti-sharia hysteria was generated because of islamophobia
fact: Actually, the fight against sharia courts was started and led by Muslims, many of whom have had personal experience with sharia and left their former countries to escape it. The only reason the Jewish Rabbinical Courts didn't generate the same response is that they hadn't required a new license to begin arbitrating family law cases. As such, few people were even aware of the limited number of family law arbitrations they did handle each year.

myth: no members of other religions are speaking out against their religious laws being used.
fact: Since only the Jews have been using religious arbitration, this only applies to them. Jews have overwhelmingly denounced the Rabbinical Courts for family law by not using them! Other Jews, and members of other religions, have joined the movement against religious tribunals for family law. Also, the Jews successfully petitioned the federal government in the 1990s to change the law to make it harder for religious arbitrations.

myth: Sharia is divine law.
fact: If it was divine, there would only be one version of it. Instead there are almost as many versions as there are Muslim communities. Moreover, it has evolved over time. The Sharia laws were developed by men and owe more to their cultures than to the Quran.

myth: Muslims who oppose sharia courts are not good Muslims.
fact: Canada exists as a multicultural nation because its civil institutions are secular. This provides the common ground that all cultures can meet on. Not only does the Quran not endorse sharia courts, the whole notion of such courts violates the letter and the spirit of the Quran. Engaging in debates over who is the better Muslim simply avoids dealing with the issue of what exactly does the Quran say on the subject.

myth: Muslims who oppose sharia courts are defaming Islam.
fact: A better case can be made that those who present an outdated and discriminatory legal code as a religious obligation of Islam are in fact doing the defaming.

myth: Sharia Law respects women's rights.
fact: Sharia Law gives women the rights that the men who developed it saw fit to give them. If applied correctly, it could be said to respect those rights, but as Dr. Kathryn Bullock of ISNA publicly admitted, no country has ever implemented it correctly. Moreover, the rights sharia gives women are neither the same as nor equivalent to those given to men. As such sharia is fundamentally incompatible with our Human Rights legislation.

myth: removing religious arbitrations is a violation of freedom of religion.
fact: Freedom of religion does not exempt anyone from the law. If it did, any crime could be committed under "freedom of religion". As long as all religions, including no religion, are treated equally there is no violation.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/18/5883/

Not blaming anyone here. Just pointing out that groups that are supposed to support women's rights don't seem to have a thing to say about this. I also don't buy the "you can't say anything its their culture" arguement. Apartheid was part of the Afrikkaner culture and generated justifiable outrage. Pure cowardice in my book is the reason for the silence.

George W. Bush and the American Taliban.

Mission Accomplished

Bligh,
Which groups are saying nothing? Look up a few. What do they say? Would it be fair to say that their voices aren't being heard? Or are you thinking that they should make a public spectacle of themselves to draw attention to this? If so, what demonstration would be sufficient? What can you do to draw attention to this?
Craig

bligh - as a member of N.O.W., and reader of a WIDE variety of feminist literature, believe me - the womens groups out there are VERY vocal against what is happening to women all over the world. Actions are being taken, American women have gone to these countries to work with the women, support them, often helping them ESCAPE, locating funding for these women and children, and more. I kind of doubt you and I are on the same wavelength with regard to what we read. I wait for the day (and will not live to see it happen) when men around the world hold MEN accountable for their shameful actions against women, children, and other living beings.

As for "glide" who wrote "Simply put, it's not Westerner's place to interfere in Muslim Cultural affairs," was that you being photographed partying under the trees where the dead negroes swung from nooses .... - I mean, you wouldn't have interfered with that, would you?

Namaste.

glide625, "Simply put it's not Westerners place to interfere with Muslim Cultural affairs".

Well true, westerners wouldn't interfere if they would just keep their damn camels and tents away from the drilling rigs!.

It is estimated that about 25% of all women in our military have been sexually assaulted by fellow military personnel, quite often superiors. Worse yet, those women coming forward to report the assaults are usually made to suffer for it with little if any justice. And that is just the US military. Should we blame religious beliefs for these outrages? I think not. This is cultural. It only becomes a religious claim when those who assault integrate it into their religious belief system, just as our Kristian Right justifies harassing and condemning those with different sexual orientation, justifying pre-emptive war or suppressing women's rights to control their own lives. Much the same happens among any extremist group. It would seem that Irish believes that one cannot be a "liberal" without justifying abuses because he is a devout Catholic who sees himself as conservative, opposes such abuses, he therefore assumes that "liberals" would think the opposite. As a proud member of the religious left who happens to be a Christian, I hope that Irish and many other conservative religious might come to realize that we share a tremendous common moral base. The most unfortunate aspect of the ongoing extreme right political campaign in this nation has been to plant, nay embed, the false idea that there is such a broad moral divide.

Glide625, Jewish meddling in the west bank is based on their interpretation of scripture, culture, and history. Simply put, it is no Muslim´s place to interfere with Jewish Cultural affairs.¨ Right?

Now cut off another clitoris and have another gang rape. It´s cultural, ya know?

The idea of cultural relativism is BS. We all occupy a global village--have to have some standards of conduct.

Ethical conduct and fairness are mathematical in their certainty. Its a simple formulation like 2 = 2 = 4.
In the big scheme of things maybe morality doesnt matter--but in the small scale of things there is a consistency factor at work.

It can be applied to any human society on Earth.

Example: everyone has a word for "sun" and can know what it means.
You can relate to others because they share that idea.

In morality--it works the same way. Every culture has some concept of moral regard--that you have a group (yourself usually included) and you feel you deserve consideration, respect, and you expect this to be honored by others.

But if you discriminate against others and say they are less than you--then you face the problem of why should someone honor your "rights" if you exclude others? What makes you so special?
This is true whether its about race, religion, gender, species...It works for all of them.

I can effectively argue against an Inuit hunter by saying: why should you have the right to life and respect when you say a whale doesnt? If you can say you are superior to a whale why cant I say I am superior to you?

For muslim men it works the same. Why should I have respect for your rights when you dont respect women?

You do get into the problem of "but God says I am better than others."

But how do you prove that?
It becomes my God vs your God. It cancels out.

At the end of the day volcanos dont spew their lava in ways that kill the infidel and spare the believer.

Fairness is mathematical--common sense. But people just choose to ignore it or succumb to irrationality.

I live in a college town and see womens rights groups protesting fairly regularly. Again, I have never seen this particular topic discussed. I also just went to the NOW website, nothing on there either. Abuse of women, whether in this country or others, should be equally unacceptable.

The reason Moslem women must conceal their hair, faces, and bodies in public is that that Moslem men are violent, impulsive and and untrustworthy.

OK, that's an unfair generalization. But it should be a source of shame to every male of any culture that their women cannot dress comfortably and move about unescorted.

We cannot claim that our society is free of sexual violence, and there are some Christian sects here that still regard women as chattel. But I think we still have the right to ridicule Moslem men putting the burden of "honor" entirely on their women.

Are you men incapable of "honor"?

Sharia law isn't the law of the Koran. It's the law of the ancient nomadic tribe. When you live tents, as the Arabs once did, your women can be abducted almost as easily as your goats. No wonder they kept them confined and invisible.

Mohammed brought a new message of personal morality and responsiblity to the people of Arabia. The continued subjugation of women should be an indication of Islam's failure to promote the Prophet's teachings.

It's going to be hard to start this is lawless places like Iraq and Afghanistan, but I'd like to see the men of the Moslem world become motivated to prove how morally superior they are to the men of the West - as measured by the freedom their women enjoy.

You will only find outrage on this site if America, or one of its surrogates, is perpetrating the crime. Millions starving in North Korea? Who cares. Ethnic cleansing and stolen elections in Zimbabwe? Yawn. Imperialistic threats by China against democratic Taiway? Boring...

bligh - check this website out:
http://feministpeacenetwork.org/

You will find a lot of information about this topic here. Atrocities are kept track of and we do protest.

bligh says: Not blaming anyone here. Just pointing out that groups that are supposed to support women's rights don't seem to have a thing to say about this.

Are you accusing the NDP of remaining silent on this issue?

Are you accusing Rabble.ca of not discussing these issue?

Are you accusing Stephen Lewis (Naomi Klein's father-in-law) of being silent concerning the issue of women's rights?

Are women in the Canada and US not working with women elsewhere who are fighting for their rights?

And are there not women out there willing to stand up for what they believe in?

Malalai Joya kicked out of Afghan parliament

The expulsion of this outspoken feminist illustrates the hollowness of the claims of women's advancement under occupation, something that is confirmed by human rights reports that tell of continuing women's inequality.

(cont)

http://www.rabble.ca/everyones_a_critic.shtml?sh_itm=12a77ded754bdc45e374d28cf4070a22&rXn=1&

The Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq's Houzan Mahmoud has written an excellent piece that is posted on Open Democracy challenging the excuse that culture is an acceptable explanation for violence against women in the Middle East. She writes,

"I challenge those who justify the killing, abuse, and oppression of women on the basis that they are part of Middle Eastern "culture". But I am also here to challenge those who say these things are not part of Islam.I am here to say that yes, what is happening to women is because of political Islam in all its forms, in power and in opposition. Religious laws are not simply a matter of "culture"; they are barbaric and inhumane practices which are used deliberately to repress women and segregate them from the rest of the world.

We, the women of the world, need to make it clear that women's rights are universal. They transcend culture, religion, nation, border and tradition. Our struggle for freedom and equality is global and must engage all women, regardless of their background. We need to fight the influence of religion in public life and the religious laws that - in the Middle East and throughout the world - help perpetuate the oppression of half the world's population."

So the Taliban now rules by fear in Iraq, as well as in Afghanistan. Some much for all that right-wing crowing about "Progress in Iraq."
Mind you, this is the same situation that James Dobson, Pat Robertson and their idiot followers want to see here....
Wouldn't it be great fun to send an all-female Marines unit into Sadr City, to sort out these crazed Islamic nutjobs?? Then they could come back to Colorado Springs and sort out all the wackos here!!

I guess there's nothing in Islamic "law" to say that rape is bad in itself? What a contradiction.. a woman may not be out and about with a male non-family member/husband, yet a male non-family member may rape her with impunity.

I wish the Islamic women of the world would take their kitchen knives and do something useful (read: "castration") with them if these women happen to fall into the wrong hands.

Bligh is way out of touch. Women's groups in the west have been screaming about this for years and do more to confront this nonsense every day. But the US media blocks their voices (must be religious orders from Bush or something). Turn off the TV America and find out what's really going on in the world. And Bligh, rather than pointing fingers get out there in the street yourself!

Greaseman: "You will only find outrage on this site if America, or one of its surrogates, is perpetrating the crime. Millions starving in North Korea? Who cares. Ethnic cleansing and stolen elections in Zimbabwe? Yawn. Imperialistic threats by China against democratic Taiway? Boring…"

I'm sorry if you are disappointed that CD doesn't conform to the line of the US foreign policy establishment. Maybe the reason you find particular outrages against US crimes here is because no one else wants to pay any attention to it anywhere else. If you want outrage over the other purported crimes, there is FOX, CNN, MSNBC, the network news, New York Times, Daily Post, Washington Post, Washington Times, International Herald Tribune, AP wire, UPI wire, State Department press releases, talk radio, Weekly Standard, Commentary... the list goes on forever. In sum, if you want something other than a perspective critical of US foreign policy you won't have to look far.

1. When Clinton was hoping to trade with the Taliban, it was women's groups here in the US that shamed the administration into breaking that off. Bligh isn't paying attention to what women are saying, apparently - it's a universal problem.

2. No use cutting it off - doctors are very good at putting them back on. In Thailand, the women know what to do with a blender, however.

3. The purpose of patriarchal religion (which seems to be just about all religion, although there are rumors that women once ruled the field) is the control and distribution of available snatch. The 'holy' bible can fairly be read as a long diatribe against femininity and feminine freedom - and that goes double for the Quran. Whatever freedom or rights women have gained (even the right to humane obstetrical care!) has always been in opposition to religion.

Quoting "IrishEddie" – "Perhaps you should read Pope Leo X's Encyclical Rerum Novarum in which he clearly stands for the rights of the working MAN...." Eddie, do you see how much a part of the problem you are here? Popes have been as dangerous to society (and especially to women) as any group could possibly be. And where in the bible does Jesus say "Go forth, and wear funny tall hats and brocade dresses"?

"Women's rights are the responsibility of humankind; combating all forms of violence against women is the duty of all humankind; and achieving empowerment of women is the advancement of all humankind."

United Nations Secretary - General Kofi Annan

Sue Stroud - "Bligh, rather than point fingers why don't you get out there yourself". I tried. Last May my wife and I applied to have a booth at the "Human rights festival" calling attention to the plight of women in Muslim countries. We were turned down and called "Islamophobes" for our trouble.

Oh it just may be that the sight of a naked female earlobe arouses some Arab men to lustful thoughts - if not actions. Just as Western men become excited at the flash of a thigh in a slit skirt.
Thus covering all women up head to toe is really for their own protection even though it might make for some wedding night surprises.

CFL=NFL only Canadian

Of course clothing is a matter of choice. I was pointing out the zealots misuse of cultural choice of clothing as "gospel". And the media plays this up to no end. It feeds into their negative portrayal of Islam. The kicking of little girls out of the soccer tournament was a disgraceful act of xenophobia = Islamophobia?

By the way the Hijab was worn before the birth of Islam by peoples across the region.

Let us be honest: the Koran sanctions rape. Mohammed himself raped many women and had a sexual relationship with his 6 year old cousin wife. Female captives and unbelievers are fair game, according to Allah, as are prepubescent girls. The Koran, which all Muslims believe is directly from Allah, says "the woman is your field, to plow her as pleases you."

The Bible contains its share of misogyny and violence, too.

Religious literalism, taking texts from barbaric bronze-age tribes as divine revelation, is always and everywhere dangerous.

Capricorn, I think Maher Arar pointed out that Christs mother wore one.

bligh, Stephen Lewis is retired, so you would have a better chance with his foundation - this was on The Hour

http://www.cbc.ca/thehour/video.php?id=705

Also, you first have to find out who has the "status of women" critic portfolio (Irene Mathyssen) - though sometimes you get something with the citizenship and immigration critic portfolio (Olivia Chow), or the justice critic portfolio (Wayne Marston), or the trade critic (Peter Julian) - though the latter tends to be mainly about workers rights in trade agreements.

Mathyssen seems to have a lot on women's rights but it is more local. Chow, seems to focus on more general immigration issues which affect both men and women with the exception of that petition on comfort women.

Marston also seems interested in the comfort women and the Italians,

ON IRAN: Marston investigates gender inequality

http://www.waynemarston.ca/page/119

ON RACISM: Marston statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Racism

ON CHINA: Marston investigates changing human rights environment

ON CHINA: "We need to push harder at China on the issue of human rights."

ON CHINA: Marston emphasizes need for consensus when dealing with China

IN THE HOUSE: Marston pushes for Special Envoy to China

ON CHINA: Fragile relationship "the best you can truly hope for"

ON CHINA: Olympics an opportunity to improve human rights

everything that's going wrong in Iraq is because the americans bombed and bulldozed and wrecked the country. Women in Iraq were ok before. it's true muslim fundamentalists are wacko, but they run wild only after the american military creates the chaos upon which they thrive. anything that goes bad in Iraq that was not broke before the u.s. came is our fault. and now it's our job to try to fix it.

Peter Julian

NEWS: NDP BILL WILL HELP COMBAT GLOBAL HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

OTTAWA – On the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Peter Julian (Burnaby–New Westminster) introduced his private member's bill, to extend the authority of Canada's Federal Court to protect foreign citizens against violations of international law that occur outside of Canada. On December 10, 1948, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted and proclaimed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as a common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.

The International Promotion and Protection of Human Rights Act (IPPHRA) was developed in close cooperation with Nick Milanovic, Adjunct Professor at the Department of Law of Carleton University, and Mark Rowlinson, Counsel for the United Steelworkers. It is endorsed by the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers.

This innovative bill will hold violators accountable for gross human rights abuses regardless of where they take place. The IPPHRA would allow lawsuits in Canada for a host of universal human rights violations such as genocide and torture. In addition, it would prohibit activity that significantly degrades the environment or violates key international labour rights. The proposed legislation will allow the victims of these human rights abuses to obtain damages from the perpetrators of these injustices.

"It is high time that Canadian corporate entities lead by example and take responsibility for human rights abuses committed by their corporations outside Canadian borders," said Julian. "This bill would ensure that victims can seek compensation and would ultimately discourage corporations and individuals from disregarding basic human rights."

The United States has had legislation that grants its courts the authority to enforce international law since 1789. American courts have interpreted these laws to apply to a host of international human rights claims such as genocide and slavery. These laws have allowed lawsuits against dictators, generals, police and paramilitary groups as well as against corporations allegedly involved in various international human, environmental and labour rights abuses.

"This proposed legislation condemns international human rights abusers who are, in essence, enemies of all humankind. It is now time for each federal representative to declare themselves for the human dignity of each person on this globe by voting for this bill," stated Milanovic.

http://www.peterjulian.ca/page/565

NEWS: NDP CONDEMNS GOVERNMENT'S WEAKNESS ON DEFENDING HUMAN RIGHTS

NEWS: NDP CALLS ON HARPER TO ACT ON CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

NEWS: NDP CALLS ON HARPER NOT TO TRADE AWAY HUMAN RIGHTS

IN THE HOUSE ~ Member's Statement - Ottawa must commit to ending human rights abuse in Sri Lanka

NEWS: NDP MPs fight for women's rights on and off the slopes

to glide625
..."belief that somehow Western Culture and values are in some way superior to that of other cultures.

Simply put, it's not Westerner's place to interfere in Muslim Cultural affairs..." Oh yes it is!!!

It is when they're wrong and unjust. And yes, the West has many faults - but in this respect their values are superior. Yes, they are and non-Westerners would do well to catch up. When you live in the West, you live by Western rules and not ancient superstition passing for morality. Stop being so danged offended at every little piece of free speech! Get with the Renaissance, the Enlightenment, learn how to reason, to frikkin' THINK!!! Stop romanticizing injustice and cruelty! Stop dragging everybody back to the Dark Ages!

Irish, what do you have against witch doctors?

WHAT MAKES IRAQ A MUSLIM CULTURE, GLIDE 625?

The women being targeted in Basra are mainly members of the Christian minority. Iraq has one of the world's oldest Christian communities, and there are still tens of thousands of Christians and other non-Muslims living there. Christian Iraqi women don't wear headscarves -- unless things get ugly and they have to blend in with the crowd. Otherwise, they're easy targets.

You may not be aware, but before the Muslims took over, Iraq was mostly Christian (long before much of Europe was). Under Saddam, a nationalist, and undoubtedly an evil man, there was no Muslim theocracy as there is in Saudi Arabia and Iran (the only Muslim theocracies). Women freely went around in short sleeves, blue jeans, knee-length skirts and were unveiled. They wore make-up. They could be educated, work in "typically male" professions (engineering, etc.). Iraq was known as one of the most progressive places in the Middle East. Basra in particular was a comparatively free-wheeling place.

Thanks to Bush and co., this is no longer the case.

I'm shocked and about to collapse with this sort of real madness. It's enough to cause imagining picking up a gun and killing every s.o.b. that harms any women.

"bligh December 18th, 2007 12:33 pm

Should they just be left to their fate? Why aren't womens groups, who are so quick to find oppression in the West, saying anything?"

Nice idea, but nice would not make the slightest difference in the world. What good do you think it could possibly do if Western women protested over this?

I don't think it'd make any difference.

Quote:"Edward1793 December 18th, 2007 12:45 pm

Just another example of why religious extremists should be locked up."

I don't know that they should be locked up, but they'd need to be, if what I have in mind, first, did not work. What's needed is for the leader of the Badr Brigade or Organisation, etc., the Ayatollah Ali Al-Sistani to get off his damn idle ass and correct the religious teachings of these sickeningly indoctrinated believers. If he does not see that this is all hellbent wrong, then he and the rest indeed should all be imprisoned.

But, alas, it's entirey the fault of the U.S., including 77% of Americans, all of whom disgustingly supported this then wholly unjustifiable war; even the mere mention of potentially launching this war was not only and wholly unjustifiable, it was wholly and extremely criminal. Just the mere mention of the U.S. govt potentially doing this was enough to justify incarcerating the damn Cheney-Bush administration ... FOREVER.

So Americans have themselves to blame for what these Iraqi women are now going through, albeit it's not new. It's been going on for a long time already, and due to this war. Saddam Hussein would have never permitted these or any other atrocious acts, crimes against Iraqi women, regardless of which religious faith they are or were.

When we read about this being done to these women, REMEMBER, IT IS THE FAULT OF THE U.S. AND IT'S DAMN HELLBENT ALLIES.

I posted links to wholly and otherwise sufficiently pertinent articles in a comment on Gareth Porter's article on the NIE matter.

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/12/18/5874/#comment-160057