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Barbie Deemed Threat to Saudi Morality
RIYADH, Saudi-controlled Arabia (AP) - Saudi Arabiaâs religious police have declared Barbie dolls a threat to morality, complaining that the revealing clothes of the "Jewish" toy - already banned in the kingdom - are offensive to Islam."Mommie, whatâs a ârackâ"? The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, as the religious police are officially known, lists the dolls on a section of its Web site devoted to items deemed offensive to the conservative Saudi interpretation of Islam. "Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful," said a poster on the site. The poster, plastered with pictures of Barbie in short dresses and tight pants, and with a few of her accessories, reads: "A strange request. A little girl asks her mother: Mother, I want jeans, a low-cut shirt, and a swimsuit like Barbie." "Mommie, can I have titties like Barbie?" "Hush, Fatima, you know your father will never be able to drown you if you do!" Such posters are distributed to schools and hung in the streets by the religious police, or muttawa, an independent body affiliated with the office of the Prime Minister. Are they trying to ban Barbie or market her? Vice police officials were not available for comment Monday. "Dammit, Achmed, we canât hang these posters, theyâre all wet and sticky!" Sheik Abdulla al-Merdas, a preacher in a Riyadh mosque, said the muttawa take their anti-Barbie campaign to the shops, confiscating dolls from sellers and imposing a fine. Although illegal, Barbies are found on the black market, where a contraband doll could cost $27 or more. Thus creating a new class of criminals, the âBarbie-runnersâ. "It is no problem that little girls play with dolls. But these dolls should not have the developed body of a woman, and wear revealing clothes," al-Merdas said. "These dolls have those tight jeans, those cre-e-e-e-amy smooth thighs and those, those, those THINGS on their chests ... oh by Allah, I have to go ... shoot my gun!" "These revealing clothes will be imprinted in their minds and they will refuse to wear the clothes we are used to as Muslims," the sheik said. Kind of hard to get âem back into a burlap sack once theyâve seen the latest skank-ho fashions. Women in Saudi Arabia must cover themselves from head to toe with a black cloak in public. They are not allowed to drive and cannot go out in public unaccompanied by a male family member. Other items listed as violations on the site included Valentineâs Day gifts, perfume bottles in the shape of womenâs bodies, clothing with logos that include a cross, and decorative copies of religious items - offensive because they could be damaged and thus insult Islam. An exhibition of all the violating items is found in the holy city of Medina, and mobile tours go around to schools and other public areas in the kingdom. "Oh, Mommie, look, the cool van is coming around with all the toys! Can we buy some, p-l-l-l-l-ease?" "Fatima, hush, your father will only confiscate them." "But Mommie, he plays with them in his den! I want some of my own!" Posted by: Steve White 2003-09-10 |
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