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| Europe |
| The Dutch-Muslim Culture War |
| 2005-06-24 |
| - This is unusual - a pretty solid piece of writing in The Nation -- it mentions Hirsi Ali, it mentions the problem of Islamic bigotry in Europe -- it even mentions some solutions --- Hirsi Ali is only the most prominent of a number of young Muslim women who have lately begun to criticize their own communities for their treatment of women. In Sweden, Fadime Sahindal campaigned against forced marriages before her father killed her in 2002 for having a relationship with a Swedish man. In France, Fadela Amara heads the Ni Putes ni Soumises ("Neither Whores nor Submissives") movement against Islamist groups she calls "the green fascists." In Germany, where six honor killings have taken place just this year, Seyran Ates, a Berlin-based lawyer, has charged the government with allowing Islamic fundamentalism to flourish under a policy of false tolerance. In the United States, too, some of the Islamists' most vigorous opponents have been female. Asra Nomani, a former Wall Street Journal reporter, and Amina Wadud, a professor of Islamic studies, have led the fight to open Muslim prayers to women. Most of the members of the newly formed Progressive Muslim Union, which aims to provide liberal Muslims with a platform, are women, according to co-founder Ahmed Nassef. Many conservative Muslims have been almost as hostile to these female critics as they have been to Hirsi Ali. ....Denmark has been widely criticized for passing a law in 2002 establishing a number of tests for citizens or residents who wish to bring spouses into the country from overseas: Both partners must be at least 24 years old. They must demonstrate that the marriage is voluntary. They must have a certain income and own a residence with at least two rooms. And they must show a stronger connection to Denmark than to any other country. As a result, the number of people from outside the European Union who were allowed to join Danish spouses or other close family members fell from 10,950 in 2001 to 3,835 last year. In November the Netherlands became the first to follow Denmark's example, raising the age to 21 to qualify for family reunion. When the Danish measure was proposed, Muslim groups opposed it vigorously. But Storhaug quotes immigrant parents who now say the law has released them from family pressures to use their children as "human visas." And she says young Muslims can continue their education without fear of being married off. "It's rubbish to say the Danish policy is racist," she said. "It's the best policy for women in Europe." Her group, Human Rights Service, is giving Hirsi Ali its "Bellwether of Europe" prize this month. "I think she is doing a great service to democracy and the future, because Islamism is the biggest threat to democracy and to Europe," she said. |
| Posted by:mhw |
| #4 we need to purge europe of the invasion of muslims who would never had been allowed to flood our borders such as they do, without a major war. Make no mistake it is an invasion a silent one made under the banners of being a workforce or refugees. |
| Posted by: Crossman 2005-06-24 22:32 |
| #3 Deacon-I agree. Perhaps as more stories are told all over the world of Islamic women challenging the "order" of things, more people in non-Islamic countries will take a risk of their own-articulately and bravely confronting people who do ugly things rather than remaining mum because they fear being accused of...some thing or another-fill in the blank. It would be great to focus on the more urgent things. Palestinian women could learn something from the women cited in this article. The day when Palestinian grandmothers, mothers, sisters and daughters band together and force a change on this petrified religion, because they're sick of early widowhood and poverty and distress AND the evil act of homicide bombing itself, could be a day where the balance shifts and it would be worth talking about our "common humanity" and mapping out a Palestinian state. I think this story opens the window on a possibility, not just in regards to Islam. Is it possible people want to see more clearly again? I think it's hopeful because maybe that will mean that less and less we have to point out the obvious and waste our energy and time on ridiculous things, like the "torture" of having a prisoner shiver while another person is having their head sawn off, with the MSM yawning in the background after 3 days. Well, we're not quite there yet, but I am hopeful that people are allowing some sense of proportion back into political discourse, are willing to look at things just as they are, with both eyes open. |
| Posted by: jules 2 2005-06-24 22:06 |
| #2 Deacon-I agree. Perhaps as more stories are told all over the world of Islamic women challenging the "order" of things, more people in non-Islamic countries will take a risk of their own-articulately and bravely confronting people who do ugly things rather than remaining mum because they fear being accused of...some thing or another-fill in the blank. It would be great to focus on the more urgent things. Palestinian women could learn something from the women cited in this article. The day when Palestinian grandmothers, mothers, sisters and daughters band together and force a change on this petrified religion, because they're sick of early widowhood and poverty and distress AND the evil act of homicide bombing itself, could be a day where the balance shifts and it would be worth talking about our "common humanity" and mapping out a Palestinian state. I think this story opens the window on a possibility, not just in regards to Islam. Is it possible people want to see more clearly again? I think it's hopeful because maybe that will mean that less and less we have to point out the obvious and waste our energy and time on ridiculous things, like the "torture" of having a prisoner shiver while another person is having their head sawn off, with the MSM yawning in the background after 3 days. Well, we're not quite there yet, but I am hopeful that people are allowing some sense of proportion back into political discourse, are willing to look at things just as they are, with both eyes open. |
| Posted by: jules 2 2005-06-24 22:05 |
| #1 It is my opinion that the only thing that will save us from the Islamofacists is the Islamic women who have been given a taste of what they can be and finally rebel against the utter depravity that is Islam. |
| Posted by: Deacon Blues 2005-06-24 19:52 |