March 26, 2006
Who do I blame for this?
If you’re not a NY Times Select subscriber, you won’t be able to see this link so maybe you should buy the tree-based version of today’s paper.
In short: Girl is kidnapped. Girl is brothelized (yes, it is so common it deserves it’s own verb). Years pass. She fights, she escapes. She faces death.
Can you guess what country and culture fosters this sort of outrage? Well, maybe our president can help:
“America treasures the relationship we have with our many Muslim friends, and we respect the vibrant faith of Islam which inspires countless individuals to lead lives of honesty, integrity, and morality. This year, may Eid also be a time in which we recognize the values of progress, pluralism, and acceptance that bind us together as a Nation and a global community. By working together to advance mutual understanding, we point the way to a brighter future for all.”
Slight less short version: Aisha Parveen was kidnapped at the age of 14 and forced into a brothel. She refused to have sex with customers. She was beaten, tortured and drugged. Finally, a man with honor helps her escape and marries her. What happens? The brothel owner (there has to be a better description then this) claims she is his wife and goes to court to have her returned. She is also being charged with adultery. The court is hearing this case tomorrow.
Where is the ” integrity, and morality” in this? What am I missing? OK. The court may decide this case correctly, which would be both surprising and joyous. On the other hand, why the hell is it even in court? Why isn’t the BO on trial?
Is it really possible to engage this culture rationally? Are we, once again, embracing an evil simply because it suits our short term needs (compare this to our embrace of dictators of the past like Pinochet).
Something is very wrong here and I haven’t even started to on the death penalty for converting from Islam. I honestly do NOT want to judge a culture based on the “bad news” in the press but can someone show me the positive side of this culture as practiced today?
Later…
Filed by misterimpatient at 7:47 am under Un-categorized Outrages