I'm sorry, but I think something basic is being missed here. I hope this doesn't sound too long winded, but I think it is important to say... It is clear that women in fundementalist Islamic countries are vulnerable to explicit state sanctioned oppression and death. However, in western society women are targets of the same, but it doesn't seem nearly so bad because it happens in an implicit way. In western films, books, television, and music videos, there are unending images of violence and death of women in obscenely cruel detail. The pornography industries make billions while women's shelters hold bake sales to pay the rent. Keep in mind that the violators of abortion clinics aren't just attacking an affront to their religious beliefs. These clinics represent an essential part of the women's movement to take back control of their sexuality, fertility, but most of all, the choice to decide what they will do with their own bodies. This is an intolerable position for a fundementalist to deal with, since he can no longer claim property rights to the female body. It's about time. But, the attitude seems to be, as usual, "If I can't have her, than nobody will." And anti-choicers seldom get legal penalties of any serious consequence for their violence, oppression, assault, and murder. The courts award male violence against women with wrist-slaps, if the cases actually make it through the "justice" system. Legally, the actual sentences handed out for killing women reduce the seriousness of the crime to almost misdemenour status. Resources to protect encourage women in western society are always a secondary consideration after state funding allocation for such considerations as weapons,and corporate subsidies, Whether you are willing to open your eyes and look or not; it is a very sad fact that domestic violence and terrorism resulting in injury or death in a fundamentalist state, whether Muslim, or Christian is still a norm, reflected in the absence of any real legal, or political consequences. In western society, men also disenfranchise, abuse, hurt, terrorize, and kill women and and with the state's implicit approval, commonly get away with it. Pointing a finger at someone else and claiming that their excessive barbarity excuses your own is no excuse at all. These expressions of rage at someone else's apparent backwardness are simplistic and tedious. Proclamations that "we are so much better than them" are commonly used by those afraid to look at the mote in their own eyes. Respectfully Owl
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