I worked with the Jewish community in Sydney for a couple of years - Jewish women in Sydney are not happy with the divorce deals they're getting (or not getting) through the council of rabbis or whatever.
my point again is that we do not have to accept any religious justification for limiting human rights. I believe that legislation which protects people has been hard won, and all people should have equal access to the protection of the state.

I have seen many Islamic women arguing that the Qoran itself protects women's rights - i believe they have succumbed to male arguments that say if you challeng my law, you must be against Islam. this is what human rights watch says about syria

last week I went to hear a young women from East Timor speak about a women's aid program in East Timor. She explained how they go into a new village and negotiate with the elders for permission to come in and provide education for the women, classes always given at night as the women have to work during the day. Some villages will not accept them, as the male elders do not want the program giving anti-domestic violence talks, they see it as threatening the family.

I can criticise any legal structure, religious authority or government authority I want. I myself have been under house arrest in a foreign country for three weeks, and understand first hand what it is like to be subject to oppression. I have granted refugee status to hundreds of refugees and empathise strongly with people who are escaping massacres in their country (like the Hazaras of Afghanistan, or the Kurds, Shias and Turkmen of Iraq.) some I have felt close bonds with, and will always remember.

In any argument I like to discuss ideas rather than speculate about the intent of the person who says something I disagree with. Just as with people from another culture - once a person is dismissed, categorised, they become the "other" which psychologically can allow us to rip into their motives. Okay, maybe I have put George Bush into a box as the "other" but the people here on mudcat i consider to be good people asking legitimate questions.

the personal is political, as they say. its easy to be humanitarian philosophically and in the abstract, but it doesnt help when youre really cheesed off with the person who has just stood on your foot in the bus. or someone on mudcat who says something that stinks, you think.

I am finding this thread invigorating to say the least. it has made me read a lot about women in different parts of the world, and their rights.

keep the arguments coming!

freda
(gets off soapbox and goes to get a drink of water)