One thing that really ticks me off here is the “freedom” they keep telling us the Iraqis now have. True, they are not under a dictatorship, and have the freedom to choose, vote, and live. BUT, that is only for half the population here.
I have always known that women in a Muslim society are not treated fairly and they are at the bidding of there husband. However, the more and more I hear about what life is like for them, the more I look down on the Muslim religion. Now don’t get me wrong, to each his own. BUT when a group of people’s basic human rights are taken away from them I don’t care what the cause it, it needs to change immediately.
‘Hot-um,’ my Iraq friend who gets me things from outside the wire was telling me some stories the other day. I got to asking how they heat there home, and they explained, “fire, duh.” The conversation then went onto how they deal with the crazy heat here. They do it like most places; the get down to there skivvies and jump in a river, canal, or pond (and pool if the community has one). It then came to my mind, “If women have to be covered, how do they swim?” Hot-um looked at me with a slightly mean face and just made the gesture for “slit throat” and accompanied that with it’s eerie sound effect that made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. The women here have it REALLY bad. They can’t even go swimming, let alone much anything else.
May times during the summer I have observed women breaking their back to work the fields outside the wire, while there husband (pretty much their owner) sits and naps under a tree. And I don’t mean she is driving the tractor; she is shoveling mud in a black berka, in the sun, in 130 degree weather. Women here are slaves to men. The men here own the women and use them as they see fit. To add, if they have enough money, they get to own more then one.
I have heard many stories from the truck drivers who toss candy out there windows when they drive though towns. They tell me that if a woman, who probably hasn’t eaten a real meal in a week, tries to pick up anything she usually gets held down and beaten in the face. Not only that, but no one even bats an eye, as if the Iraqis around her are thinking, “serves her right, how dare she try to eat before her (overweight) husband.”
Why the heck hasn’t anyone caught on to this in the States? They keep preaching Iraqi Freedom in Washington, when in reality, only half the people here even notice a difference since we have gotten here. I hear “good news” stories on the radio about soldiers rebuilding community pools outside in the wire, and I can’t help to think… “So freaking what???” Only men and boys can even use it, unless of course, a woman wants to cause her own lynching. Yeah we are building schools here, but guess who is getting to use them?
And people wonder why the Iraqi government wants us outta here and the average Joe doesn’t. The Iraqi government knows that we represent change, a new CIVILIZED future for these people. The longer we stay the more Americanize these people come, which I think could be the best thing for them. Young women seeing accomplished female soldiers and contractors that get to run there own life, let alone not be owned by someone. The young Iraqi men seeing older American men treating women with dignity and respect, let alone having a sense of pride in there work. Iraqis think it is demeaning to clean up after themselves, or to do hard labor. Maybe these ideals could change and they could pull themselves up by there own bootstraps. Maybe Iraqi men will get over themselves and do a hard day’s work, and realize it isn’t beneath them to rebuild there own community, not to mention treat there women better then farm animals.
The really sad part is the Iraqis don’t know better. It has been this way for so long they don’t even realize that it is different anywhere else in the world. They mostly likely think that the US is the only country in the world that doesn’t treat women like this. It really isn’t there fault; it has just been so long. I hope the smaller the world gets and the longer we are hear then maybe this country can join the rest of the world when it comes to basic human rights.
Below are some pictures from the Haggie store and some that I was sent from home. I love getting pictures from home, West Chester, or Philly. Don't hesitate to sending some. (AndrewPBentley@gmail.com)
6 comments:
ur photo on rock is nice
but i think if u take photo on lion of bablion
I hear ya, Christianity is just as guilty in many areas of the US. But the basics of the Muslim religion, even if you are not a fundamentalist, puts women down in a big way. Thanks for the comments.
As for the other comment? I don't exactly understand what you are trying to say.
i am sorry for not being clear. perhaps the phrase is used (battered wife syndrome) is the incorrect one to describe the mindset where one has been in an abusive relationship for so long that they believe it is normal, if not deserved. why else would a woman wish her female children to be raised in such a depressing & oppresive religion? does this make more sense?
I don't understand the Christianity comment. How can you equate us to what you have described in your blog? Of course there is battered women syndrome-it's quite sad and that would be one reason that the women you describe would raise their children this way-but they also have had it ground into their thinking that it's part of their religion. Have you heard about young girls being circumcised? Now THAT'S messed up.
Petoskystone, I understood you comment completely, It was the guy above you I didn't understand.
As for Christianity, first think of every Christian orientated cult. Then you can see it in the Mormons, Baptists, CRU, and hundreds of other little sects. Especially those found in the bible belt and down South. Women in each case are supposed to obey their man, and in the Mormons case you get to have more then one wife. Sure they are not abusive (most of the time) and the women don’t wear Berkas, but gender roles are imprinted on the way things are run. These gender roles are also found in almost every sect of Christianity.
Not to mention witch burnings, laws about adultery up until recent times (women always punished), and a woman's place in the Church itself. And she is "given away" or "taken" on her wedding day.
Same ideals, different flavors, and a little more stealthily.
It would be awesome to get them to our point of understanding and equality, but all I'm saying about Christianity is we have a long way to go ourselves (along with almost every organized religion).
Post a Comment