In Cathy Young's latest Reason commentary on Islam and women, this really stuck out in my mind:
The veiling debate is a case in point. No amount of rhetorical sleight of hand can disguise the fact that the full-face veil makes women, literally, faceless. Some Muslim women in the West may choose this garb (which is not mandated in the Koran), but their explanations often reveal an internalized misogynistic view of women as creatures whose very existence is a sexual provocation to men.
I once had a Muslim acquaintance say to me that the logic behind the veil was modesty because men are sexually tempted by women. For my money, this one issue brings out the fundamental contradiction between "multiculturalism" and "pro-women" tendencies in the feminist movement. Nothing more clearly captures the inherent dichotomy between multiculturalism and asserting the rights of women, and holding evil men accountable than this view of women and sexual sin.
Perhaps it is the stark realization that in the prevailing, even if not totally scriptural, Islamic view of women, feminists find the most potent manifestation of everything that keeps them awake at night, wringing their hands in fear of the patriarchy, that keeps them eerily silent on Islam and women. The only options they have left to them are to either admit that christianized Western culture is demonstrably superior in its treatment of women or admit that there is nothing even close to their ideal (which is tantamount to admitting total defeat).
You expected more from a nation that circumsizes their woman, by that I mean, MUTILATE...
Bastards.
Actually, WW, I didn't expect any better out of the Muslims, but I would expect better out of first world countries. The reality is that there is an intractable tendency in Islamic communities to hold onto these violent, backward, antisocial, illogical and illiberal cultural practices. If they aren't willing to change for us, then I say that the West should not accept Muslims into its borders in any numbers that could make them more than an exotic curiosity so as to allow only the best, brightest and most westernized Muslims to come here.
Wouldn't life be great if we got to choose...
"allow only the best, brightest and most westernized Muslims to come here"
Or would it?
If you put up high standards, you can make them compete to come to the US or Canada. Right now, we just get whoever got lucky with a visa lottery in the US...
"You expected more from a nation that circumsizes their woman, by that I mean, MUTILATE..."
As usual the ignorance once again shows it's ugly head.
Genital Mutilation is performed by women on women you feminsed cretin, get your facts right.
I don't recall seeing a comment in there saying that it was the men who do the actual circumcision. There is a legitimate question though of how much coercion is placed on the women by the men to circumcize their daughters. I would say that there is probably a good deal of it, and while that doesn't necessarily negate their responsibility, it does add additional responsibility onto all parties who support this vile practice at all.
As usual the ignorance once again shows it's ugly head.
Genital Mutilation is performed by women on women you feminsed cretin, get your facts right.
Actually genital mutilation is performed by men as well as women, however it is performed on girls, not on women as you state.
I think it goes without saying that in such societies, the women would not dare to resist the men if the men decided to oppose female circumcision. In such a society a man could easily get away with nearly beating his wife to death if he caught her disobeying him when he told her to not cut his daughter. So, I think it's safe to say that the men bear the ultimate responsibility for ending it.