But that is simply not true as I have stated based on many articles I have read. They have to live within their strict Islamic society (within the broader Australian society) and not conforming to what the males of that society want is very difficult and dangerous for them. Look at the death threats made against the most vocal Muslim and ex-Muslim women who have spoken out against Islamic oppression, women who are in a sense partly protected by their notoriety and also by the freedom to escape their environment due to the financial independence coming with that notoriety and imagine what it is like for the poorly educated and financially dependent women stuck in their cultural ghettos to try and exhibit the same independence of dress. They need us to help them escape their chains not show tolerance for what is going on.
Look at the two different pictures of the Afghan women above. Due you think for a moment that they are happy with the current situation? Women in Islamic societies have gone backwards in the last 50 years due to the rise of Islamic extremism and fundamentalism. They are the victims. Just because they and the males have been transplanted to Australia doesn't mean that they are now free to do as they please.
You have to give people time. No one could, or should, change their cultural and religious practices right away... Humans do most things by habits... so a male chauvinist or a religious person who's been brought up to believe they're this and their woman and children is that won't see anything wrong with being regressive (or not as progressive as we'd like).
So yes, it is oppressive to have a practice where women can and can't do this and that... but I think that as long as the oppressed women aren't complaining or being forced against her will, who are we to ban people's tradition to "break their chain for them"?
Normal people, men included, and Muslim men and husband also included, will adapt and slowly see the tradition and beliefs held up for them and their family or not. Some tradition they find useful and meaningful, others they will question and slowly abandon.
Of course you'll have Muslim husband and fathers who's just way too abusive, and they will use religion and culture as pretext etc.... But to group all Muslims as regressive and abusive is just wrong on both the understanding of facts and reality. Too much assumptions about Muslims and Islam.
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In terms of Islamic states and societies sliding backwards in the last 50 years... both economically and in regards to civil and gender rights... that's all obviously true. But your implication as to what causes it is all wrong.
You seem to suggests that there's something about the Arabs, or about Muslims or Islam that's just regressive and abusive and all things bad. That is just totally wrong.
Why were those Afghan women in the 50s so free? Or those in Egypt or Iran so free back in the 50s compare to now where they're forced to wear the Burqa and all that?
WW2 ended in 1945... many Middle East colonies of Britain and France etc. revolted against imperial powers... same as those in the Americas, Africa, SouthEast Asia, IndoChina... The new gov't were more or less more progressive, more than the imperial powers that used to control them that's for sure... So they institute women's rights, democratic values, higher education etc. etc.
Some countries managed to regain their independence, some gained it only after decades of war (VN, say), some were more or less done with less blood, and some are just too strategically important for the new Imperial power to let it happen - namely, those Middle Eastern countries.
The ME just have way too much oil, and countries like Egypt and its Suez Canal too important for trade and security, for any of these countries to do as the people wish. So when the PM of Iran want more royalties for his country's oil, more independence... he got replaced and the Shah was put into power. Then came the current lot of theocratic revolution against the Shah in the 1970s and their less than progressive policies.
The same colonial policies were put in place all over the ME.. giving what the Masters of War call an Arab fascade of rulers and tyrants and dictators - all Arab, all Islamic, all brutal. Guess who wield the big stick and pull all the strings? Ahem...
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So let say there's WW3 and the superpowers all slug it out and the nukes don't work so we all managed to not all die... then let say China or India, because they got too many people or something... they managed to "win" and China thought Australia is a nice place to own.
What do you think the new Imperial Chinese will do? All Australia to still be democratic? A federation? They'd probably divide Australia with India, draw up new borders, and pick a few White Aussies with big ambition and no tolerance to run the dam place the way God intended.
Anyway... people are people... we all have the same cry at birth.. some of us are luckier than others and grew up in time of peace and prosperity; others will see nothing but bloody and fire (I think I just stole that line from Mad Max)...