Spring Break
Democracy wanes in Afghanistan
Alex Stephens
Issue date: 4/17/09 Section: Opinion
Last week, Afghanistan passed a law that legalized the marital rape of women by their husbands.
Specifically, women are required to "please their husbands" at least once every four days unless significant health reasons prohibit it. The law also bars women from leaving their homes without the company of their husband and requires the husband's permission before any degree of education or work can be pursued.
The authors of the law, primarily Shiite clerics, hold the widespread belief that the Koran gives men such authority over their women.
Shocked? Appalled? Don't be. Most Americans still barely know where Afghanistan is on the map let alone its history. For countries in the Middle East dominated by Islam, this has been par for the course for the past several hundred years.
That's not to say that Western civilization is far superior when it comes to women's rights. It was only within the past hundred years or so that our society allowed women real independence; women have only had the vote in the U.S. for 90 years.
What really makes our society and culture so different? What's up with the heavy-handed patriarchic tendencies still cropping up in the fledgling democracies we are so desperately trying to keep propped up? Haven't they learned anything yet?
Doesn't Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan and puppet to the American occupation, remember that he's supposed to be more like us and less like the Taliban? That's easier said than done when, despite the fact that an astonishing 25 percent of Afghanistan's parliament is composed of women (that's more than in our Congress), howling mobs of fervent marital-rape-law supporting men actually threw stones (old habits you know) at a group of women who were protesting it.
Upon entering the global spotlight about the law, Karzai vowed to reexamine the constitutionality of it. It's a pity he didn't bother with that seemingly crucial step before signing it -- or am I just thinking too democratically?
Specifically, women are required to "please their husbands" at least once every four days unless significant health reasons prohibit it. The law also bars women from leaving their homes without the company of their husband and requires the husband's permission before any degree of education or work can be pursued.
The authors of the law, primarily Shiite clerics, hold the widespread belief that the Koran gives men such authority over their women.
Shocked? Appalled? Don't be. Most Americans still barely know where Afghanistan is on the map let alone its history. For countries in the Middle East dominated by Islam, this has been par for the course for the past several hundred years.
That's not to say that Western civilization is far superior when it comes to women's rights. It was only within the past hundred years or so that our society allowed women real independence; women have only had the vote in the U.S. for 90 years.
What really makes our society and culture so different? What's up with the heavy-handed patriarchic tendencies still cropping up in the fledgling democracies we are so desperately trying to keep propped up? Haven't they learned anything yet?
Doesn't Hamid Karzai, president of Afghanistan and puppet to the American occupation, remember that he's supposed to be more like us and less like the Taliban? That's easier said than done when, despite the fact that an astonishing 25 percent of Afghanistan's parliament is composed of women (that's more than in our Congress), howling mobs of fervent marital-rape-law supporting men actually threw stones (old habits you know) at a group of women who were protesting it.
Upon entering the global spotlight about the law, Karzai vowed to reexamine the constitutionality of it. It's a pity he didn't bother with that seemingly crucial step before signing it -- or am I just thinking too democratically?
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Registered Independent
posted 4/17/09 @ 6:43 AM MST
Basically a good article.
But would you think it was such a "tough call" if it were the women who were treating the men like chattel?
If it were the men who could not leave the house unescorted, and were forbidden to drive a car or even ride a bicycle because that could provide a means of escape?
More than half the population of middle eastern countries are enslaved, literally. (Continued…)
jimmy
posted 4/17/09 @ 7:26 AM MST
Yea it is pretty horrible that due to the US Military and philanthropists like Greg Mortenson, little girls in Afghanistan now have access to education. (Continued…)
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