In my last post, I was much more sure of myself. Today, I'm much less sure that I know the answers. Today, there are more questions, thanks in part to a post on the Time Magazine website that asked them of me. Specifically, Joe Klein wrote a post that led me through another post in the Financial Times by Christopher Caldwell, and now I stand at the corner of Religion and Tolerance. I urge readers to take time to read both articles; they are well worth the effort.
Klein ends his post with the following questions.
This raises an interesting question, though: I find many practices in Islamic countries intolerable, especially many of those pertaining to the treatment of women. If I'm demanding that Muslims respect our right to freedom of expression, do they have a right to demand that I respect their debasement of women--which is often brutal and disgusting, especially those who've been raped. Is my argument that these extreme attitudes are perversions of the Holy Quran good enough?
I can also argue that we're talking about the difference between fanciful representations (cartoons) and the brutalization of actual human beings here, but I doubt I'd win that argument with a Wahhabi Muslim. And so, readers, a weekend assignment: How would you deal with this dilemma? Are western human rights--freedom of expression, gender equality--absolute? I can't see it any other way...but how do we then explain ourselves to Muslims who consider us insensitive and intolerant?
I've been trying to complete the assignment, not succeeding very well, but trying. Reading Caldwell's article makes it seem that the power of an individual is able to force the rest of us, including government, to adopt the demands of a very few, possibly even as little as one, rather than uphold absolute rights.
In my previous post I said: "Separating people into "Them" and "Us", included and excluded, is a major part of the troubles in the world. I had rather the entire world become atheistic than for faith traditions to be telling other traditions their ways are wrong. I have no answers, but it seems to me love does, and if we love, regardless whether from the Christian tradition or any other, we will extend ourselves toward enabling those less fortunate than ourselves to grow.
It's somehow fitting that a few days later these high-sounding words are put to a real world test. It's as if I am being asked to accept ideas and acts that are absolutely wrong in my set of beliefs. I have a problem saying that the situation is different, and that the beliefs cited in Klein and Caldwell are equally as valid as mine.
One of the commenters to Mr. Klein in comment #12, writes:
We remind them of a document that the Muslim countries themselves signed and swore to uphold. That document is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was passed by the UN General Assembly in 1948.
That is important because it should remove the atrocity perpetrator's governmental sanction, making their acts crimes. The problem is that some governments that signed the Universal Declaration aren't willing to accept the document over a half-century later.
Thus, we are immediately brought back at a "Us" and "Them" standoff, and the atrocities persist. When a country has to build protective bathrooms for its writers so that one individual cannot bring his own personal set of justice, we have all lost.
I don't know what more to write. I've not completed the assignment. I don't believe in telling another person, culture, nationality, or religion what to believe, but I know that I simultaneously do want them all to accept certain rights I consider absolute. I wish that I were smarter, and could find an answer, but I'll have to leave it so those who are, and hope that they do so very soon.
IMO, western people miss something important when they talk about freedoms, such as freedom of expression. Freedom does not mean a blank check to do anything one pleases. Freedom comes with RESPONSIBILITY---and this is an aspect often ignored. Therefore, freedom of expression comes with the responsibility of using it for good, and avoiding to use it for hate. There are things that are "wrong" about our societies, both Muslim and Non-Muslim---the treatment of women in both are not exemplary. These issues can and should be brought up for discussion. On the other hand---material that promotes hate, division, fear etc---is of no use or help to society. As intelligent human beings---it is our responsibility to use our freedoms for the betterment of our societies.
As to winning the argument with a "Wahabi"(regarding women's issues)---It can be done. And it is an approach Muslim Women's movements are taking. What Muslim women want for themselves may or may not be what "westerners" think they should want for themselves---because socieites, cultures, traditions are different.
Posted by: anon | January 09, 2010 at 11:46 PM