[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

"Those women who are calling for political rights have reached menopause and need someone to remind them of God,"

[Pan_Yans Wife]

Clearly, women have emerged as a major constituency favoring democracy and a moderate regime in Iran. This has not yet happened in the Arab world. The appeal of traditional viewpoints, radical Arab nationalism, and Islamism have attracted far more women than have liberal ideas. Whether or not their voices are heard on the side of reform will be one of the main factors determining whether the Arab world remains socially stagnant and politically authoritarian.

Ping

[nuconvert]

"If Iran is also considered, the situation becomes even worse."

Yes and no. Actually, women there can work, drive, they have more freedom than in Saudi.

[I still care]

I remember talking to a friend who live in Saudi Arabia about not even having the right to drive. Her answer? "But we all have drivers!"

Very few people really understand the concept of freedom.

[Desron13]

"Those women who are calling for political rights have reached menopause and need someone to remind them of God,"

Yes indeed. It's that wonderful religion of peace coming right atcha. Or given this death cults pension for high explosives maybe that should be "religion of Pieces"?

[lilylangtree]

With 7th century indoctrination being drilled into a islamic woman from the time she's born, I'm not surprised that these women would vote for dictatorships that would deny them the right to vote. Remember my late chauvinistic granddaddy (and he was one of those old time country pastors) wrote a long poem. The first part went like this:

"God made man and he made woman too.
He put them in the Garden and told them what to do.
Along came the devil with his big lie,
The woman sinned and we all had to die."

Needless to say, I was really upset when I found out the real truth--that man sinned and we all had to die. Grandpa would not change his poem. Nor did I keep the poem for future posterity.