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Barbie Deemed Threat to Saudi Morality
NW Cable News ^ | 09/09/03 | Staff Writer

Posted on 09/09/2003 2:05:19 PM PDT by bedolido

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) -- Saudi Arabia's religious police have declared Barbie dolls a threat to morality, complaining that the revealing clothes of the "Jewish" toy - already banned in the kingdom - are offensive to Islam.

The Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, as the religious police are officially known, lists the dolls on a section of its Web site devoted to items deemed offensive to the conservative Saudi interpretation of Islam.

"Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful," said a poster on the site.

The poster, plastered with pictures of Barbie in short dresses and tight pants, and with a few of her accessories, reads: "A strange request. A little girl asks her mother: Mother, I want jeans, a low-cut shirt, and a swimsuit like Barbie."

Such posters are distributed to schools and hung in the streets by the religious police, or muttawa, an independent body affiliated with the office of the Prime Minister.

Vice police officials were not available for comment Monday.

Sheik Abdulla al-Merdas, a preacher in a Riyadh mosque, said the muttawa take their anti-Barbie campaign to the shops, confiscating dolls from sellers and imposing a fine.

Although illegal, Barbies, the creation of California-based Mattel Inc., are found on the black market, where a contraband doll could cost $27 or more.

"It is no problem that little girls play with dolls. But these dolls should not have the developed body of a woman, and wear revealing clothes," al-Merdas said.

"These revealing clothes will be imprinted in their minds and they will refuse to wear the clothes we are used to as Muslims," the sheik said.

Women in Saudi Arabia must cover themselves from head to toe with a black cloak in public. They are not allowed to drive and cannot go out in public unaccompanied by a male family member.

Other items listed as violations on the site included Valentine's Day gifts, perfume bottles in the shape of women's bodies, clothing with logos that include a cross, and decorative copies of religious items - offensive because they could be damaged and thus insult Islam.

An exhibition of all the violating items is found in the holy city of Medina, and mobile tours go around to schools and other public areas in the kingdom.

The muttawa act as a monitoring and punishing agency, propagating conservative Islamic beliefs according to the teachings of the puritan Wahhabi sect, adhered to the kingdom since the 18th century, and enforcing strict moral code.

The muttawa patrol the streets of the kingdom, preventing men from mingling with women, enforcing strict Islamic dress for women, chasing worshippers late for prayers, and punishing shop keepers who stay open during prayer hours. They sometimes work with a police officer who can enforce legal punishments on people deemed violators.


TOPICS: Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: antisemites; antisemitism; barbie; barbiedoll; dajooz; dolls; jews; mattel; morality; relgion; religousintolerance; saudi; saudiarabia
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To: bedolido
http://www.islamic-relief.org.uk/SubMenu/kids/razanne.htm
Barbie Converts to Islam
Author: A Abdullah
Published on: February 17, 2001
21 posted on 09/09/2003 2:24:48 PM PDT by Pan_Yans Wife ("Life isn't fair. It's fairer than death, is all.")
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To: dighton
Gotta love Google...

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0598/rauzin1.html


22 posted on 09/09/2003 2:31:30 PM PDT by Shermy
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To: Conservative4Ever
Don't forget Kelly. She's got a shifty look about her...


23 posted on 09/09/2003 2:32:19 PM PDT by retrokitten (Welcome to the real world, hippy!- Homer Simpson)
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To: bedolido
Amazing! Would any one be paying attention to these savages if they didn't live atop those pools of oil? They simply don't have the culteral sensitivity to be responsible for the holy places. Care of Mecca and Medina should be returned to the Hashemites or, maybe, the Iranians.
24 posted on 09/09/2003 2:45:19 PM PDT by Tacis
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To: bedolido
hee-hee....almost wants to make you parachute 7 million
anatomically correct naked Jewish male baby dolls over
Saudi Arabia...they want "Jewish" ...they don't know
"Jewish...."
25 posted on 09/09/2003 2:53:10 PM PDT by karen999
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To: bedolido
Interesting bedfellows....

NOW types arent thrilled about Barbies and unrealistic self-images, and Imams aren't thrilled about Barbie's image either.

Whoda thunk it...NOW and the IMAMS on the same side:)
26 posted on 09/09/2003 2:55:52 PM PDT by not_apathetic_anymore
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To: bedolido
Is there anything that isn't Jewish, to these Islamic barbarians?
27 posted on 09/09/2003 3:04:54 PM PDT by veronica (http://www.majorityleader.gov/news.asp?FormMode=Detail&ID=123)
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To: bedolido
Barbie you ignorant slut
I love you -
Shiek Abdul Ali Babba Reno
28 posted on 09/09/2003 3:06:59 PM PDT by joesnuffy (Moderate Islam Is For Dilettantes)
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To: bedolido
So I take it they would rather have Barbies turn to ashes in a burning building then risk the decadence and scandal of having the little dolls out on the street.
29 posted on 09/09/2003 3:14:50 PM PDT by Mark was here
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To: Mrs Mark
The Saudis say: Off with her head!

30 posted on 09/09/2003 3:21:50 PM PDT by bicycle thug (Fortia facere et pati Americanum est.)
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To: goldstategop
The article also mentioned Valentines Day as being on the list of banned practices in Saudi Arabia. What one should remember about that Holiday is that St.Valentine was a real person and a Priest in Italy way back when. If there is any hope for the world, just think, that holiday and that Saint made an impact in a totally Muslim nation.
31 posted on 09/09/2003 3:24:05 PM PDT by peter the great
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To: mikeb704

32 posted on 09/09/2003 3:32:44 PM PDT by Leroy S. Mort
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To: bedolido
Barbie Smarbie! These whahibbijibbis keep supporting the terrorists and they might get a dose of G.I.JOE.
33 posted on 09/09/2003 4:07:06 PM PDT by zygoat
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To: bedolido
"Jewish Barbie dolls, with their revealing clothes and shameful postures, accessories and tools are a symbol of decadence to the perverted West. Let us beware of her dangers and be careful," said a poster on the site.

Stated in other terms, feminists from thirty or more years ago to this day have said the same thing, though without the "Jewish" angle.

Of course anything vile must be Jewish, and as we all know, "Barbie" is short for Abarbanel.

Or maybe it has something to do with the Aussie "shrimps on the Barbie", but shrimps aren't Kosher. However shrimps are Haram (what we Jews would call Treif, that is not Kosher), and therefore are a Jewish plot to poison gentiles with the flesh of invertebrates, even as we (you should pardon the expession) pig up the good stuff like corned beef, smoked tongue, lox, and pickled herring.

As for middle eastern dishes such as felafel, techina, and babaganoush, we will steal those from the Arabs!

By the time it's all over we Jews will even own shish-kebab!

My we are a scoundrelly race!

34 posted on 09/09/2003 4:19:37 PM PDT by Salman (Mickey Akbar)
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To: Publius
Aw, just give Barbie a clitoridectomy, and she'll be fine.

It seems to me she already had one and then some. Not to mention the horrible thing that must have happened to Ken. Or GI Joe for that matter.

35 posted on 09/09/2003 4:25:28 PM PDT by Salman (Mickey Akbar)
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To: AKA Elena
I am not sorry to say that I think "Barbie" and her counterparts have never been a "wonderful" addition to the collections of toys belonging to ALL of the children of the world. But then again, I am extremely "right wing".

Well OK. I myself have always thought that baby dolls are more edifying than Barbie dolls. Or than Teddy Bears for that matter.

I myself, if I had daughters, would buy them baby dolls not Barbies, but this "Jewish conspiracy" crapola torques my jaws, as it should yours.

These are the same folks who force girls to stay in a burning building rather than appear in public in their nighties.

36 posted on 09/09/2003 4:34:40 PM PDT by Salman (Mickey Akbar)
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To: Salman
Yep. The Mutawa believe women should be crispy barbies than arouse men's lusts.
37 posted on 09/09/2003 4:36:05 PM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: Leroy S. Mort
Thanks!
38 posted on 09/09/2003 4:41:15 PM PDT by mikeb704
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To: Leroy S. Mort
She's dreaming of when she turns 15 and will learn which first cousin her father has chosen for her husband.
39 posted on 09/09/2003 4:59:51 PM PDT by dagnabbit (Avenge 9-11. Nuke Riyadh)
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To: bedolido
Maybe she's a threat to "Saudi Morality" because she doesn't cut off heads, hands and feet or kidnap American children.

By the way, isn't "Saudi Morality" an oxymoron?

40 posted on 09/09/2003 5:01:03 PM PDT by muir_redwoods
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