Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Dishonour in the name of honour

I don't know of a more horrific practice than the act of committing an "honour killing". Judith Apter Klinghoffer writes in her blog on the History News Network website about several recent episodes, each one more depressing and frightening than the one before: http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/49860.html.

Again, WHERE are the western feminist organizations on this issue? Where are the condemnations from NOW? Why are they silent? Until they speak loudly and unequivocally on this issue, they have zero credibility in my eyes.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

BHG, thank you for blogging about this.

As you imply, the Western feminist organizations haven't exactly been out in front of this issue. I don't know to what to attribute it. Apathy? Fear? Misguided political correctness? Cultural/moral relativism? For whatever the reason(s), the silence is deafening.

I've been working on dishonor killings for years, but I've found it, for the most part, a very lonely endeavor. There is such a great need for more people who care enough to educate themselves and get involved. There are solutions, but they require funding and effort.

Here are a couple ideas:

1. Why don't we start economically boycotting countries that continue to treat their women like this and the companies that do business with them? We could do for women what the boycott of South Africa did for blacks when they were living under apartheid.

2. Why don't we write to our representatives and leaders and demand that they withhold some meaningful portion of our aid to these countries unless and until they materially, measurably, sustainably improve their human rights track records?

Ellen R. Sheeley, Author
"Reclaiming Honor in Jordan"