Egypt, “Arab Spring” and International Women’s Day
Gotta love it (he said sarcastically):
The Freedom and Justice Party, political arm of the Muslim Brotherhood, says it does not endorse gender discrimination, although the Brotherhood argues women should not be allowed to rule the country.
The party is the dominant bloc in both houses of parliament after a sweeping victory in a multi-phase general election that began in November. Women hold just two percent of the seats in parliament.
Because, you know, not allowing women to rule the country isn’t “gender discrimination” as the Muslim Brotherhood sees it (they too are adept at redefining words apparently).
A women’s conference organized by the dominant Islamist bloc in the Egyptian parliament has called for a council for families to replace the existing National Council for Women, a state-owned daily reported on Friday.
The conference, held Thursday on International Women’s Day, also condemned the 1978 U.N. convention against gender discrimination saying it was “incompatible with the values of Islamic sharia” law, the Al-Ahram newspaper reported.
Remember, the Muslim Brotherhood is a moderate organization, or so say our apologists in the West. And, as all can see, it is taking a very moderate position by making women 2nd class citizens in their own country again.
But *cough, cough* they don’t “endorse” gender discrimination. Got it?
~McQ
Twitter: @McQandO
Hey….all “good and necessary”. So we must “watch and learn”. Oh, and….uh…Facebook!
@Ragspierre “Oh, and….uh…Facebook!” To be followed in a few years by Face-Palm when women rise to the lofty level of property again in Egypt, reminding their daughters it’s “good and necessary” to be chattel under sharia and they must “watch and learn” if they don’t want their brothers or fathers to be forced to kill them for the sake of the family honor.
@looker Yeah, well…you know…eggs…broken…the future will be different…blah, blah…
@Ragspierre They probably deserve it, clinging to outmoded 20th century dogma and all.
@Ragspierre Ahhh the Hairspray view of history. Yes, watched it last night (the 2007 remake). New technology will inevitably make things right, the kids are OK, progress is inevitable, turn on… tune in… drop out, etc etc etc. The only thing correct about this view is, ummm, let me see… Amanda Bynes is damn cute?
Despite being banned and hounded for decades by the ruling military regime, the MB and the military regime have one very important thing in commone They’re both socialist. The Brotherhood will eventually prevail with all things Sharia and the military itself will be increasinly Islamicized. But given that Egypt is already in end-stage socialism, the Sharia-intensive Brotherhood will be a big help. As the Egyptian economy gets worse, the Brotherhood will play a key role in keeping the lid on the Egyptian public. They will usher in a new era of repression that will make the old era of repression look like fun. “It’s Springtime for the Brotherhood in E-E-gypt. The Nile land is happy once again.”
@martinmcphillips Libya was socialist, too, as was Iraq under Sad’em. What’s up with that? I would’ve figured is was enimical to Islam…being all “sciency” an’ stuff…
@Ragspierre I don’t know the exact provenance of Qaddaffi’s socialism, but he was a Soviet client, so perhaps that’s where he got his inspiration. Ba’athism in Iraq and Syria was national socialism cooked up by two Arab intellectuals living in France during WWII who admired Nazism. It was an easy fit.
@Ragspierre Since Socialism as instituted by most socialists has invariably been more or less monarchy “socialism” is pretty much whatever the monarchs declare it to be. I don’t think Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Saddam, Mohammar or Kim had any shortage of cash or were stinted much in being treated as royalty. If the people want to think they’re living in a socialist paradise, fine. Even the Roman government (Republican and Imperial) subsidized the purchase of grain to make sure the populace ate, which is certainly a populist/socialist position. So you tell the average Libyan or Saddam Iraqi he’s living in a socialist state, he knows what’s really going on, and if he wants to go on living, he doesn’t say much by way of disagreement.
@looker Yeah but you see Stalin, Mao, Pol Pot, Saddam, Kim and Mohammar never went to school in Frankfurt to learn *real* socialism.
@DocD I’m often put in mind of the “patented Ed Asner response” to the question of, “Are you a Communist”. He smiled and said, “What’s a Communist?”, meaning, “How do you define that?”. In my case, I don’t care about their pedigree. I watch what they do. Obama is a radical Collectivist thug.
@Ragspierre Well I passed through Frankfurt last week and didn’t see Ed about. But as we have been lectured, Frankfurters don’t like commies (too much competition) so no surprise there. I suppose we will soon be told there are no true socialists, when you get right down to it.
@DocD Ah, like the “no true Scot” fallacy. Actually, I expect that. And all other fallacies.
@Ragspierre “no true Scot” … is that a Maineish pun?
But yes, I had the Scotsmen in mind.
It’s not discrimination when it’s just not allowed.
Just heard Steyn talking about a ruling in Egypt exonerating an Egyptian doc for performing “virginity tests” on protesting women in army custody. Rape is institutional now in Egypt, and made clinical. So, that happened.
@Ragspierre Rape Rape?
@looker I’m afraid we’d have to consult that highest of authorities…Whoopie Goldberg. (I’m sorry…I made myself giggle…)
Nevermind this run the country crap…..will they pay for contraception? Everyone knows those are TRUE women’s rights!
@The Shark Right, Girls just want to have fun.
@The Shark How can women possibly run the country when they are, on average, getting laid 3 times a day?
@DocD Now, consider the fact that there are fewer men than women…..someone is working overtime.
@The Shark Just as an aside, I asked my wife if Taiwan’s national healthcare covered contraception. The answer shocked me “No, that’s your own personal stuff.”
@Harun They’re mad, mad! Clearly contraception is an inalienable right!
@looker All my lefty expat friends in Taiwan who were screaming on Facebook never answered when I sweetly inquired if this was true. Because they all love the state healthcare.
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Does Facebook have a better chance of making Egypt democratic or taking out Kony?
I vote Kony.