Russian* Mail Order Brides

[evildamsel]

(*Management wants to assure the readers that it only uses Russian as a recognizable term because the amazing educational powers of American schools have yet to explain to its students that there are in fact other countries in Eastern Europe. Go America

Comments

[coba1t_blue]

I would agree with you that that sort of power imbalance in a relationship is not good. Personally, I want a wife or a husband who is a partner, not a slave.

However, whether or not it's healthy I can't say. Those kinds of relationships have existed for thousands of years around the world and for the most part work. They exist even today, in areas where women have few to no rights.

The Afghan government just passed a law making marital rape legal. Saudi Arabian courts just upheld a ruling that a 40 year old man's marriage to an 8 year old girl in order to pay off the father's debts was legal.

I think the mail order bride thing is rather small in comparison to the inequalities of power for women all over the world. Of course that gets ignored, because anyone who criticizes another culture is automatically labeled a racist.

Maybe this is important to you because of your own ethnic heritage- which I suspect is the case. And it is an important issue, but in the scheme of things it's rather small compared to what's going on in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Timor, Indonesia, and a host of other Muslim countries.

BTW- I agree with you about Russian women. Most of the ones that I know, are Hell Heels, and don't take crap off anybody.

Danny

[evildamsel]

You`re mistaking me. I find every instance of abuse important, whether it`s institutional or individual. This was just what caught my rage today. Though if I had to pick, the thing that offends me most overall is FGM. Because not only is it physically and emotionally abusive in a way that creates life-long consequences (and sometimes even fatal) but because it is so institutionalized that it has women abusing women.

[coba1t_blue]

I agree, whole heartedly FMG is a crime against humanity, but the feminist movement is so silent about it. Yes, there are a few comments here and there, but it is no where on the level of a response that the crime demands.

I don't know if you recall, but I wrote about this in my journal several years ago. When I was teaching in Atlanta, I had a little muslim girl who was "going back to her home country to become a woman". It tore me up then because there is so much silence about it.

I fear that the feminist movement will find itself among the first against the wall, when the War on Terror is lost if they don't find their voices soon.

Just yesterday, women in Afghanistan were stoned and called slaves of the christians because they protested the new Afghan law that allows for marital rape. The silence from the feminist is defeaning!

That was mine

[coba1t_blue]

Sorry, that last post was mine. I'm having problems with my myway account and I can't post from it so when I followed the link, I forgot to log in.

Danny

Re: That was mine

[evildamsel]

S okie.

Part of the problem is that our government doesn`t seem to recognize FGM as a legitimate basis for asylum. Which makes me angry.

Re: That was mine

[coba1t_blue]

I think that is because not enough of a fuss has been made about it. Too many people want to call it a "cultural" issue and not think about it. The one woman who IS trying do something about it, keeps getting shut down and accused of being anti-Islamic.

Re: That was mine

[evildamsel]

On one hand, yes we should make more fuss. On the other, our government shouldn`t wait for fuss - it should use its brain.

Re: That was mine

[coba1t_blue]

The problem there is the concept of a government with a brain. It was last seen leaving the area with the unicorn and the pegasas dancing to the tune of "Big Rock Candy Mountain."

Government has grown too big. It no longer serves the people, but now demands that the people serve it.