In Cairo
Egypt, Professor Osama Abou Salama a member of the Muslim Brotherhood, spoke
about his strong feelings toward women’s rights during a Premarital Counseling
class. He believes that “Women are erratic and emotional, and they make good
wives and mothers-but never leaders or rulers”. Muslim Brotherhood is fluent in
the dialect of the masses. They have been a huge part in electing President
Mohamed Morsi who stated in his campaign that he would protect women’s rights
and help include them in decision making; he has yet to uphold what he said. However,
Morsi has given 3 senior aides and adviser positions out of 21 to women. Now
that Morsi has been elected, Brotherhood has been free from the restrictions of
the government and has expanded rapidly. They now are encouraging all couples
to attend the Marriage Counseling class.
Majority
of women cover their heads and voluntarily separate from men in coed places.
When asked by Mr. Salama if they could handle making a decision and the
consequences that could come with their decision the women shook their heads
no. Women are allowed to get jobs or work as much as they want within the
framework of their religious restrictions. In other words, women cannot work. However,
women in Cairo do not feel as though their rights have been taken away from
them, they believe that they are doing what is right according to their
religion. Another member of the Muslim Brotherhood stated that they believe,
“Shaping a righteous individual leads to shaping a righteous family, and by
shaping a righteous family, you get a righteous society that can choose a righteous
leader.”
Inequality
between women and men happens all over the world. Many women protest and join
together to fight for equal rights. However, not all women feel as though they
are being treated unfairly because they, like women in Cairo, believe that they
should summit under their husbands and do what they believe they are here to
do, which is care for the family. American women would be in uproar over how
the women in Cairo are treated as well as to the statements that Salama made. However
it is ethnocentric for us to judge the people in Cairo by our standards. They
have a different value system. In
America, we focus more on the individual.
It is evident in our Bill or Rights and in many other areas of our
social fabric. However, in other places,
like Cairo, their society is structured around religion and family. Collectivism is accepted and they feel that
it is the job of a women to raise children.
In America, or other more progressive societies, some women still believe
that it is their number one job to take care of their family. I am one of those women. I, like many others, believe that my first
responsibility is to my son because a strong family foundation creates a better
future for my family—and the world.
Link I found my blog from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/05/world/middleeast/05iht-letter05.html?_r=2&pagewanted=2&ref=world
No comments:
Post a Comment