A message for Mothers' Day

[bohemiancoast]

Eventually, South Africa's apartheid system grew too much for the 'civilised' world to tolerate, and the country was collectively shunned until they sorted it out.

We have a country in the world, a rich successful country, where many adults are enslaved. They are owned as property and are not allowed to do the sort of ordinary things -- like walking out alone, or driving, wearing what they choose, meeting friends -- that we take for granted. They do not have the vote. They have no control over economic assets and their marriages are arranged.

It's not good enough to say 'but they like it that way'; actually, there's plenty of evidence that this isn't true, and even if it were true for the majority, that's not good enough. It's like saying 'because most women prefer to have long hair, we'll ban short hair'.

We need to act politically to shun Saudi Arabia.

Comments

[supergee.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Blogging it.

[papersky.livejournal.com]

It was easy not to buy Cape grapes -- actually it was incredibly tough as they were often the only grapes available in a British winter, but it was an active personal renunciation and gesture. I never buy anything labelled "made in Saudi Arabia". I can't make even the minute difference shunning grapes made by shunning their oil -- apart from the fact I have no car, it's too anonymous. This needs to be done at a higher level, and I can't see any way of demonstrating the groundswell that will make governments listen.

[alexmc.livejournal.com]

Even if you had a car you wont be able to shun their oil because I don't believe you know the source of the petrol at the pumps. There is no guarantee, for instance, that Q8 petrol stations serve Kuwait oil.

I don't know that financial sanctions against Saudi Arabia will work, but making their society more visible to the outside world is a good start.

[filkerdave.livejournal.com]

In fact, given the fungibility of crude and the mixing that goes on, it's entirely likely that you've got Kuwaiti or Saudi oil in your tank.

I wish that weren't the case.

[necturus.livejournal.com]

I believe Citgo is owned by the Venezuelan state oil company, so Citgo stations probably sell gasoline from Venezuela. But who knows?

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

I am very interested in possible ideas. Let's give it some thought.

But that's why I said 'act politically'.

[anef.livejournal.com]

Yes.

[surliminal.livejournal.com]

Ah did you wish the same BBC prog I did? It was kind of horrifying.

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

Nope, that would be television.

[0olong.livejournal.com]

Or radio: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/p00fvjdx

[von-krag.livejournal.com]

The mixing of insane sharia legal theory into Western courts is a vector for repression. David Frum notes that the standard western feminist rhetoric still doesn't admit Islam treats women in a barbaric fashion. I don't expect this to change.

"standard western feminist rhetoric"

[apostle-of-eris.livejournal.com]

I must have missed the memo on that. Do you have the RFC?

[bohemiancoast.livejournal.com]

I have just read the link you quoted there, which is full of total tosh; hardly a correct word, let alone a correct sentence. It seems to be a variant of the Daily Mail 'Shock Horror Sharia Courts Operating in the UK' story.

I have no particular concern with Islam; I have many Muslim friends and I live opposite a mosque. People can choose their religion. I have a problem with a country whose civil law forbids women to work as cashiers.

[dorispossum.livejournal.com]

yes

[jamesb.livejournal.com]

Nice sentiments, wont happen. Shame of course, but thats the real world. Best of luck with Trying though.