tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939571.post4544296235476361350..comments2024-02-17T00:26:27.920-08:00Comments on Deep Thoughts: The value of a handshakeMojoeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06541458916641472505noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939571.post-11296934018473058642009-07-28T15:41:47.182-07:002009-07-28T15:41:47.182-07:00Don't make such a big deal out of a cultural d...Don't make such a big deal out of a cultural difference. It's their way of respecting the other gender. You wouldn't understand, but in our culture it makes sense. And it goes both ways, men get the same treatment - so it has nothing to do with oppression of women.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939571.post-17340034074843736682007-06-30T11:07:00.000-07:002007-06-30T11:07:00.000-07:00Aidan - the whole situation seems wrong. Universal...Aidan - the whole situation seems wrong. Universal Human rights apply to us all, not just the men who happen to be in power.Mojoeyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06541458916641472505noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6939571.post-62328219304457046092007-06-29T20:31:00.000-07:002007-06-29T20:31:00.000-07:00You make a number of excellent points in your post...You make a number of excellent points in your post. I was reading an article in Der Spiegel a while ago about a female German politician who had occasion to make a diplomatic trip to Teheran. She was a fully accredited member of a German delegation and one would assume due the respect that comes with that position. Yet she also mentioned the refusal of men to shake her hand and also a refusal to make eye contact when she spoke to them. In one instance she was speaking with a prominent cleric and he resolutely refused to look at her. This is basically a way to diminish the woman's value and it also strips her of status. Nothing like the old ignore routine to remind you of your insignificance. <BR/><BR/>Iranian attempts to control women extended recently to a crackdown on dress styles and hairdos. Cops had the authority to stop a women in the street and hassle or charge them as the case may be, if they deemed their style to be 'unIslamic'. <BR/><BR/>Their embassies abroad also attempt to export their brand of religious fascism. This month the Bangkok Film Festival was pressured by Iranian embassy officials to withdraw an animated film named Persepolis. This cartoon based story explores the life of a middle class family during the Islamic revolution and is not overtly defamatory or abusive in any way. It's a tale based on the historical evidences. While the Iranian middle classes were relieved to see the shah gone, they were horrified by the emergence of a clerical dictatorship.<BR/><BR/>The film won a jury award at Cannes and has been widely praised by film critics. Anyway the director of the Bangkok festival agreed to pull the movie after being leaned on by the Iranians. Needless to say they cited "Islamophobia" as a reason for wanting the movie pulled - although there is no knowing if threats were also made. The director referred cryptically to "other considerations" when explaining his decision to withdraw the movie. <BR/><BR/>I know Hitchens and others have been slammed in some quarters for using the neologism "Islamofascist" - but it certainly applies when you look closely at some of the reports that come out of that country.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com