Bad Treatment of Women

"Last week, a young Israeli woman caused a nationwide uproar when she refused a religious man's order to move to the back of a bus.

In Beit Shemesh, parents in Naama's school take turns escorting their daughters into school property to protect them. The parents, too, have been cursed and spat upon.

Hadassa Margolese, Naama's 30-year-old Chicago-born mother, an Orthodox Jew who covers her hair and wears long sleeves and a long skirt, says, "It shouldn't matter what I look like. Someone should be allowed to walk around in sleeveless shirts and pants and not be harassed."" USA Today

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There is something in the monotheistic religions that if not restrained leads to madness over sex. In Christianity we have the nuttiness of men like Tertullian and Augustine. Islam and Judaism both contain fringe groups that are driven to distraction by the sight of a little girl's legs. pl

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2011-12-27/israel-extremists-girl/52240554/1

Comments

[Redhand]

I'm not sure the problem is confined to monotheistic religions. Consider "bride burning" among the Hindus in India. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bride_burning.

[Nancy K]

I agree with Redhand, I don't think it is as much to do with monotheistic religions as ignorance and fear.

[turcopolier]

NancyK

That is a bit too PC for me.pl

[Rob Waddell]

I think the main clue is located at the bottom of the article:

"They want to push us out of Beit Shemesh. They want to take over the city," said Margolese.

As in most affairs relating to human misery the quest for land and resources bubbles up from it's evolutionary pool to taint even the religions that have brought forth human civilization over the millennia.

If you want micro-examples, it's not hard to find neighbours etc. squabbling over boundary pegs and the like.

[Stephanie]

The problem is patriarchy but the monotheistic religions do seem to have a special knack for it. Something has to be done about the temptation to sin that the ladies present to the godly male.

The Orthodox have brought the back of the bus concept back to the United States, as well:

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/20/nyregion/bus-segregation-of-jewish-women-prompts-review.html?_r=2

'"One father who sat in the front with his son and daughter and declined to give his name said men and women “need to be separated.” He looked down at his daughter dressed in a bright red raincoat, with her blue eyes frozen in amazement, and said: “She’s small. When she’s big, she will sit in the back.”'

Thanks, Dad.

[Nancy K]

Thankfully it seems that secular Israelis are standing up for the rights of women and fighting back against the ultra Orthodox

[securecare]

Sounds like both genders need to become comfortable with what/who they are.