A woman's life in Saudi Arabia

[Chuckanut]

Here is an interesting article on how husbands/fathers/men-in-general can monitor their wives and other dependents in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia now tracking women electronically, notifying husbands by text | VentureBeat

 

[Lazarus]

My dog is chipped. I don't think I could hold my wife down long enough to do it.

 

[obgyn65]

Truly awful. I am speechless.

 

[easysurfer]

That's sad. It just shows that there women are treated like property.

 

[Lazarus]

The comments after the article are pretty shocking also.

 

[Original Wally]

Well, I suppose, in the name of "diversity" and "cultural acceptance" we should not only ACCEPT, no... we should APPLAUD the opportunity for a people to express their cultural as they see fit. BRAVO. Another wonderful example of Islam at its finest.

AND, remember, dear readers, Saudi is Sunni - the MILD version of Islam, not Shiite

 

[Nemo2]

AND, remember, dear readers, Saudi is Sunni - the MILD version of Islam, not Shiite

The dominant sect in Saudi are the Wahhabis, who are not only far from mild, they also fund pretty much all the mosques being built in the U.S. and elsewhere.

 

[HFWR]

Well, I suppose, in the name of "diversity" and "cultural acceptance" we should not only ACCEPT, no... we should APPLAUD the opportunity for a people to express their cultural as they see fit.

Well, the men are expressing; wonder how many women feel that way?

AND, remember, dear readers, Saudi is Sunni - the MILD version of Islam, not Shiite

The dominant sect in Saudi are the Wahhabis, who are not only far from mild, they also fund pretty much all the mosques being built in the U.S. and elsewhere.

Beat me to it.

 

[Original Wally]

We are both right....

"Wahhabism, the leading stream of Islam in Sunni Saudi Arabia"

AND none of them are really friends to the west.

 

[samclem]

Sometimes I run into people who tell me it is narrow-minded and bigoted to make value judgements about particular cultures. They tell me that all cultures are equally just and valid.
But, I continue to judge cultures and cultural practices. And I also judge educated idiots who think that all cultures are morally equivalent.
I think people should evaluate the cultures of places before deciding to retire there. (That's the tie-in to FIRE).

 

[travelover]

.........
I think people should evaluate the cultures of places before deciding to retire there. (That's the tie-in to FIRE).

Maybe we need a poll of forum women to see how many plan to retire in Saudi Arabia.

 

[HFWR]

Sometimes I run into people who tell me it is narrow-minded and bigoted to make value judgements about particular cultures. They tell me that all cultures are equally just and valid.
But, I continue to judge cultures and cultural practices. And I also judge educated idiots who think that all cultures are morally equivalent.
I think people should evaluate the cultures of places before deciding to retire there. (That's the tie-in to FIRE).

Though it may be inaccurate to assume that everyone subject to these cultures is particularly thrilled by it. There are a fair number of cultural practices in this country I'm not so thrilled about either...

 

[Original Wally]

Sometimes I run into people who tell me it is narrow-minded and bigoted to make value judgements about particular cultures. They tell me that all cultures are equally just and valid.
But, I continue to judge cultures and cultural practices. And I also judge educated idiots who think that all cultures are morally equivalent.
I think people should evaluate the cultures of places before deciding to retire there. (That's the tie-in to FIRE).

SamClem.... Shame on you! Of COURSE all cultures and practices are morally equivalent - EXCEPT Western / EuroAmerican which is inherently EVIL.

OK... tongue it now extracted from my cheek.

 

[easysurfer]

From an antropologists (I'm thinking back to my into to antropology in college) point of view, yes, from culture to culture who is to say what is right and wrong.

But from a human rights point of view...we need to decide for ourselves .

 

[Purron]

I hope women in Saudi Arabia continue to be empowered to make progress. I just know in my bones lots of strong women in this part of the world are working hard to make changes. It may be hard for people like me to see the changes because they are so subtle. Doesn't mean they aren't happening.

 

[Original Wally]

From an antropologists (I'm thinking back to my into to antropology in college) point of view, yes, from culture to culture who is to say what is right and wrong.

But from a human rights point of view...we need to decide for ourselves .

BUT surfer... you contraidict yourself. Are not "human rights" also inherently cultural?

 

[easysurfer]

BUT surfer... you contraidict yourself. Are not "human rights" also inherently cultural?

That's the rub. Of humanity itself. In some ways we are to most advanced and in some ways, maybe the least. Just look at the news today. For some, peace and cease fire is a goal. For some, they know no such thing.

 

[Koolau]

Though it may be inaccurate to assume that everyone subject to these cultures is particularly thrilled by it. There are a fair number of cultural practices in this country I'm not so thrilled about either...

Agreed, but most are not a matter of law. If you don't like a "practice" in this country (USA), you can, for the most part, avoid it and those who adhere to it. In some areas, you might even be shunned for such avoidance, but the law will not come knocking at your door nor will you be lynched. And, if you choose to move to another location to get away from certain cultural practices, you will not be required to explain your actions (unless you want to). YMMV of course.

 

[obgyn65]

With all due respect I disagree. There are "cultural" practices that are plain wrong universally and should be condemned as such (i.e. excision).

from culture to culture who is to say what is right and wrong.

 

[audreyh1]

BUT surfer... you contraidict yourself. Are not "human rights" also inherently cultural?

No, I think that's what the Declaration of Independence was trying to say, that there were inalienable rights not conferred by tradition, a ruling monarch, religion, etc.

 

[Nemo2]

No, I think that's what the Deceleration of Independence was trying to say, that there were inalienable rights not conferred by tradition, a ruling monarch, religion, etc.

Deceleration? And here I thought they were trying to speed up rights?

 

[audreyh1]

It's interesting reading this thread after researching the meaning of "asking for a woman's hand/manus in marriage" which really meant asking for her legal custody and property to be transferred from her father to her husband. All adult children in Ancient Rome were under the total legal authority of their father including control over their life or death. A man did not become emancipated (have full legal rights) until his father died. There was no concept of individual rights, everything was based on family rights.

I didn't need to read the article. If women are considered chattel/property owned by their father or husband, pretty much anything goes in terms of controlling them.

 

[audreyh1]

Deceleration? And here I thought they were trying to speed up rights?

Blame my iPad autocorrection which I didn't catch in time.

 

[Nemo2]

Blame my iPad autocorrection which I didn't catch in time.

My 'autocorrection' usually kicks in the moment I hit 'send' ........and consists of me saying "Aw, ****".

 

[easysurfer]

With all due respect I disagree. There are "cultural" practices that are plain wrong universally and should be condemned as such (i.e. excision).

My statement was more of being devil's advocate to another person's post.

I actually agree with you that there are practices that are plain wrong.