Who made Us a superior race, whoever that “Us” maybe?
The Muslims think they have the moral superiority to call white women whores because the way they dress and handle their freedom. The Westerns think they are superior because their women NOW have many of the rights they were denied of for centuries and only until 50 years ago. The Jews think they are the chosen ones, and therefore, everyone else is inferior. Who the hell do we all think we are to think us better than others we don’t even know, much less even bother to understand???
There is a debate if Muslim girls should wear the veil at school or not in Spain. The argument is if boys can’t use their baseball caps, or beanies, or whatever is cool and hip in their heads, then Muslim girls should have no right to wear their veil. Where should we start… maybe by differentiating a fundamental difference? The cap is a fashion; the veil is a cultural-religious symbol. Who are we to tell others that wearing a cross is ok, but wearing a veil is insulting. Insulting to whom? It is pretended that the discussion has nothing to do with religion, and the truth is that indeed is more complex than just a religious affair, yet it can’t be that easily separated when the veil is use merely for religious reasons, therefore is the first thing we most face. If we fight against this tradition we are not only having a cultural or fashion or manners debate, but also a religious one, just like if all of the sudden the government decided to prohibited the use of crosses at school, or made orthodox Jews to cut their sideburn curls (peyos). The veil represents the culture and the beliefs of a nation that bases its everyday life in their religious book (The Koran), we may not like it but that is what it is, therefore culture and religion is one of the same, just like it was in Spain until not long ago, and in most “superior” countries for that matter.
Now, the problem here goes farther than a question of religious beliefs. It seems to me to be also a fear of losing battles already won in this nation. Women feel threaten that by allowing such a “disrespectful” custom to women’s right in this soil, they may lose freedoms for which they had fought so dearly. How is that we think we may lose those freedoms in our own country by letting this “oppressive” men from another culture “force” their women (from their same culture I remind you) into using a veil? Is it that we think they may set a bad example to our men? In which case it makes me wonder how much faith do we have in the values of our male population if it really troubles us that much? Do we think that by allowing such a “chauvinist and sexist” practice, our men could be “infected” forgetting all about our rights? Maybe then our men are not as advance and superior as we think they are if we find that by letting others profess their way of life, ours are going to put us back in the house with the apron and the flip-flaps. What are we so afraid of? If we are supposed to be so “superior,” the actions of others shouldn’t make us go a step backwards, but should only shine the light on our “enlighten” lives.
I’m sure there are Muslim women who are not happy and are even outrage with the use of the veil and in fact finds it oppressive, and I’m also sure for a fact, that are others who see it simply as part of their lives; just like at one point in time some of our women thought we should had the right to work, and others found it ridicules, or a bunch wanted the right of getting divorce, while others fought against it. And frankly, if the female Muslim population are so appalled by this practice, specially those living out of the borders of Muslim nations, where they know the will be supported and encouraged, then let them lead their battle. One day just like my mother’s generation did, they will summed the courage to fight for what they believe is their right, and no matter how horrible the fight maybe, they wont stop until succeeding, such is the spirit of women once is awaken, but THEY have to be ready for it. I’m not an expert in the subject, nor is it my argument here. I simply find it absurd trying to change some ones else’s traditions and life (which are not really hurting anyone) when the time may not yet be right, just because we think our ways are so much better.
It is well known that the success of the Roman Empire was in great deal accredited to their “openness.” They learned than fighting against other’s beliefs and culture was detrimental for conquering. Even if they had an autocratic form of government, which may have enforced people to adopt some of their traditions and gods, they also integrated in their pavilion the traditions and gods of the conquered nations. Hinduism is, next to Buddhism, one of the most peaceful religions, and the one with more gods, why? Same concept, adopt the beliefs of others and integrate them, in this way, others will be less threaten and more comfortable adopting yours. With this I’m not expecting Spain (or any other country) neither to pray 5 times a day facing Mecca, nor making their girls use the veil, but what I do expect from them is to give the respect to others they are asking for themselves. And if you want to take the veil away, then be French and take all religious symbols and celebrations out of school and politics, that means no crosses, not Jesus in schools, not religious class, no virgins, no celebration of San Mateo, San Jose, San Bartolome, etc as national holidays, and then we will have equality. Which brings me to the last step of the problem, immigration.
As a new immigrant’s welcoming nation, Spain is not quite sure yet how to handle the integration of new cultures, and it is by no means an easy task, specially in a country so culturally and politically polarized within their own nation. And I am definitely not suggesting that they must modify all their own traditions to fit all this new ones, but immigration does bring transformation at all levels of society. USA, a country of immigrants, built by immigrant hasn’t figured it all out yet and has being dealing with the issue for hundreds of years. People, cultures, nations have their own way; time and history, there own rhythm for growth and development, even within the boundaries of one country. We (all human race) want to insist in molding all other cultures to our own, at the same pace and time, just like we want to mold our friends, children, coworkers and lovers. Everyone criticizes USA for taking over a country and try to force them into democracy when they were obviously not ready for it (and we have seen the results), but most cultures try to do the same to others at one point or another, and Spain if we remember was the king of that at some point in time. Every nation and culture has there on way of living just like they had their own food, entertainment, or fashion depending on their geographical position, their past, their religion, their weather, etc and yes, when they move to another country they take all that with them. Some will integrate easier than others in their new society because preconceived shared views, language and traditions will allow a smooth transition, but to others integration will take longer because the differences are simply too great. And even the host country will actively part take on the process by helping one group to integrate, openly welcoming it, while shamelessly bulling another.
The veil is just a veil, WE are making it mean so much more than it needs to be. I feel the problem is being faced by impulse instead of reasoning and most importantly, true understanding. These immigrants, with there on set of beliefs and moral codes are not coming here to purposely change us, although unintentionally they will. They are not telling our girls not to walk around with very little clothes covering themselves when they obviously find this fashion inappropriate. They are not asking for everyone to do as they do, they are not expecting Spanish women to wear the veil, they are just asking for a little respect to their culture and values, which as far as I can see they are not hurting anyone, or at least not the issue in discussion. We have the Opus Day tangle around our society with a set of very strict values, including long skirts to avoid showing skin (just go to a job interview to teach in one of their schools) and no one seems to care because at least they believe in the same God. People, it wasn’t so long ago when we Catholics had our women using veils, and long skirts, and high necks to cover themselves, in fact most of our nuns still have to dress like that and cover their heads at all times for that matter, and I don’t see any priest doing the same. And it wasn’t long ago either when daughter number X was expected to become the nun of the family, wanted it or not, while the daughter number Y was supposed to stay single to take care of the mother and daughter number Z was supposed to marry so and so to safe the family’s name or fortune. And was not long ago either that we had to be virgins until marriage, or at least fake we were, and I’m talking my generation here. It wasn’t long ago when talking about masturbation was something evil and shameful, and many of the girls of my generation still have fights between the ghosts of the conservative past vs. the liberal present. We just have a very short memory of who we were only 50 years ago. So, we are 50 years ahead of the veil, and?
All I want to express is that we need to stop feeling so superior because we are not, our divorce rates, and drug addictions, and teen violence, and murdered, and our priests’ problems for God’s sakes, show us better. So why don’t we live and let live? Is that veil really ruining your life? Something tells me that not in the least, but we just want to be right over those we think are wrong. We want to force a square into a circle, when maybe we should just let the circle be a circle and the square a square, and maybe learn from the beauty both shapes can offer to this world.
Is just a veil, no a clitoris clipping.
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