In a message dated 11/8/01 1:30:28 AM, amara@amara.com writes:
>>One of the most difficult tasks for any social system is
>>figuring out what to do with its young males. These are
>>invariably the most impressionable, energetic, socially
>>exigent, and politically inept members of any group. They
>>cause trouble for their elders and ruthlessly hassle each
>>other. They pose chronic danger to public order when they
>>drive, drink and take drugs.
>
>The author makes a HUGE assumption that Muslim teenagers are
>different from teenagers all over the world, and the author
>continues to place links before the reader that
>Muslims == terrorists.
Read the text. The author is pointing out the teenagers are
the *same* everywhere, viz, problematic.
>Almost all of the Muslims strongly dislike the activities of the
>terrorists, including bin Laden.
That's a claim, and needs to be backed up. Certainly enough
approve to make "Osama/Usama" become a far more common
name than it used to be. Enough to mangage substantial
demonstrations in favor of the event. And enough that the
one Muslim guy at the Halloween party I went to thought it
was required and justified. (!)
If a lot of Muslim support such activities we have a big problem
even if the majority don't
>"high sex segregation" ? "tightly restricted" ?
In Saudi Arabia, if a woman goes to a supermarket all men must
leave it first. They can't drive, either. I'll go for "high sex
segregation."
>Wrong. In Egypt young people, men and women, are mixed in their
>interactions with each other. The only segration occurs inside of a
>mosque.
Correct; most Muslims don't live under sharia; but bin Laden and
company want them to. Egypt is near the top of their hit list,
precisely so they *can* segregate women there. Ditto for the
fact the most Egyptian women avoid oppressive veiling; that will
be changed if Al-Qaida gets its way.
>Polygamy is not common there. Not in Egypt. It's slighly more common
>in the Gulf states than in Egypt, but it's still very unusual. Of
>men, you find mostly the richest (in Saudi Arabia, for example) or
>the most powerful politicians living a polygamous lifestyle (even
>though their religion permits it).
As Robert pointed out, just a few % polygamous creates millions
of unmated males. 1 million men is a huge army.
>On 5 August 1996, Egyptian academic and writer Dr Nasr Hamed
>Abu-Zeid was ordered to divorce from his wife after being branded an
>apostate by the Court of Cassation.
Note: even in a *moderate* Muslim society people are exiled,
forced to divorce, and imprisoned for religious beliefs. I don't remember
exactly what this guy said, but I remember the controversy and that
he was proposing a Muslim version of current mainstream Christian
theology. People die in Pakistan for less, and I am *not* exaggerating.
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