one could view this trend as an erosion of the core values of violently conservative islam, and therefore a good thing--the idea being that softening their views on the role of women paves the way for softening their views on blowing up infidels.

however, i'm not convinced that's the direction that this trend is leading towards. the basic social and economic conflict that drives violently conservative islam is growing, not shrinking; and conservative islam as a whole is waxing, rather than waning. i think that any divisions over core values will be more likely to result in a larger variety of groups willing to blow up themselves and others, rather than an overall softening.

TheAztec

Chicago, IL

February 2008

JUN 03, 2008 03:29 PM

maybe it would be a good thing, they would always be late to the bombings, or get lost on the way, they wouldn't even need bombs they could just nag us all to death

IDGAS

Jackson Heights, NY

March 2004

JUN 03, 2008 03:47 PM

theaztec

TheAztec

Chicago, IL

February 2008

JUN 03, 2008 04:10 PM

whats ball fire

Thistle

SUICIDEGIRL

California, USA

JUN 03, 2008 09:15 PM

Wendy said:

Thistle said:

abbazappa said:
Isn't it a good thing that they don't let women join or let them join but have no real responsibility? I thought that the less people that blow them selves up the better and that real progress would be for them to decide there are better ways to get what they want. I also hear Al Queda is racist and anti-Semitic so maybe we should find some white Jews to try to join Al Queda.

In terms of fewer people trying to blow other people up, sure.

In terms of gender equality, no.

However I don't know that women joining Al Qaeda is necessarily a good thing for gender equality either. It's one of those things that makes you think a lot about the grey space between right and wrong, really.

You want terrorists to respect women?

To be honest, I couldn't care less if terrorist organizations are "sexist." That's the least of their problems. They'll let their sons blow themselves up, too. Things like that concern me a lot more.

I want everyone to respect women, but you'll not that I'm not actually the person petitioning Al Qaeda to allow women in. All I've said is that it is an interesting conundrum and I can see how it might make sense.

I don't frankly see what harm it does to try to use something like this as a sort of thought exercise. WOULD it be good for women for an organization like Al Qaeda to be less sexist? Maybe it would. Maybe it would make no difference.

I have to say that when I see comments such as yours I get a distinct "shut up and stop talking about The Enemy as though they were also human" vibe.