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We Will Not Tolerate Honor Killings in the West: The Aqsa Parvez Shelter for Battered Muslim Women
Aqsa Parvez, the tragic sixteen year old slain by her father in an honor killing in Canada, was buried secretly and privately.
Her teenage friends arrived hours too late at the Islamic Center where they had been told her funeral would take place. The kind of family and culture capable of honor murder (she and her family are all Pakistani immigrants) is also quite capable of denying her Canadian friends the opportunity of paying their last respects.Perhaps
Aqsa’s family did not want a western-style “scene” at her funeral. Perhaps they viewed Aqsa’s westernized friends as enemies who stole their daughter from them. No doubt, as Pakistani immigrants, they are deeply invested in the subordination of women as the very sign and symbol of their religious and cultural identity—the bedrock of which consists of female obedience to male authority.
Obviously, from Aqsa’s father’s point of view, he had no choice. A Muslim girl whose hair or face is uncovered is viewed as a prostitute or as an out-of-control female who, for the sake of her family’s honor, must be killed.
Thus, while I understand the wrenching, cultural conflict involved, including the rejection of a shallow secular culture which condemns women in yet another way—I must, on behalf of the martyred Aqsa and on behalf of so many other girls who have suffered her fate, still say:
Enough!
We will not allow such criminal barbarism to gain a foothold in the West.
To continue reading this article, click here…
Her teenage friends arrived hours too late at the Islamic Center where they had been told her funeral would take place. The kind of family and culture capable of honor murder (she and her family are all Pakistani immigrants) is also quite capable of denying her Canadian friends the opportunity of paying their last respects.Perhaps
Aqsa’s family did not want a western-style “scene” at her funeral. Perhaps they viewed Aqsa’s westernized friends as enemies who stole their daughter from them. No doubt, as Pakistani immigrants, they are deeply invested in the subordination of women as the very sign and symbol of their religious and cultural identity—the bedrock of which consists of female obedience to male authority.
Obviously, from Aqsa’s father’s point of view, he had no choice. A Muslim girl whose hair or face is uncovered is viewed as a prostitute or as an out-of-control female who, for the sake of her family’s honor, must be killed.
Thus, while I understand the wrenching, cultural conflict involved, including the rejection of a shallow secular culture which condemns women in yet another way—I must, on behalf of the martyred Aqsa and on behalf of so many other girls who have suffered her fate, still say:
Enough!
We will not allow such criminal barbarism to gain a foothold in the West.
To continue reading this article, click here…
posted by Greenconsciousness
at 12:46 PM - Link
2 Comments:
"Honor" killings are believed to have their origins in misinterpretations of pre-Islamic Arab tribal codes. They pre-date Islam by centuries and, in fact, are un-Islamic.
It is the case, however, that the overwhelming majority of the U.N.-estimated 5,000 "honor" killings per annum globally occur in Arab/Muslim countries and in Arab/Muslim immigrant communities elsewhere. So there is a correlation, but it has more to do with culture than faith.
Ellen R. Sheeley, Author
"Reclaiming Honor in Jordan"
Well Ellen, I went all over looking for you to tell you to click on the link and go over to Chesler's blog and leave a comment. I can't find you so I hope you see this and go over there. I told them about your book. We are all Feminists Against Sharia Terror, or FAST Women
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