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Friday, April 6, 2007 12:00 AM

To Damascus with Nancy Pelosi

Why neocons are so apoplectic about the speaker's visit to Syria.

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  • Thursday, April 5, 2007 07:21 PM

    Wow. That photo of her makes me mad.

    Am I the only one disturbed by the image of Pelosi in a hijab? Let's look at this rationally she is not a Muslim, claims to believe in women's equality and yet voluntarily and likely without protest dons a sign of not just the social submission of women before men but an absurd superstition (to believe that a supposedly omnipotent god cares whether you wear a little peice of cloth over your head), a superstition which in Syria and elsewhere in the world is forced upon girls and women through at best socialization techniques and at worst out-right threats fo violence, includign rape.

    But 'she's in a mosque' you'll say. Again why visit a place where sexist practices and likely sex segregation are practised (if women are allowed to attend active services at all)? I was in Indonesia once and they had a sign in English which ostensibly bared women menstruating from enetering a Hindu temple on Bali. I decided a place with rules like that was not worth visiting and am no lesser for it. It is one think to show decorum in a place of worship, but it is another to check your basic human dignity at the door.

    Kudos, Nancy. You were there to talk international reations (I guess - I'm not sure why memebers of Congress go abroad) and managed to stab women worldwide in the back. This kind of mindless betrayal of women's equality out of 'respect' is a glaring sign of what is wrong with a modern liberalism dominated by multiculturalism and moral relativism as opposed to universal progressive values.

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