Monday, November 19, 2012

You Will Be Assimilated

Devout Muslims who move to Europe, Australia, Canada, and the United States expect that their customs and practices will be tolerated in their new home.

We, the kuffar of the West, are expected to accept those long beards, the beanies and nightgowns, and especially the black bags over their chattel women. We celebrate our diversity by being tolerant of the exotic ways of newcomers from distant lands.

And the same thing is true of our hosts when we visit the heartland of the Islamic world, right?

Surely Westerners who vacation in Qatar can expect that their customs and attire will be acceptable to the natives…?

Mind you, we’re not talking about permanent residence, just a brief visit to enjoy the sun and sand and skyscrapers and raw sewage in the surf.

Not to build a church or anything, haha! No, no, we’re not that stupid!

No, we just mean shorts and tank tops and maybe some nice sundresses that show a little tantalizing cleavage…

Turnabout is fair play, right?

Nuh-uh — fat chance!

Check this out:

Qatar modesty

Be “One of Us” — under the rule of Allah.

Below is an article about the modesty campaign in Qatar:

Qatar: Tourism Authority, Foreign Women to Dress Modestly

‘One of Us’ campaign not compatible with 2022 World Cup, web

(ANSAmed) — DOHA — Some Qatari women want foreign female visitors to respect local clothing traditions and the local penal code, and the Qatar tourist authority has decided to support them, Doha News reported on Monday.

Called ‘One of Us’, the women’s campaign wants to ban shorts, sleeveless shirts, and revealing dresses. “Help us preserve Qatari values and culture. Please dress modestly in public spaces, covering knees and shoulders,” reads the campaign flyer. “We’re not trying to impose the hijab (traditional Gulf-area long black tunic and veil), just a modest way of dressing that won’t force us to see too many body parts when we’re in public,” said campaign organizer Najla Al-Mahmoud. The country’s tourist board decided to sign on to the campaign, which was launched in June, to make tourists feel welcome and help them avoid embarrassing situations, according to Doha News. The emirate’s penal code bans what is considered to be indecent clothing in public.

The Qatari international community, which makes up 95% of the population, commented on social media that such a campaign is not compatible with a country hosting the 2022 World Cup, which will attract thousands of tourists.

Other web commentators pointed out that modest apparel is the least of Qatari women’s problems: the disparity between men’s and women’s salaries rose 22.7% over last year, data from the emirate’s statistics bureau showed. Both Qatari and foreign women are paid 25-50% less than their male colleagues, according to the data.

Hat tip: Insubria.

10 comments:

dymphna said...

Gender disparity in income? Just check out the U.S. White House salary differentials between male and female staff (Valerie Jarrett probably doesn't count as she is joined to BHO at the hip- besides she certainly doesn't need the money).

Mr Equality-for-Women Obama has one of those "do-as-I-preach-not-as-I-do" philosophies. Lotsa Dems do.

As for what women wear, I think the salwar kameez is attractive, esp. for busy working women. I'm going to design an American one with jeggings and get someone to make the simple outer "dress" part.

Very colorful and the winter/summer materials are versatile. Cheap too.

Aaron Lopez said...

Actually, as a traditional Catholic, I would agree with the residents of Qatar in this respect.

They are not asking people to don clothing based on religious values, nor are asking them to buy the local attire. They're simply saying 'Please be decent'.

It is quite similar to the way Catholic Churches (should) operate: it doesn't matter whether you're the faithful or a visitor; you're in God's temple, so dress appropriately.

And to be completely honest, in terms of cultural norms, we should be, in some manner, on their side. Catholics are urged to dress modestly in public. This is something that has not been practiced, or enforced at a local level, for several decades in the West.

Remember, it was the Muslims who got the idea of dressing modestly in public from us. It's a little tragic that they should be telling the historically Christian West to step it up.

Anonymous said...

In hot weather I wear T-shirts/ singlets and shorts just like any man can. Nothing 'immodest' about comfort. And even if you do find it immodest, Aaron, that is your problem, don't make it mine. I'm shocked that you even seem to think this should be 'enforced at a local level'. Who gets to decide for what 'immodest' attire a woman can be harassed by law enforcement? You're not talking about Qatar, I understand, you mean that we should be dressing to your standards even in the West, aren't you?

john in cheshire said...

Isn't the point of this post that there is no reciprocity with islam? What would be the response if there was a campaign in England, for example, that encourages all the muslims to adopt Western dress? I happen to think they should because I'm sick of having islam in my face every time I go to a public place.

doxRaven said...

@Aaron

Qatar is a a country and not a place of worship.Your analogy misses that mark.

"Remember, it was the Muslims who got the idea of dressing modestly in public from us."
Really? How did you figure that?


gsw said...

"dress modestly" is a religious euphemism for "obey the dictates of our god".

For me, modesty means not having a mind like a cesspool.
The point here is, in England, islamists are trying to force Brits to obey their modesty laws, in other words - no matter where they are, they expect us to obey their rules.

Maybe the deity who gave us these bodies would like us to display as much of them as the weather permitted, in gratitude and as a symbol of our innocence.

Instead, we have daft rules like "women's hair is obscene and incites to rape".

No thank you, if I wanted to wear a mobile tent, I would go live in Saudi.
I don't, so I won't.

Anonymous said...

How is the world cup going to work then? Shorts and a football strip?

And would they alllow female football matches to be held?

If the answer to that is no, I rest my case.

Thom Jefferson said...

I had a female friend who was quite outspoken. About ten years ago, her and her husband went to Italy to see the Vatican. She arrived at Vatican city in a miniskirt, and was refused entry. She then argued with them that she was a Catholic and should not be refused entry.

Some people have no sense....

Anonymous said...

I agree that God did not expect us to cover up originally. It was only after the fall when Adam and Eve lost their innocence and realised they were naked that God made clothes for them and, by all depictions, the fig leaves certainly only covered the bare essentials (as it were). If we are ashamed of our bodies, we are ashamed of what God created - heresy. However, if only in the interests of preserving European civility, we should adhere to the rules of the lands we are travelling. I do not believe, however, that we should bend to these standards in our own land. I for one will expose my lilly white skin to the sun (during the cooler parts of a Summer's day) if only in the interests of good health - contrary to popular belief a little sun prevents skin (and other) cancer and aids production of vitamin D - good for the heart and bones.

Anonymous said...

The whole notion of dress anyway you want is a creation of Hollywood and by extension the Left which dominates Hollywood. They want to debase people, a debased people is easy prey.

It's also a reflection of the infantilization and wave of self-indulgence that has a death grip on the West.

Now personally I don't care how a person dresses in around the house or while doing labor. But outside the house they ought to endeavor to look decent unless it's a trip to Home Depot for lumber.

Most don't though. They think like little children. "I don't care what you think I should be wearing" blah, blah, blah. You're dealing with a child in the body of a adult. And it shows in the way many dress.

You can see that in the way many so-called Christians dress for Church - they don't. They look like they came from the slob shop. No respect for either the church or themselves.

Or take expensive shows and classical concerts where half the people dress like hod carriers and are on their cell phones.

Makes you wonder if there is anything left worth fighting for.