Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/02
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]With all due respect, Jayanand, it's not a question of "liberal European thinking;" it's a question of whether one views women and men as equals, or whether one views women as chattel, honored chattel in some societies, but chattel none the less. B. D. On 8/2/05 9:21 AM, "Jayanand Govindaraj" <jgovindaraj@eth.net> wrote: > You equate an arranged marriage with female circumcision? Wow! Liberal > European thinking!! > Cheers > Jayanand Govindaraj > Chennai, India > (who has been happily married for 27 years through an arranged marriage, > and > has had no problem with it) > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Nathan Wajsman" <nathan.wajsman@planet.nl> > To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> > Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2005 10:30 AM > Subject: Re: [Leica] Piercings and Tatoos > > >> Well, I feel like I understand quite a few different cultures because of >> my rather nomadic life, the international family I am part of, my Puerto >> Rican wife etc. I agree with Dennis' sentiment that we should respect the >> fact that things are done differently in other cultures/religions, but I >> do not agree that this implies that they are all equally valid, >> particularly in modern, liberal societies like the US or Europe. An >> arranged marriage, for me, is beyond the pale in the 21st century, as is, >> for example, female circumcision--which after all, also is grounded in a >> strong cultural tradition. In Denmark there have been cases of parents >> sending their daughters to Somalia to undergo this type of mutilation, and >> of parents sending their daughters to rural Turkey or Pakistan for an >> arranged marriage against their will. Both types of activities are >> illegal, and rightly so. >> >> As someone who has lived most of his life as an immigrant in four >> different countries, I say that if someone wants to live like that, then >> they should do so in South Asia or wherever this type of tradition is >> considered normal. My guiding motto on this type of issue is the wonderful >> American expression, "shit or get off the pot." >> >> Strong family ties are all well and good, but not if they manifest >> themselves in coercion or in practices that are unacceptable to the wider >> society. Some decades ago the Mormons had to accept that polygamy was not >> acceptable in the United States and they abandoned this tradition (yes, I >> am aware of the splinter groups that still cling to it, but mainstream >> Mormons do not). As far as I can tell from the Mormon friends and >> co-workers I had in the US, this has not had any negative impact on their >> family ties or ability to practice their religion. >> >> BTW, we know several South Asians (as evident from my latest PAWs), many >> Muslims among them, who all live in thoroughly modern, voluntary >> marriages, in many cases to "infidels." >> >> Nathan >> >> Dennis Painter wrote: >> >>> This is a very interesting set of photos. One certainly needs to know a >>> bit of what's going on here to understand them. I am glad that Tina is >>> working on this project as I doubt anyone could do better than her. >>> Despite that I am not sure photographs will lead to greater >>> understanding. >>> >>> Much has been said of and about different cultures and cultural >>> differences. Here are my beliefs. >>> >>> It's almost impossible to truly understand another culture. Perhaps if >>> you know all the history, can read the language, and live within that >>> culture for years, then, you might really understand. >>> >>> If you apply your standards, your culture, against another you are lost >>> to understanding. >>> >>> The best way of "understanding" is to accept that what they believe and >>> do is correct to their way of life and culture. Respect their culture. >>> This helps greatly to avoid forming prejudice in your mind. >>> >>> It's hard for me to put this into words. >>> >>> >>> >> >> -- >> Nathan Wajsman >> Almere, The Netherlands >> >> General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com >> Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com >> Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman >> http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507 >> Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Leica Users Group. >> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information