å Sunday, April 30th, 2017

I really enjoyed this reading, she brings up so many relevant points that I myself had had the same sentiments on. The US as usual is always purposely or unknowingly creating their own interpretation of things that are going on in other countries that may or may not be true or that are probably half truths. I like how for the most part on the issues of the veiling as well as the topic on  the vocation of saving others she plays a little bit of devils advocate. When talking about the vocation of saving others she immediately has question about the real motives of the US main reason for the war on terror. She says yes this is a country that is suppressive and the women in this country do need our help but could the main reason of invasion be simply for women who where burquas. She then talks about how its amazing how the US is always basically the one who always goes to save the worst countries but never talk about what their role is or was ” In other words, the question is why knowing about the “culture” of the region, and particularly its religious beliefs and treatment of women, was more urgent than exploring the history of the development of repressive regimes in the region and the U.S. role in this history,” and its like this time and time again. When talking about the Veiling culture she talks about how this was meant to be or is looked at how the men and women are in different spheres which has show up an other works but she tells of how the woman being made to be veiled in public is a symbol of the private sphere which includes home and family the man is in the public sphere and the two for the most part are always separate. This covering sent a message to men who were strangers that she is not to be touched because she belongs to a family. It was a form of protection in that sense as well as a way for the woman to be incorporated in the public sphere. Once the woman wore the veiling she was able to move about freely  and conduct the business of the family. Without this she would have to stay home never being free from her house. She raises the question why would the US think that the women in this region would be so quick to throw off a garment that gave them protection and mobility.

In the essay of “Do Muslim Women Really Need saving? ” by Lila Abu-Lughod, she points out many factors of the ideas and focuses of what the westerns views and obsesses when it comes to helping Muslim women, she first points out that why do we now have concerns after the events and aftermath of September 11, 2001. Abu-Lughod suggest that one should be skeptical about the focus on the “muslim women” if it begins with the U.S public response. Abu-Lughod is concerned with the views of reporters or modern western feminist, that show they are more focused on the basic issue on women from Afghanistan, the terrible encounters with the Taliban’s or why was they understanding of “culture” of the region and its religious belief and treatment of women was more important than exploring the history of the development of oppression regimes/government in the region and the U.S role in the history of muslim women. Abu-Lughod also points out ‘haunting’ words from the First Lady Laura Bush’s radio would state that towards the issue on the “War on Terrorism”  that “Because of our recent military gains in much of Afghanistan, women are no longer imprisoned to their homes. They can listen to music and teach their daughter without fear of punishment. The fight against terrorism is also a fight for their rights and dignity of women” (U.S Government 2002) (2002:784). Abu-Lughod would point out on the politics of the view that since Laura’s Bush would freely say that Afghanistan woman claim their rejoice of liberation, that it was known that the burqa was a sign of oppression on Afghan under the Taliban the women were forced to ear them. But liberals would confess that even after Afghanistan women were liberated from the Taliban, they still wore their burqa, In reality Pashtun one of the several ethnic group in Afghanistan was where the women would wear them when they were outside. The burqa symbolized separation of men and women sphere from the public, an association of women with the family and home wore when outside-where strangers mingled. The burqa would symbolized women who were modest but Aba-Lughod would question why would women become ‘immodest’ if they suddenly did not where their burqa or any form of cover up, which supposedly assured them protection of harassment. Another critique and one of the most important thing is that especially since it has little focus to is that she believes that Afghanistan women should have the right to freedom from violence, global inequality from the ravages of war, enough food to eat, having homes, for their families, make a decent living, education, medicine and so on.

In the essay, the author, Lila Abu-Lughod discusses various factors, which are connected to her argument and supports her claims. The first aspect that caught my attention was why culture and more specifically religious beliefs and women treatment, was more vital than exploring the history of the development of repressive regimes in the region and the U.S role. The history and how politics used to work didn’t seem important and expects were asked to give a full research on the religion and culture. Abu-Lughod prefers questions that leads the researchers to the exploration of global interconnections to have a better understanding why certain things works differently. The U.S is more focus on the cultural and religious beliefs of Afghan women and they are using the Burqa and vail as a reference. The Burqa and veil are symbols of oppression because Muslim women are forced to wear them sometimes it can turn into unjust treatment by man and full control over women. Abu-Loghod states, that the Taliban did not invent the burqa, they came from different places and in a way, were connected for the same purpose. The Taliban was used in one region by the Pashtun women for a form of local covering. And the burqa was another way to cover in the subcontinent and southwest. With time passing the burqa started to symbolize women’s modesty and respectability. A woman without the burqa was disrespectful and immodest (even if she wasn’t the burqa has more meaning than the person itself). In my opinion, all different types of covering form of faces and bodies created a separation spheres between women’s and men’s spheres. In other words, because of this rules that women need to follow on their everyday lives and if they don’t they are seems as someone bad influence for society, man have more opportunity to always be in charge and not be judge. All types of covering are also to prevent harassment from strange man, but I believe wearing full cover doesn’t prevent a man from committing sexual harassment. My question is, does wearing the burqa or other types of covering helps to stop harassment from estrange man. The covering form for women has different meanings depending on the region. I think the burqa and vail are important topics. However, they are more important topics to talk about referring to Muslim’s women and they are not being address. The call to saving women does not focus on women rights, human rights, or women safety of Muslim women. From my understanding, Abu-Lughod at the end of the article is basically saying to put aside the way muslim women dress and look at the things they need. There is a huge lack of women protection, little opportunity of women getting educated, and malnutrition. She states, when saying someone, you are implying that you are saying them to something.

In her article “Do muslim women really need saving?” Lila Abu-lughod explores the ethics of the war on terrorism and argues that humanitarian and human rights structures Muslim women. The U.S concentrates on cultural and religious beliefs of Afghan women wearing veils which is a sign of oppression. But they have been freed from Taliban but still chooses to wear the veil. They do not seem to be taking it off. The veil symbolizes separation of men’s and women’s spheres. These women aren’t not being forced to wear these veils. So what do they really need saving from? They can choose not to wear them but hey do instead. They wear these veils knowing what they mean and stand for. Since they are making the choice to wear them then they must accept everything that come along with wearing them. I understand that most of these women wear these because of religious reasons but I feel that they should let something like a veil define their religion.

The author Lila Abu-Lughod, in her essay “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving? Anthropological Reflections on Cultural Relativism and Its Others”, she brings the reader to ponder upon how one’s own culture has an impact of misinterpretation that could mislead the judgement of perception of understanding another style of living from another origin of the world. That the western lifestyle should not be a fixated form of solution, especially advertised as a form of salvation to those who have their own personal beliefs and activities based on the personal own culture.

The fact of the matter is that countries that offer the militaristic armament do not necessarily provoke a change to coincide to the feelings of those who are rescued. That it should not be of any kind of astonishment to the “rescuers” to live under their own cultural relativism that of which identifies them of the ownership of their past history and customs, whether religiously or by traditions.

For instance, one of the misconceptions of misinterpreting the veil is that for certain ethnic groups, depending on the region, its veil represents a level of respectability and at the same time portrays women in conducting themselves as humble of the simple life (Abu-Lughod 785). I think that it is clear before anything, the history of foreign cultures, that of which are in part unknown fully to us, have a major role of how “superpower” countries want or think that their culture is the right way of living life, and that one must desert the old customs of which were implanted from the beginning. Leaving to think, back to the question that resonates during the last class session of whether there should be emancipation of religion for the greater cause of political reform? Needless to say, it is definitely not something that women who have usage of the veil will leave from one day to the other.

Interestingly enough, the veil for the western eyes or culture would seem to be viewed as a base for oppression as supposed to when those who have lived under the veil identify to it as what the author calls it a “mobile home”. By viewing the other point of view of the carrier that must place the veil, we can consider that by she may feel safe, privatized under the veil and not letting men, to some degree, pass beyond the veil in any shape or form because it is hers to own. Perhaps it is something that she may feel honored in doing, or just, it is part of her identity to the culture of which she lives in. Not far from it, the author relates of how our manners, dress codes, and other attributes of culture diversity can encounter to disagree, often causing tension that displays each distinctive cultural habit. If such misinterpretations of language and manner on the table can happen, one can only come to the conclusion that for nations, it is the same when they meet.

In the essay “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?” by Lila Abu-Lughod she mentions that one of her principal points is to make us as reader aware of all the differences in the world. When she talks about differences she is telling us about religion, cultures, and behavior.  Lila Abu-Lughod makes as to learn how in different cultures women have to follow rules or traditions in order to be considered “good women”.  Lila Abu-Lughod mentions how Laura Bush in one of her speeches mentioned that American help Afghan women get their liberation. She stated “Because of our recent military gains in much of Afghanistan, women are no longer imprisoned in their homes. They can listen to music and teach their daughters without fear of punishment”(Pg. 784).
The essay also talks about how Afghan women under the Taliban were forced to wear a burqa as a sign of oppression. The burqa was also seen as a demonstration of deep faith to the Islam maybe this is the reason why even now they still wear a burqa even though they don’t need to do it. But as the essay mentions some women still do this as a sign modesty or respectability. If they do not use the burqa doesn’t mean they have freedom. On the contrary, they are still prisoners of a government or a society that believes to be superior, to dictate how they should dress. At least wearing the burqa makes them feel part of their community.
When she talks about women wearing a veil she mentions how some people confuse this type of clothing as a unfreedom, on the contrary women wearing this veils, are free to decide for whom they feel it is appropriate to wear a veil. As the essay mentions wearing a veil or a burqa is a choice that women can make or decide to, sometimes they do it because of the commitment to honor their family or religion.
The Islam has presented itself as a religion that oppresses women. One of the justifications for US intervention. In Afghanistan was to defend the rights of Muslim women, who were oppressed by the Islamic faith. This intention to “save” Muslim women had nothing to do with human rights or defend women to be better treated. As Lila Abu- Lughod mentions in the last part of their essay we a society should focus in treat Afghan women as a human being and not look in their ways of dressing or follow traditions “ Our task is to critically explore what we might do to help create the world in which those poor Afghan women, can have safety and decent lives”(pg 790).