Comments to CDWRME Administration Name: Zoe Date: 2005-07-29 00:01:57 E-mail: realzoe@hotmail.com Comment: Global Instant True Democracy We imagine running on the single issue of Ranked Ballot (RB), allowing a citizens advisory board based on “Organized Communications” (OC) to guide us in the rest. RB is the ranking of all candidates by each voter. The “additive” form of RB is the first choices being counted & if noone has 50% then the next choices being added in, & so on, until someone finally does. OC is small randomly assigned discussion groups electing reps to higher & higher levels by means of RB until one small group at the top necessarily names the next winner of the next election &, representing a majority of the center, not one of the extremes, thereby installing preferentiality virtually instantly, & inevitably globally, no matter what ladders are pulled up. You do the same, from the most local on up. Shouldn’t your group be the first, lest others avail themselves of this great advantage on the sly? RB is the sole unchangeable plank & bylaw of the Preferential Ballot Party, the only practicable third party, whose self-organizing principle is OC. ~~~~~~~~ Because it always elects the candidate most exactly in the middle of all voting, RB is “top-dead-center-counter-extremist” & thus more anti-terrorist than all the many recent retrenchments combined. While RB would be equally useful for all else, its real power is perhaps most clearly shown in the case of the potential civil war in Iraq. Unless the Iraqi Parliament comes to select its Prime Minister by RB, it may not hold, & the world will be in danger of going to war over some oil well. (It would be a useful improvement for all other parliamentary systems as well.) Because it gives the Iraqi minorities a real say in which Shia gets chosen, RB is the only thing that will encourage them to support any plan more than perfectly inadequate con-federation. Because it gives all combinations of programs, not just parties, an equal chance of winning & will always provide real time alternatives to all proposals, from wherever it is the only thing that is completely just, lightfooted & self-controlled, ie; with brakes, for Iraqis & everyone else. No more shifting back & forth between extremes & no more need to be afraid. Both more liberty AND more community can be found in RB than in any ideology. Help put this powerful idea, in time, to as many as possible. The $15,000 cost of a single full-page ad in USA Today, enough perhaps to put it to virtually everyone involved on earth, would be repaid to a single person in a year & one half at the approximate US defense annual spending rate of $10,000 per family, exclusive of “emergency appropriations”. How can we ask it of others if we do not have it ourselves? Zoe, preferentiality257@yahoo.com, www.preferentialballotparty.org Name: Zoe Date: 2005-07-09 21:23:43 E-mail: realzoe@hotmail.com Comment: A Perfect Marriage of the Bloody Antipodes of Freedom & Justice, Tradition & Modernity, Individuality & Community: Why Have Instant Global True Democracy (& How) Because it always elects the candidate most exactly in the middle of all voting, Ranked Ballot (RB) is “top-dead-center-counter-extremist” & thus more anti-terrorist than all the many recent retrenchments combined. While RB would be equally useful for all else, its real power is perhaps most clearly shown in the case of the potential civil war in Iraq. Unless the Iraqi Parliament comes to select its Prime Minister by RB, it may not hold, & the world will be in danger of going to war over some oil well. It would be a useful improvement for all other parliamentary systems as well. Because it gives the Iraqi minorities a real say in which Shia gets chosen, RB is the only thing that will encourage them to support any plan more than perfectly inadequate con-federation. Because it gives all combinations of programs, not just parties, an equal chance of winning, it is the only thing that is really just, & lightfooted, for Iraqis & everyone else. Because it will always provide a market-based alternative to all proposals for justice offered by the left & a benevolent alternative to all proposals from the right, it is something that all sides could & should support. Both more liberty AND more community can be found in RB than in any ideology. Be a light to the world & help put this powerful idea, in time, to as many as possible. The $15,000 cost of a single full-page ad in USA Today, enough to completely obfuscate which paranoid is talking to who, & put it to virtually everyone involved on earth, &, would be repaid to a single person in a year & one half at the approximate US defense annual spending rate of $10,000 per family, exclusive of “emergency appropriations”. Out of the only real principle of non-violence comes Freedom, the condition of current non-violence, & Justice, the condition of making right past violation of that. We imagine running on the single issue of Ranked Ballot (RB) & allowing a citizens advisory board based on “Organized Communications” (OC) to guide our vote for the rest. You do the same, from the most local on up. OC is small randomly assigned discussion groups electing reps to higher & higher levels by means of RB until one small group at the top necessarily names the next winner of the next election, thereby installing preferentiality virtually instantly, & inevitably globally, no matter what ladders are pulled up. Should your local group be the first, lest others avail themselves of this great advantage on the sly? The “additive” (as opposed to the older, more skewed, & widely espoused, “eliminative”) form of RB (ARB) is the ranking of all candidates by each voter. The first choices are counted & if noone has 50% then the next choices are added in, & so on, until someone finally does. It is the sole unchangeable plank & bylaw of the Preferential Ballot Party, the only practicable third party, whose self-organizing principle is Organized Communications. How can we ask it of others if we do not have it ourselves? Name: Margaret Taft Date: 2005-04-27 05:31:36 E-mail: margarettaft@hotmail.com Comment: You need to re arrange your website so that the main text can be seen. Only about half of the text can be seen. The rest of the text is obscured by the right margin of the screen. One thing I must say about Moslem men and honor killings. Why kill the woman? why not kill the man involved? In most western societies until about 200 hundred years ago, and in many western societies even now, sexual crimes and violations are taken care of within the family by the women's (or child's as sometimes happens) male relatives. But moslm men kill the females, including recently a four year old child who had been molested by one of her uncles. 1,500 years ago, 1000 years ago and 500 years ago European men noted this strange thing and concluded that moslem men are just cowards, prefereing to kill women who could not defend themselves rather than going after the men involved as was the Europena custom of the time. Could you not do something like this? Write articles and encourage discussion labelling men who commit honor killings cowardly, womanish, effiminate weaklings for killing the women and girls who cannot defend themselves. Again, good luck, I admire you. This is a common occurance. It usually happens because the website has so much text on the left side of the screen. I read your site with great interest. Keep up the good work! It is difficult for a western women to imagine how islamic women are forced to live. Name: Margaret Taft Date: 2005-04-27 05:24:34 E-mail: margarettaft@hotmail.com Comment: You need to re arrange your website so that the main text can be seen. Only about half of the text can be seen. The rest of the text is obscured by the right margin of the screen. This is a common occurance. It usually happens because the website has so much text on the left side of the screen. I read your site with great interest. Keep up the good work! It is difficult for a western women to imagine how islamic women are forced to live. Name: emily pruitt Date: 2005-03-31 23:13:38 E-mail: spifftfanastic300@yahoo.com Comment: i think that your committee is doing a great thing. im sorry that i cant donat anything but i am only 14 and i dont have any mony. i am a student at central middle school in plymouth, minnesota and i am doing a essay on womans rights in the middle east and i think that it is terrible how they treat women there with the honnar killings and everything. i hope that you can make a differrence in the middle east Name: Karen Wood Date: 2005-02-27 11:49:06 E-mail: whitewolf1@nycap.rr.com Comment: This is for Marysmith901.... this issue isn't about fear or punishment or anything like that. That is what the so-called "men" over there would like you to believe, and it's a pile of Kentucky horsecrap. Would YOU like it if your husband or significant other treated you like that? It's nothing but gynophobia, plain and simple. I've been persicuted many a time for things that were totally unrelated to me. If there is anybody who should "get a life" over there, it should be the "men"! Maybe if they spent LESS time worrying about what the women are doing and spent MORE time doing something constructive / getting an education / getting a JOB.... everyone would be better off! It has gone way beyond too much. Religion, ANY religion, is toxic to women and children. It's been used as an excuse to explain away barbarity and abuse. In my opinion, even here in the USA, it's starting to backslide. Men HAVE to grow up and realize that a penis IS NOT a magic wand or a Staff of Command. GET A GRIP GUYS!!!! I know I may seem unusally harsh on men, but I speak nothing more than the truth. They wouldn't tolerate it if the situation were reversed.... they would all be crying like babies in 2 seconds flat, trust me. That is why I left the whole religious scene back in the 70's. When ALL societies learn to treat men and women as equals and respect the talents and abilities of BOTH genders, THAT'S when we might start seeing some peace in this world. Name: Karen Wood Date: 2005-02-24 23:58:07 E-mail: whitewolf1@nycap.rr.com Comment: I am relatively new to this site, and have been reading stories, both good and bad. Even though I am an American and have been living in freedom all my life, even here the religious right is aiming to take away, (or at least restrict....) my rights based on nothing more than my gender. I have known for a long time that in the middle east that it is far worse. Can I offer my Secular Sisters a suggestion? IF THE MEN WANT TO TREAT YOU THAT WAY, DON'T DO ANYTHING and I mean anything.... FOR THEM!!!! DON'T get married to them.... DON'T have sex with them. DON'T have children with them. DON'T cook and clean for them (let them get off their lazy male asses and do it for themselves....) DON'T, under ALL circumstances, DON'T cover yourself.... wear what YOU want to. If a man approaces you, ANY man, cross your arms across your chest momentarily, TURN YOUR BACK AND WALK AWAY FROM HIM. Refuse to acknowledge his preasence. If your men wanna play the game, play it right back at them. IT will take EVERY woman doing th is all at one time to be effective. Maybe some lives will be lost, but will be worth the effort. If you all did this, I could be in a couple of months time the men would be BEGGING for attention. Also, ARM YOURSELF. find a way to get some kind of weapon and learn to use it in case you need to defend yourself. ( a bullet in the balls would cool any man off....) Any ideas for feedback? Name: Susan Date: 2005-02-17 08:16:31 E-mail: whtzhap@yahoo.com Comment: Looking for Iraq women for offroad race for peace!! The Rallye Aicha des Gazelles, is looking for 1 Iraq women to participate to the event this year in Morocco at the end of April. (April 21th to April 29th) For 15 years now the Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles has been extolling the virtues of strategy, keen driving and a sharp sense of direction in this event open to motorised land vehicles (motorbikes, quad bikes, 4WDs, trucks, buggies.) The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles is a major event in the world of female adventure sports! It offers women, both amateurs and professionals, a ten-day immersion in the world of African rallies. In a effort for peace one American ( my self) and one women from Irak (or mother or father came from there) to race together in the desert of Sahara, the places are free, we already have a sponsor in place waiting for 1 Iraq women to come along as my team-mate. I you know anyone interested please email me ASAP.. Thank you... Susan Meyer Email: whtzhap@yahoo.com Name: Zoe Zidbeck Date: 2005-02-16 18:48:13 E-mail: realzoe@hotmail.com Comment: Unless the Iraqi parliamen t comes to select its' PM by means of Ranked (Preferential ) Bllot, it may not jhold & the world will be in danger of going to war over some oil well. Becxause it gives an e2qual chance of winning to all combinations of programs & not just "parties", it is the only thing that is truly just. Please see www.preferential ballotparty.org Name: William Date: 2004-12-18 17:21:12 E-mail: maruskk@hotmail.com Comment: Eu, Brasileiro, vejo muitas desigualdades em meu País. Mas nada se compara com os sofrimentos dos povos do Oriente... Name: Zoe Zidbeck Date: 2004-12-05 21:07:42 E-mail: realzoe@hotmail.com Comment: Unless the Iraqi Parliament comes to select its PM by (top-dead-center, counter-extrmeist & thus anti-terrorist) Preferential (ranked multiple-choice) Ballot, it may not hold & the world will be in danger of going to war over some oil well. Be a shining light & see that this powerful idea gets put in time to as many Iraqis as possible. See www.preferentialballotparty.org for further discussion. Name: Tabitha Wells Date: 2004-11-29 09:02:31 E-mail: tabitha200004@yahoo.com.au Comment: Thank you for this informative site. I must admit I was totally naive concerning FGM, until I read a small article on it, while reading about honour killings, in the Australian Coalition Against Death Penalty website. I was stunned and shocked to know FGM is actually taking place around the world in this modern-day. The world media never publishes stories on FGM. Why are governments allowing men to contuning this abuse against women? I commend you for your work in campaigning and educating others on FGM. Women must be encouraged to say "NO". Name: Rachel Date: 2004-11-15 06:40:49 E-mail: fubaglady@aol.com Comment: CDWRME, I wish for enlightened sanity and modernism to overtake the Arab world so that Arab and Muslim women can finally be considered equals to men, and be allowed to apply all their intelligence and talents to help better the life of all your people. There can be no success in a country or culture where half the population is oppressed by the other. Only when women are liberated from repression, will the world find true peace. I wish God's blessings on Muslim women. You must fight for your rights and show no fear so that your female children and grandchildren will know freedom in the future. All free peoples have had to suffer and fight for it. But it's worth it. From a Christian woman in America, Rachel Name: Starwak Date: 2004-11-07 06:40:41 E-mail: babyhihi2003@yahoo.com Comment: Dear Azam ,I am not a mislim but i know about islamic laws so I have to inform u about honor killing in park , in fact that is not in islamic law or islamic tradition that may by parkistan unislamic tradition no any relation with islam , i am sure the article about honor killing baseless .Starwak ,University of London Name: Basim Date: 2004-10-11 13:49:04 E-mail: iraqi_lover01@yahoo.com Comment: i hate Islam because they forbid me from having my normal lie and dont let me express my love for a woman the have washed the brain of womman and told the that relations with men without marriage is wrong you know all that what i really wanna say that you are doing a great gob by writing in this site about iraqi women, but who are? the muslims now are controlling the situation in iraq you should attack them by opening arabic anti islamic websites, i will open one but we need more. thanks. Name: julia Lynn Date: 2004-10-01 19:34:45 E-mail: julialynn@hotmail.com Comment: My question is this. If an American woman marries a Palestinian man in the United States and then travels to Palestine as his wife, is she a Palestinian citizen? Name: N Date: 2004-09-24 11:50:15 E-mail: ka_n@yahoo.com Comment: Date: Thu, 23 Sep 2004 Subject: Women's Rights Hello, I stumbled upon your website through google and I have to say I support your views. I am not Muslim, but I am marrying a Muslim woman and we feel the rights of women in Islam are virtually non-existent. We want to help in our way, we're in New Jersey in the US, we're trying to spread the word and open people's eyes of the plight of these women. If we can help or do our piece please let us know. Thank You, N Name: Dianne Gereluk Date: 2004-09-13 16:33:36 E-mail: d.gerluk@roehampton.ac.uk Comment: Subject: Tunisian education policy Date: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 I am hoping that you may help me find some information regarding whether Tunisia has banned girls from wearing the hijab in public schools? If you could let me know of where I could find this information that would be much appreciated. Many thanks, Dianne Gereluk ------------------------------------ Roehampton University oF Surrey Dr Dianne Gereluk Senior Lecturer d.gereluk@roehampton.ac.uk Froebel College Roehampton Lane London SW15 5PJ tel: +44(0)20 8392 3237 fax: +44(0)20 8392 3238 ------------------------------------ Name: ahlers Date: 2004-09-07 19:31:51 E-mail: ahlers_win@hotmail.com> Comment: I have read your article on: http://www.secularislam.org/humanrights/silent.htm I agree with what you are saying. However, being born in the Netherlands, I am biased and naive concerning the Islam. I have read thousands of articles and dozens of forums, but that does not make me an expert! I have tried to debate with some muslim sites but very rarely got an answer (probably because I am kufr). I have send letters and internet links to our local political leaders. Maybe it is taken in consideration, maybe it is not...I don't know because I receive no answer. The following I like to add to your (desperate) plead: In my opinion everybody is free to believe whatever (s)he likes, even extreme thoughts! However, everybody, person or government must respect the declaration of human rights - all of them! - as declared by the UN. Freedom of religion exists by respecting freedom! Reversely, no religion can restrict this right of freedom based on some religious conviction or belief. Consequently; any religion that actively does not respect these basic freedoms does not deserve our respect and can therefore be forbidden. In other words (example): You may think woman are less then man but you may not treat woman less then man. You may believe in honor killing but you are not allowed to 'honor kill'. By the way, in my honest opinion, the words 'honor' and 'kill' do not fit into the same sentence. In contrast to what you have said: I can respect a muslim person...but...he must respect that I don't agree with his/her believe. (I realize that you are referring more to the dangers inherently connected to the strong Islamic believe and desire of non-secularislam) Regards, Wim Ahlers (The Netherlands). (by the way...in the years 1997-1999 I did have a Irian collegue who had fled Iran...and I did have some discussions with him...). _________________________________________________________________ Name: karim Date: 2004-09-07 19:27:46 E-mail: karim14@comcast.net Comment: Date: Sat, 4 Sep 2004 Dear Azam, I browsed through your site and I was quite interested in your activism until I read the article in which you called for a "war on Islam". I am an atheist (originally from Morocco), and I am opposed to any mixing of religion and politics. However, your approach is as radical as the Islamic radicals one. Your type of movement if given power will most likely turn to brutality and radicalism because it is not based on respect and moderation. The communists (or Marxists) have also opposed religion, and in the end they turned to brutality. You might claim to defend women's rights, but in fact you are promoting a radical agenda which in the end will violate people's sincere rights to believe in whatever they want. Iran's experience is restricted to Iran. It can not be projected on every Arab country. Remember that most Arabs "supported" Saddam's war against Iran because no one wanted Iran's fundamentalism. Iran's fundamentalism is totalitarian, Saudi Arabia's is merely conservatism heavily influenced by local Saudi traditions. You see the Saudi see no problem in dealing with Americans (or Westerners in general), they even have McDonalds in Mekkah. I am not defending Saudi Arabia, but ideologically there is a big difference between Saudi Arabia and Iran. If you want popular support for your agenda, then you need to tone down your radicalism. I will not support a movement that insults my parent's sincere beliefs in their religion even though I don't believe in religion myself. Radicalism only creates radicalism and unfortunately your radicalism is a product of Iran's radicalism. Maybe some kind of therapy might help you overcome your unfortunate past. Best wishes, Karim Name: Yudit Ilany Date: 2004-08-25 19:33:39 E-mail: yudit@elig.co.il Comment: Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2004 Subject: urgent help needed for trafficking victim in Turkey Hello, My name is Yudit ilany. I am a representative of the Israeli Anti Trafficking Coalition and the manager of Tair Rape Crisis Center. We received a cry for help from a Russian woman who was trafficked to Turkey and is held forcefully and kept in prositution against her will and under very bad conditions. It appears she is exposed to extreme violence on a daily basis We are trying to locate a Turkish Woman's Organization who may be able to provide help. Can you perhaps refer me to such an organization? thanking you in advance, Yudit Ilany Tair Rape Crisis Center Name: Natalie M Date: 2004-08-03 00:15:45 E-mail: npassa@LearnLink.Emory.Edu Comment: Date: Mon, 02 Aug 2004 Subject: Further reading on "Girls' Nightmare in Muslim Families" Hello, I read your article, "Girls' Nightmare in Muslim Families: Forced Marriages in Europe," on the ISIS webpage. Could you inform me of the sources you used to write the article for my own further reading? Thanks so much, I enjoyed the article! Natalie Name: Joseph Carvalko Date: 2004-08-01 15:56:46 E-mail: Comment: My coauthor (an artist) and I (a writer) have just published a book entitled A Deadly Fog, about the agony of war, such as we witness in Iraq and around the world. It represents a collection of stories, essays, poems and art that trains the hand of the poet and the eye of the artist on how war brings whole societies to its knees, killing, maiming and displacing thousands of people, both civilian and combatant. In A Deadly Fog we have combined surrealism, realism, satire and irony set into a backdrop of unimaginable sacrifice, cruelty, and hubris, not as a paean to honor war, but to argue against its glorification. We hope that the work inspires others to raise their voices in protest against the preference of war as solution to problems in integration, poverty (starvation, sickness), natural resources (water, oil and land) and political ideology. If your organization has an interest in an article relating to the subject of our book, please let us know. We request that your website post an invitation to its readership to review the work at: http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?q3=3z9jgUFxsno%253d Sincerely Joseph Carvalko Name: al Date: 2004-08-01 10:39:40 E-mail: Lavan2@aol.com Comment: I did read your articles. Thank you thousand times. Thank you from the young girl in Iran who has been forced to wear burqa. Thank you from the teen age girl in Nigeria who is escaping the circumcision rite. Thank you from the brothel in Moroco, who has been forced to that following the death of his husband. Thank you from the beaten woman in Jordan, Egypt, Pakistan, Bangaladesh, ... Thank you from the raped ( and impregnated by IRI Pasdar ) woman who now lives in Los Angeles, and been raising that half souled child, and unable to explain to her child, who is real father. Many thanks to you, from the oppressed women who can not speak out. Many thanks from the illitrate woman, that still can not read and write, and the numbers are imens. May the Loving power of nature, grant you longer life. May the archangelical power of the nature give the wisdom and undrestanding to fight for the abused, because simply they are born XX . Name: Ophelia Benson Date: 2004-07-25 03:54:36 E-mail: editor@butterfliesandwheels.com Comment: This site is brilliant. Name: katy Date: 2004-07-24 11:37:04 E-mail: katyiglet@lycos.co.uk Comment: From: "katy Subject: Research Date: Fri, 23 Jul 2004 Hello, I am trying to contact Iranian women in the Nottingham or London area in order to conduct informal interviews/discussions about the situation for women in Iran - specifically Iranian, and global women's groups. I am a student at Nottingham Trent University, studying for my Master's Degree in Globalization, Identity and Technonlogy. My dissertation topic is the growth of the Iranian women's movement over the last ten years or so. I was given this contact by a group working for Iraqi solidarity. I want to explore the women's movement in Iran and it's global connections, through women's own experience. Would you be able to put me in touch with any women that could discuss their involvement or views, or send me any information on working happening in the country at the moment? As only an English speaker I am finding it difficult to get up to the minute information. Any help would be much appreciated. Yours faithfully, Katy Huxley Name: Fatma Mohammad Date: 2004-07-16 10:05:03 E-mail: fighterforislam@hotmail.com Comment: From: "Fatma Mohammad" Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 azami kamiguani sorry for the mispelling of your name but i dont think you deserve the respect of having you name spelt orrectly. the way you criticise theprohet MUHAMMAD (peace and blessing of Allah be upon Him) the most perfect individual and the most love by Allah (swt) the best to women and granted them rights that they had never even dreamed of. if you somehow i your tiny little brain think that he was anti women, you and that fuck ibn warraq, you must be living in a dream. did it ever occur to you that judaism has a specific supplication when entering the synagogue they thank their lord for not creating them a women??? or christianity when they blame Eve for picking the apple off the tree while Islam blames both Adam and Eve????? or a you just ignorant to the fact that the honor killings that occur in pakistan are traditional customs that have no basis in islam. do you know the punishment of accusing a women of adultery laid down in the Quran or are you just ignorant to that too "those who defame chaste women and do not bring four witnesses should be punsihed with eighty lashes, and their testimony should not be accepted afterward, for they are profligates(24:4) and do you think that possibly the same punsihment is laid down for men too??? your argument against Islam makes no sense because it seems perfectly clear that you have not researched Islamic teachings correctly rather you have looked at practises in "so called" Isalmic lands these lands do not operate by Islam it is clear when that fuck musharraf helps america. wait a minute i thought Islam was anti-american as well?? how is it a so called muslim is helping america?? are you that blunt that you cannot see the hypocracy??? this proves that islam isnt being operated in these countries!! do you even know the teachings of islam to claim that it is anti women?? i can say that you are an ignorant because i have just proved it!!!! if you want to discuss islamic teachings i can answer you questions!!! Name: Eqball Nazargahi Date: 2004-07-06 23:18:51 E-mail: eqballn@hotmail.com Comment: Dear Azam Kamgoyan, if I'm a member for WPIran than can I be a member to this organization also? Ans I should tell you the truth that I am not a active person in this area, but I would like to be. Your sincerely, eqball nazargahi Name: jmel@post.harvard.edu Date: 2004-06-29 18:42:50 E-mail: John Immel Comment: Subject: Islamic Gender Studies Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 Dear Committee to Defend Women's Rights in the Middle East, I found your information on the web and am writing to ask if any of your students would be interested in studying with us in the fall? We are building a foreign exchange program in Islamic Gender Studies with Professor Fatima Sadiqi at the University of Fes in Morocco. There, Professor Sadiqi directs the graduate program in Islamic Gender Studies at the University of Fes. This is the first graduate program in Islamic Gender Studies in the country of Morocco. Her program is officially supported by the Moroccan Government and His Majesty Mohammed V. Professor Sadiqi is also known for her work as a linguist, and has authored several books on linguistics and gender in Morocco. We would like to extend a special invitation to your students to come to the rich and culturally diverse society of Fes for a unique opportunity to study Islamic Gender Studies in a Muslim country. Our website is located at http://www.jimmel.com?r=s&u=4698 Thank you, Sincerely, With Respect, John Immel Director, International Programs, Center for Islamic Gender Studies Cambridge, MA. P: 617-576-2898 Name: Amy Logan Date: 2004-06-28 22:13:52 E-mail: al@amylogan.com Comment: Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 Dear Azam, I have read that in pre-Islamic times, female infants were often buried alive to avoid any shame they might bring to the family in the future (wa'ad al binat). Muhammed supposedly put an end to that practice. If that's true, then females were being killed for honor prior to men. Perhaps men began to be punished for adultery when Muhammed outlawed this wa'ad al binat? At what point in history do you think it switched back to killing women, albeit not infants? Certainly it wouldn't be the same in every region or country. I'm most interested in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon, if you have any specific knowledge of those countries. Thank you for your thoughtful assistance. Amy Logan Name: Amy Logan Date: 2004-06-26 12:02:02 E-mail: al@amylogan.com Comment: Dear Azam, I read your article on-line. I'm researching a novel on honor killing. I wonder if you have any idea when and why families in areas that commit honor killings started punishing/killing their women for adultery/rape instead of their lovers/rapists? I am thinking it might have started when they realized they could avoid a blood feud if they didn't go after the man, but I haven't found any hard evidence of this yet. Any ideas? Best wishes, Amy Logan Name: Mike Lallatin Date: 2004-06-26 02:52:18 E-mail: mikelallatin@comcast.net Comment: An absolute standard for judging the degree of evil in any professed creed is the treatment of women and children, and the sanctity of the family in society. May I suggest: The Family: A Proclamation to the World The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints "We solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator's plan for the eternal destiny of His children. All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshiped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize his or her divine destiny as an heir of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally. The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God's commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife. We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God's eternal plan. Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. "Children are an heritage of the Lord" (Psalms 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another, to observe the commandments of God and to be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations. The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed. We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets. We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society." This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah Name: User Date: 2004-06-13 17:11:51 E-mail: user@nospam.com Comment: Great site. Keep up the good work! http://veraciraptor.blogspot.com Name: Elizabeth eskander Date: 2004-06-04 17:40:32 E-mail: e.eskander@reunite.demon.co.uk Comment: Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2004 Subject: reunite database Good afternoon, I have previously contacted you with regard to the project I am doing at a charity called reunite on child custody law and child abduction. Part of my research is to put together a database of NGOs who work in Women's or children's rights. The main work of this charity is inproviding an advice line offering information and advice to those who find themselves involved in a case of child abduction. We would like to set up a database of organisations in all countries to aid the exchange of information or who may be able to help some of those who contact us. I am writing to ask if your organisation would like to be added to our database or if you know of an NGO or support group that we could add to our database. Also in the final publication of our current research we aim to include a list of relevant organisations that people might contact for information. If you would like your organisation to included in either or both of these lists please let me know and send a brief outline of the the aims and activities of your organisation. Many thanks for your help and support best regards -- Elizabeth Iskander Research Co-ordinator Reunite International PO Box 7124 Leicester LE1 7XX United Kingdom Name: voon voon Date: 2004-05-22 11:13:36 E-mail: jo_voon@yahoo.com.t Comment: Date: Sat, 22 May 2004 Subject: Some inquries about forced marriage Hi Mr. Azam Kamguian, My name is Josephine and I am an international student studying in a university in Australia.I am a Media Studies student and currently working on a script addressing the issue of forced marriage. While doing my research about the subject, I've come across an article by you regarding the topic titled " Girls' nightmare in Muslim Families: Forced Marriages in Europe" on the homepage of Institute for the Secularisation of Islamic Society. After finished reading the article, I have some questions which I would like to ask. And I hope you could help me about it. From the information I have at the moment, I found that all of them is dated before the year 2004. Besides, I hardly found something for the year 2003. There's nothing recent. So, I wonder has the number of the practice (known or unknown by the public) reduced or the issue is just not as 'hot' as it used to be until it has been ignored. To me, both sound quite impossible. But, I just can't figure it out what is happening now. By the way, I would like to know when was the article of yours that I mentioned above written. You talked about the lack of legal helps given to the victims in Europe. Does that happen in the whole Europe, or only in certain countries? Other than that, has action been taken to solve the problem now in those contries? The reason why I asked the question is because I got confused as I did read something about the efforts of British government trying to tackle the issue. Well, I guess that is all for now. It'd be great if you could give some information on the topic. I hope to hear from you and thank you very much. Cheers, Jo. Name: Krystal Allicock Date: 2004-05-18 23:51:33 E-mail: kappajlpha@yahoo.com Comment: Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 Subject: Muslim girls in France Ms. Kamguian, My name is Krystal Allicock and I am an A-level student living in the West Indies. For my French oral topic i wish to bring to light the subject of honour-killings in Middle Eastern countries. However it is imperative that I relate this subject back to France in some way. Your article, "Girls' Nightmare in Muslim Families: Forced Marriages in Europe" has been very helpful. I wish to know if you have more specific information on how Muslim girls in France are treated, compared to their male siblings. If you would be so kind as to send me such information as soon as possible I will be much obliged. Thank you in advance for your kind consideration. Yours Faithfully, Krystal Allicock Name: Drew Fuller. Date: 2004-05-17 19:16:58 E-mail: dbear100@hotmail.com Comment: Subject: Women's rights project. Date: Mon, 17 May 2004 I am 15 and a freshmen in high school, and I am taking a class about the middle east, this class has really opened my eyes to the world outside of the U.S. and the issues women face in the middle east. For my class we get to pick a subject in about something that has been happening or recently happened in the middle east and I picked Women's rights. I have been looking for information on it but haven't really had all that much time to look. I was wondering if you could enlighten me on some of the issues involving the women's rights in the middle east. It would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Drew Fuller. Name: Autum Dierking Date: 2004-05-17 09:59:20 E-mail: Comment: Subject: Request for Info Date: Sun, 16 May 2004 To: Committee to Defend Women's Rights in the Middle East c/o Azam Kamguian 503 South Hillhurst Road Ridgefield, WA 98642 autumreign@hotmail.com Subject: Request For Information Dear Committee to Defend Women's Rights in the Middle East, My name is Autum Dierking and I am currently completing a final project for my Social Studies class on women’s rights in the Middle East. I recently discovered your organization’s site on the net and became interested in your cause. If at all possible, could you send me more information about your efforts in the Middle East? Pamphlets and other forms of information would be greatly appreciated in helping me to complete my project. I would love to know more about what your organization is doing to support women in the Middle East in these hard times. Thank you so much for your time and your efforts to help women everywhere! Again, I would greatly appreciate any information you could provide me via email or letter in my quest to complete my project. Sincerely, Autum Dierking Name: Gordon Date: 2004-05-12 19:52:31 E-mail: Gordon.Leaterdale@Noblgp.com Comment: Date: Wed, 12 May 2004 From: Gordon Leatherdale Whilst I have serious problems with the concept of prostitution, and also accept that this email is out of date, beheading in any society is both disgusting and inhumane. Despite the dfifficulties in Iraq at the moment, what Saddam did to those poor girls and what those people did to that American is frankly disgusting. We hope that one day the overwhelming power of human decency, regardless of religion or creed, will prevail. Name: Little Red Stervinski Date: 2004-04-27 09:07:45 E-mail: beeks8@msn.com> Comment: I need women right info please Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 Azam Kamguian, Hi, my name is Becky and i'm 15. I am doing a projuect for a history class of mine. I am researching about women's rights in the Middle East. I was wondering if you could send me an avearage daily schedule of a woman's day and a girl's day. For example, my mom's day would be: first she would wake up and go to work. On her way home she would pick me up at school. On the way home from school she drops me off at work (I choose to have an afterschool job). Then she will go home and relax, clean, and cookl dinner. My schedule would be: Wake up, go to school,have my mom take me to work, go home and do my homework, eat dinner, and on weekends I might go shopping or to a movie. So I would be very grateful if you could send me any information at all. I also would want to get a schedule from you. If you could send me information as soon as possible that would be great. Thank you so much! :) p.s. any info would help Name: Cindy Gregg Date: 2004-04-26 17:36:49 E-mail: Comment: Subject: Assistance please Date: Mon, 26 Apr 2004 Hi - I work for the U S Department of State in Mosul Iraq, working with a group of women who are interested in setting up a Center for Iraqi Women. This center will have two distinct elements: it will set up work for women, and it will set up committees to liaison with local government regarding women's health, rights, education and business policies. Iraq - and even more so this northern provice - is torn about by ethnic and religious deep-rooted mutual suspicion. They need this center that will be open to all women - and will teach them about their rights. Does your organization fund projects like this? I am seeking about $20,000 to give them start-up funding. CPA leaves in July and we would like to give them a toehold on their future before we go. If you do accept proposals/requests for funding, would you please let me know the process? Thank you, Cindy Gregg Name: Maria Date: 2004-04-23 10:47:54 E-mail: haw_a@hotmail.com Comment: Thu, 22 Apr 2004 23:19:00 -0700 Dear Azam! I have read your many article and books and I was please by reading them. Im a kurdish young woman and currently im working with many women organization in Australia. At the moment we doing project on Middle Eastern women education and their chance of getting job or working, for example- how much right do they have to work? How much do they get pay if they work? Their right of education etc. I have read your few articles and books, they are really helping us with the project. But is that be possible if you give us some information on rate of women working at Middle east- I mean what is the percetage of women working out side the house camparing to men and how much less do they get pay camparing to men. Same with the education- what is the percentage of women having education camparing to men. Thank you very much Azar for help and sharing your ideas with us. I be pleased if I get any feed back from you. Maria Name: Peder Jensen Date: 2004-04-18 19:57:54 E-mail: prudkafr@hotmail.com> Comment: Hello. My name is Mr. Peder Jensen. I come from Norway, and I have been reading your articles about women’s rights in the Middle East. I admire your work. I have contacts with some journalists in my country. Is it ok if I direct them to you and your website, as a point of reference when discussing the rights of young immigrant girls? Issues such as the veil, for instance, which are hotly debated. We face the same "multicultural" ideology here as elsewhere in the West these days. What can I personally do to help your work? Except for money, which I don't have too much of? Yours sincerely, Mr. Peder Jensen. Name: Antonia Bertschinger Date: 2004-04-17 09:33:13 E-mail: TERE.DES.FEMES@swissonline.ch Comment: Subject: Honour killings Hello I am working for a women's rights organization called terre des femmes Switzerland and I am right now compiling a report about honour killings in Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan. I wonder if you could help me with a few questions. These concern four main areas: 1. laws: is it possible to obtain legal texts from Iraq and Afghanistan? (I am working with an Iranian lawyer who provides me with Iranian legal expertise). I am interested in all aspects of family law and in those >parts of criminal law that deal with "honour killers". This interest applies not only to the current laws, but also to former legal codes (i.e. the Saddam era in Iraq and the pre-soviet, Soviet , Mujaheddin and Taliban eras for Afghanistan). 2. customs/public opinion: can public opinion on the subject of honour killings be gouged in the three countries mentioned? 3. statistical information: are exact figures available? are there persons or organizations who collect these cases, or do we only hear from individual stories? 4. the fight against honour killings: who is fighting against this phenomenen, and how? I would be very happy if you could help me with one, several or all of these questions! Of course they are difficult to answer, but I think even a little information will do much to make this subject public here in Switzerland. So I thank you very much for your help! with many thanks! Antonia Bertschinger from Switzerland if you are interested in our organisation, please see www.fraenechte.de. this is the web-site of our "mother organisation" in Germany. sorry it's in German only! Name: Lisa W Date: 2004-04-16 22:13:45 E-mail: lisa_waltes@hotmail.com Comment: From: "Lisa Waltes Subject: Womens Rights Information Date: Fri, 16 Apr Hi, My name is Lisa Waltes and I am in grade 10. I am doing a research paper and I decided to do it on Women's Rights in the Middle East. I have collected some information to help me write this paper but I was wondering if you could help me? Seeing that you know a lot more about this topic than I do, and I am very interested and would like to learn more about the horrible things that are happening in the Middle East, I wanted to know if you could give me some information about the rules that they must live by, or certain punishments that these women must face. Anything at all would be very helpful! Thank you for your time, Sincerely, Lisa Walters Name: -Dain Date: 2004-03-31 07:19:21 E-mail: Mupetblast@aol.com Comment: Subject: Women in Afghanistan and Iraq Hi. I was wondering about your opinion of the state of women in post Taliban Afghanistan and post Saddam Iraq. Do you think these two wars have been a step forward for the freedom of women or a setback? Thank you for your time. -Dain Name: K.B. Majeed Date: 2004-03-19 14:55:54 E-mail: K.B.Majeed@Bradford.ac.uk Comment: From: Date: Thu, 18 Mar 2004 17:53:03 +0000 Mr Azam Kamguian I was very interested in reading you article concerning honour killing in middle eastern countries. You have explained cultural practices but yet attempted to use Islam as a prevalent reason of honour killings. If we are to actually look at the rights Islam gave to women 14 hundered years ago compared to any other culture or religion. Islam was the first to allow women to vote,work, educate, own property as well as choose her own spouse. other >religions at that time were debating whether a woman had a soul or not. Honour killings is not a an Islamic practice but a disgusting cultural one. Forgive me but you don't seem to have reserched Islam well. In the case of fornication ,Yes Islam has stated flogging and stoning only if the two male and female individual are caught by four pious people at the same time and if penertration has been seen >altogether by the four inviduals and also if they are disturbing the peace ie doing it outside in front of everyone. Punishment is the same for both >individuals independent of gender. May I take this oppotunity to thank you for highlighting the issue on honour killing, and look forward to your reply. K.B. Majeed Name: Randi Date: 2004-03-16 17:45:41 E-mail: north@harpes.org> Comment: Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:18:54 -0500 Subject: urgent Harper's Magazine request Date: Tue, 16 Mar 2004 11:18:54 -0500 Subject: urgent Harper's Magazine request From: "Randy Hartwell" Add to Address Book To: azam_kamguian@yahoo.com Hello, I noticed your e-mail address on the aviva.org website after an article about new regulations for female Saudi students. My magazine would very much like to get a copy of these new rules. Do you know where I might obtain them? Thanks. Hello, I noticed your e-mail address on the aviva.org website after an article about new regulations for female Saudi students. My magazine would very much like to get a copy of these new rules. Do you know where I might obtain them? Thanks. Name: tp Date: 2004-03-15 17:07:27 E-mail: Tap08@aol.com Comment: Date: Mon, 15 Mar 2004 10:57:44 EST Hello I am doing a research paper on women's rights in the Middle East and I was wondering if you can help .I am only an 8th grade student and I would like to be more educated about this topic .Thank you for your time . Thank you Name: Riet Straetmans" Date: 2004-03-11 11:50:37 E-mail: Comment: From: "Riet Straetmans" Subject: Information forced marriages (EYP) Date: Mon, 08 Mar 2004 Hello, I'm Riet Straetmans, I'm 16 and I live in Belgium. Together with 9 other pupils of my school I participate the European Youth Parliament. A initiative that encourages teenagers to disscus European topics. Our group was titled 'The Commission on Women Rights and equal opportunities', a theme that brought me to your website. In our resolution we also talk about the forced marriages phenomenon in Europe and we plead for a stricter control . For the moment we're looking for some information on this subject, and I wondered if you could help us? Everything is welcome; information (where? why? what to do about it?), numbers, etc... Greetings, Riet Straetmans Name: Johanne Mygind Date: 2004-02-27 13:39:54 E-mail: Comment: Subject: The situation of Saudi women and education Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2004 1 From: "Johanne Mygind DR UNG" Dear Azam Kamguian I am a Danish journalist working for Danish Broadcast Cooperation. I have just arrived home from the Middle East where I did some radio programs on the situation of women in the region. I am now looking for someone who can tell me more about the current developments in Saudi Arabia regarding women's right to work and movement. My focus is on education for girls and on the current reforms that is apperently taking place in the educational system. Do you know somebody who is following the situation in Saudi Arabia and who has views and knowledge on the subject? I hope you are able to help me, I will try to contact you by phone later on today. Yours sincerely Johanne Mygind Name: Kiki Date: 2004-02-25 22:56:03 E-mail: Beik Comment: Subject: Swedish reporter: info about Turkey? From: "Kiki Beik" Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 22:31:50 +0100 Dear Azam, Sara Muhammed recommended me to get in contact with you. I , Kiki Bek, work as a newsreporter at the Swedish public service TV. Next week I plan to go to Turkey to report about "honour" killings. The directorate for religious affairs in Ankara has now told the imams to condemn "crimes of honour". I wonder if you have contact with womens organizations in Turkey who work with these issues? I've spoken to one organization called "Flying Broom". Do you know them? I also wonder if you might have data about how common these crimes are in Turkey? Thank you so much in advance, Kiki Beik, reporter at Swedish Television, Stockholm e-mail: kiki.beik@svt.se phone: +46-70-884 73 10 or: +46-8-784 3582 Name: mikaela_lind Date: 2004-02-18 16:56:38 E-mail: mikaela_lind@spray.se Comment: I am not sure, but I think it is against french law to do something rasistical. And isn't that Law suggestion about forbidding veils in the school rasistic? Name: Kristen Biehl Date: 2004-02-12 12:15:41 E-mail: ksbiehl@yahoo.com> Comment: Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 02:44:43 -0800 (PST) From: "Kristen Sarah Biehl" < Subject: Your bulletin Hello, My name is Kristen Biehl and I am studying social anthropology and development studies at SOAS University in London. Next year I am planning to write a thesis on contemporary gender relations in Turkey, specifically considering the role of women's rights NGOs and other gender related projects by the UNDP and British Council. I recevied your bulletin as a forward from a friend and wanted to know how I may subscribe to receive your bulletin's regularly. Thank you very much Kristen Biehl