Yes, Irmeli, I have discussed female mutilation with these gentlemen. They are no longer young. Let's see, they were in their early twenties in 1982, so they are now pushing fifty. They are all intelligent, kind, and spiritually inclined men who appear to respect women. At least, they respect me very much. I was their teacher, and they still think of me that way, which is a little weird from my point of view.
So it must be the case that not all Muslims are stupid and bigoted. a --- Irmeli Mattsson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Angela > Mailander > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > > You must have some very different Muslims in > Europe > > than the ones I have met here. In 1982 I taught > a > > very unusual class of ESL at Kent State > University. > > All 25 guys from Muslim and Arabic speaking > countries. > > They were an amazing bunch of young gentlemen, > and > > the only classes I've ever taught that were > similar > > were the tenth grade boys at MSAE. Those young > > Muslims were intelligent, kind, and spiritual. > I've > > kept in touch with a number of them, and they > continue > > to be what they were then, except that with age, > > kindness has become more important to them than > > intelligence. a > > > > > Those Muslim's I described I have not met > personally. I was referring > to interviews I have seen on TV or read from a > newspaper or magazine. > And every single time I have perceived errors in > their conceptual > thinking. > > Most recent was an interview of a Muslim spiritual > leader in Finland. > He was considered to be very moderate in his > thinking. > He explained a lot about what Muslim women are > allowed to do, and what > not, and why their community controls so much their > behaviour. He > explained how this actually benefits and protects > the women. He also > said that men and women are equal. > Then the interviewer asked about the female genital > mutilation. The > man told he does not accept it. Then the interviewer > said that it is > done here in Finland also. The man admitted it. The > interviewer asked > then what he has done to stop this practise. He > answered: I'm not the > guard of my brother. > > What kind of logic is this? He doesn't guard his > brothers, but he says > he guards his sisters to protect them. But actually > allows the most > terrible cruelty being done to girls, because he > does not guard what > the Muslim community does to their girls, even if he > does not accept > this doing. > > This is truly convoluted reasoning. In every > interview so far I have > perceived some similar sort fundamental errors in > their conceptual > reasoning. > > Did you ever discuss these kinds of matters with > those young men? > > Irmeli > > > Send instant messages to your online friends http://uk.messenger.yahoo.com
