Far Right enraged over Laura Bush wearing headscarf in Middle East

Verv · Oct 28, 2007

Personally, respecting local customs (even if they are sometimes repressive) is a part of diplomacy. I do not find it to be terrible or wrong but merely diplomatic.

The right wing is overreacting to this -- the Saudis are trying to modernize and have been our friends through thick and thin, and so I admire them for it though some see this trait as two-faced.

I can only muster up a shoulder shrug at this point.

Thirst_For_Knowledge · Oct 28, 2007

Who cares. All religions are strange, and I don't really care if someone follows their strange customs when in their lands.

I certainly wear a shirt everyday, out in public, even though I'd much rather not (I hate being hot and sticky).

RealDealNeverstop · Oct 28, 2007

The Saudis have been our friends? Oh man. A country that finances terrorism and where the 9/11 hijackers came from is our friend? Did the definition of friend change? They have never been our friends-when opec formed we promised military protection if the promised to trade oil only in USD. Why do people think oil is globally traded in USD? Luck?

rahma · Oct 28, 2007

So, um yeah, from what I can tell from the various pictures of Mrs. Bush's trip, she mostly didn't wear hijab. On occasion, she put it on, like when she received a scarf as a gift. Quelle horror

Cuz we all know that the best thing to do when we receive a gift is spit on it and throw it back in the gifter's face. That does wonders for diplomacy.

Also, women in KSA aren't getting access to medical facilities? This ain't Afganistan under the taliban. Women are doctors there.

/s/
rahma
unoppressed hijabi fashionista extrodinaire and proud owner of several hot pink head scarves among a collection that is bordering 100, who is now going off to swim at the Y in her fabulous splashgear swimsuit and later will pump some iron, all while wearing a dasterdly hijab.

vipertaja · Oct 28, 2007

rahma said:
So, um yeah, from what I can tell from the various pictures of Mrs. Bush's trip, she mostly didn't wear hijab. On occasion, she put it on, like when she received a scarf as a gift. Quelle horror Cuz we all know that the best thing to do when we receive a gift is spit on it and throw it back in the gifter's face. That does wonders for diplomacy.

Also, women in KSA aren't getting access to medical facilities? This ain't Afganistan under the taliban. Women are doctors there.

/s/
rahma
unoppressed hijabi fashionista extrodinaire and proud owner of several hot pink head scarves among a collection that is bordering 100, who is now going off to swim at the Y in her fabulous splashgear swimsuit and later will pump some iron, all while wearing a dasterdly hijab.

Good thing someone with a bit of knowledge on the subject came
along. It's rather obvious that she'd be given it as a gift...yet none
seem to have thought of that from what I've noticed, myself
included. Until you came along that is. Good points.

RealDealNeverstop · Oct 28, 2007

I didnt know she got it as a gift either. From the story it appeared she wore it for the when in rome reason. But, still doesnt change my mind about her decision and iam sure we have all received gifts of clothes where we politely said thank you then quietly returned it or put it in the back of the closet.

Teshi · Oct 28, 2007

rahma said:
So, um yeah, from what I can tell from the various pictures of Mrs. Bush's trip, she mostly didn't wear hijab. On occasion, she put it on, like when she received a scarf as a gift. Quelle horror Cuz we all know that the best thing to do when we receive a gift is spit on it and throw it back in the gifter's face. That does wonders for diplomacy.

Also, women in KSA aren't getting access to medical facilities? This ain't Afganistan under the taliban. Women are doctors there.

/s/
rahma
unoppressed hijabi fashionista extrodinaire and proud owner of several hot pink head scarves among a collection that is bordering 100, who is now going off to swim at the Y in her fabulous splashgear swimsuit and later will pump some iron, all while wearing a dasterdly hijab.

And hey look, it was given to her by a hijabi female doctor at a meeting for breast cancer survivors.

Yeah, it would have been rude as heck to be like ZOMG DON'T PUT THAT ON MY HEAD, YOU OPPRESSOR.

Totally inappropriate.

JoyJuice · Oct 28, 2007

SoupySayles said:
And if she didn't wear the headscarf the left would be whining about how she didn't respect their customs, this is why America is so hated, etc etc.

Not whining, but shaking heads in agreement that her and her husband are indeed meant for one another.

Verv · Oct 28, 2007

thirstforknowledge said:
Who cares. All religions are strange, and I don't really care if someone follows their strange customs when in their lands.

I certainly wear a shirt everyday, out in public, even though I'd much rather not (I hate being hot and sticky).

What is strange about religion being that the majority of human beings who have ever lived and have lived with one playing a great influence in their lives; statistically, it is more strange to be from a culture that does no thave a religion and thus the cultural practice of wearing a headscarf is greatly unremarkable.

Thirst_For_Knowledge · Oct 28, 2007

jmverville said:
What is strange about religion being that the majority of human beings who have ever lived and have lived with one playing a great influence in their lives; statistically, it is more strange to be from a culture that does no thave a religion and thus the cultural practice of wearing a headscarf is greatly unremarkable.

That's nice. *Shrug*

I Just Believe In Me · Oct 28, 2007

jmverville said:
What is strange about religion being that the majority of human beings who have ever lived and have lived with one playing a great influence in their lives; statistically, it is more strange to be from a culture that does no thave a religion and thus the cultural practice of wearing a headscarf is greatly unremarkable.

If the majority of the people in the world jumped off a bridge it would still be a stupid thing to do.

rahma · Oct 28, 2007

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/10/28/laura-bush-blows-off-cons_n_70141.html

BUSH: And they saw this as giving me a gift from their culture. And it was the scarf with the pink ribbons and the pink edging on it, the breast cancer scarf, that I put on.

I will say that I told them that I had always felt like they were closed to me, that I wouldn't be able to reach them because of the way they're covered, and one of the women said to me -- she said, You know, I may be all dressed in black, but I am transparent.

And what they were saying to me is they want to reach out. They want American women to know what they're like. And these women do not see covering as some sort of subjugation of women, this group of women that I was with.

That's their culture. That's their tradition. That's a religious choice of theirs.

Now, I did meet, on the other hand, in Kuwait, where women just got the vote in 2005, with a group of women activists, several of them who had run for office the first parliamentary election after women got the vote -- didn't win, any of them, but they made the first step, certainly, by getting in the political process.

And in that meeting, very few women were covered. And they don't feel like they have to be. But you know, I think we all have these stereotypes of each other, Americans and Arabs, and it's a really good thing to be able to break those stereotypes down and get to know each other.

Dude, I want a black shayla with pink edges and breast cancer ribbons. *plans trip to the gulf*

Far Right enraged over Laura Bush wearing headscarf in Middle East

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