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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (June 5, 1995)
Speaker: Arab women liberated Natasha Shepard OwpOf! Q&fy Many of thi> regulations that art' seen as oppressive for women in the Middle East are the polit ies of individual coun tries and not the religious beliefs of Islam, said an A merit an Mus lim woman who addressed Uni versify students as part of a Muslim Student Asset nation and Women’s Center presenta tion on the value of women in Islam /-amah Al-(»ndaihi. from Port land, presented her experiences along w ith Mur.hgan Af/ul. also from Portland, as part of the Muslim religion and i ulture in a society they said was often pr«| utliced against Arabs Ret ent panic about the Okla homa City bombing has shown anti-Arab prejudices both on the street and in the media, Al Godnihi said One well-known radio show host, in the days that followed the tHimhing. even went so far as to recommend that B-2 bombers fie sent to bomb Iraq in retalia tion for the Oklahoma incident, she said. many movies have you toon whore the* Arabs are terrorists' They want headlines This sort of negative stereotyping comes every time you see some thing about Muslims in the movies or in the news " Bet .tusc she wears the tradi tional covering of Muslim women, showing only her face and hands, AMTodaihi was her self a victim of violent e during the (in 1 f War Her tires were slashed three times, and sht* was once chased into the building where she worked by a man si reaming and wearing camouflage Af/al.' w ho h is a degree u: political science from the Uni versity of Portland and is also a Muslim, explained why Muslim v» omen cover themselves by wearing clothing that only exposes their fat es and hands At cording to the Koran, women should wear clothing that covers all but their fates and their hands from the wrists, she said 'to ftariiig the i. n <■> ing peeve nb bring judged by physi ud appearance Women luive to hr jutlged b\ their voice, opinion, idca.t anti knowledge - MUZHGAN AJFZAL MusJsm woman // Muslim law actually states that men ami women are equal. There are many Islamic laws that are very appealing to women," she said Both men and women are encouraged to I** educated, and women may make legal cun trat ts without the consent of anybody and have equal rights in marriage and divon e. she said Islamic women are allowed to v ote and hold poiitii al offic >• In Iraq, there are actually more women holding offite in the parliament than then1 are in the U S, Congress, she said Although women tnav work outside the home, housework is valued highly and a woman may actually charge her husband for domestic: i bores rhe kiw to understandingthe value of women in Islam is knowing the differences between the policies of coun tries and the religion, Al-Godut hi said For example, the Saudi Arabian polii v that women < an t drive is not an Islamic, rule, but a government statute. The best way to know the dif ference between governments' polo ies and Islamic religious ideology is to educate yourself and learn about Islam, she said. Historically, the reasons women dressed tins wav were often oppressive, she said, including theories that pre lslnmic cultures were Irving to protect their property hy cover ing the women. Today, however, the reasons Muslim women cover them selves are more liberating then oppressive. Afzal said. "Wearing the covering pre vents being judged by physical appearance," she said "Women have to Ire judged by their voice, opinion, ideas and knowledge." Prejudice based on physical appearance is very real, she said, and can prevent some women from being hired for jobs the\ are qualified for. Contrary to some stereotypes. Ignorance and misunderstand ing are often at the root of the blatant prejudice and racism. Al-Godaihi said. "People who are writing and reporting the news don’t under stand that Muslim fundamental ism is not something to fear.” she said. Although at first she didn't think, that the injustice to Aral) and Islnmii peoples was inten tional, she said she is beginning to see the reason the media is so blatantly biased. "They need a bad guy," Al Godaihi said, citing the down fall of Communism and dissolu tion of the Soviet Union. "How GOING OVERSEAS? keep up on campus life with the Oregon daily emerald now available on the world wide web http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~ode Suimnev DudL Bucki will be avatfiiMe |une 19fb! Need to make some quick cash? To find out how you can earn money handing out Duck Bucks contact the Emerald today. j Resumes that really work! Professional Resume Packages designed, typeset & saved on disk kinko'S > our branch office 126^ Willamette Phone H4 l a* »44-08'0 Get your affordable long distance calling card now! Call any timo. anywhere! 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