November 16, 200619 yr Saudi Arabia's religious police stopped schoolgirls from leaving a blazing building because they were not wearing correct Islamic dress, according to Saudi newspapers. In a rare criticism of the kingdom's powerful "mutaween" police, the Saudi media has accused them of hindering attempts to save 15 girls who died in the fire on Monday. About 800 pupils were inside the school in the holy city of Mecca when the tragedy occurred. According to the al-Eqtisadiah daily, firemen confronted police after they tried to keep the girls inside because they were not wearing the headscarves and abayas (black robes) required by the kingdom's strict interpretation of Islam. One witness said he saw three policemen "beating young girls to prevent them from leaving the school because they were not wearing the abaya". The Saudi Gazette quoted witnesses as saying that the police - known as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice - had stopped men who tried to help the girls and warned "it is a sinful to approach them". The father of one of the dead girls said that the school watchman even refused to open the gates to let the girls out. "Lives could have been saved had they not been stopped by members of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice," the newspaper concluded. Families of the victims have been incensed over the deaths. The school was locked at the time of the fire - a usual practice to ensure full segregation of the sexes. The religious police are widely feared in Saudi Arabia. They roam the streets enforcing dress codes and sex segregation, and ensuring prayers are performed on time. Those who refuse to obey their orders are often beaten and sometimes put in jail. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/1874471.stm All you guys who bitch about how America is the root of all the worlds problems and how bad we have it here, our school systems suck, healthcare, taxes, Bush is an evil dictator, evangelicals, I gotta wait 5 minutes in line at McDonalds this sucks, wahhh wahhh wahh need to open your eyes and realize that with the exception of handful of european countries this is how the much of the world operates, even some our closest allies. 90% of American's don't realize how good they have it here and don't realize how thankful they should be to have been born an American and take everything for granted.
November 16, 200619 yr What the hell does their religion have to do with this? Did muslims start the fire? These guys do not represent what the religion is about, they represent a skewed interpretation of it (much the same way the christians who say the apocalypse is coming and that all gays, jews, gypsies, and "sinners" will be cast into the fire where they belong represent a skewed interpretation of Christianity.) If this had happened in a secular, but sexist society (such as the numerous factory fires in America in the 19th century where countless women died because they were not allowed to leave during the fire), would you have even found this newsworthy? No, I don't think you would. A small minority that has power does not represent the overwhelming majority, which is as peace loving as the majority of any religion. Should we judge all Christians on the crusades, or Catholics based on the inquisition?
November 16, 200619 yr What the hell does their religion have to do with this? Did muslims start the fire? These guys do not represent what the religion is about, they represent a skewed interpretation of it (much the same way the christians who say the apocalypse is coming and that all gays, jews, gypsies, and "sinners" will be cast into the fire where they belong represent a skewed interpretation of Christianity.) If this had happened in a secular, but sexist society (such as the numerous factory fires in America in the 19th century where countless women died because they were not allowed to leave during the fire), would you have even found this newsworthy? No, I don't think you would. A small minority that has power does not represent the overwhelming majority, which is as peace loving as the majority of any religion. Should we judge all Christians on the crusades, or Catholics based on the inquisition? Apparently so!
November 16, 200619 yr Why should this surprise anyone? Saudi Arabia is the worst human rights violator in the region. Even Iran isn't as bad (they tolerate other religions in Iran).
November 16, 200619 yr What the hell does their religion have to do with this? Did muslims start the fire? These guys do not represent what the religion is about, they represent a skewed interpretation of it (much the same way the christians who say the apocalypse is coming and that all gays, jews, gypsies, and "sinners" will be cast into the fire where they belong represent a skewed interpretation of Christianity.) If this had happened in a secular, but sexist society (such as the numerous factory fires in America in the 19th century where countless women died because they were not allowed to leave during the fire), would you have even found this newsworthy? No, I don't think you would. A small minority that has power does not represent the overwhelming majority, which is as peace loving as the majority of any religion. Should we judge all Christians on the crusades, or Catholics based on the inquisition? Apparently so! I'm not sure what this response means, care to explain?
November 16, 200619 yr What the hell does their religion have to do with this? Did muslims start the fire? These guys do not represent what the religion is about, they represent a skewed interpretation of it (much the same way the christians who say the apocalypse is coming and that all gays, jews, gypsies, and "sinners" will be cast into the fire where they belong represent a skewed interpretation of Christianity.) If this had happened in a secular, but sexist society (such as the numerous factory fires in America in the 19th century where countless women died because they were not allowed to leave during the fire), would you have even found this newsworthy? No, I don't think you would. A small minority that has power does not represent the overwhelming majority, which is as peace loving as the majority of any religion. Should we judge all Christians on the crusades, or Catholics based on the inquisition? Apparently so! I'm not sure what this response means, care to explain? I was agreeing with you.
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