Women and Driving & Temptation

[gemini 0]

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - He just wanted his colleagues in the government's legislative arm to discuss the possibility of conducting a study into the feasibility of reversing the ban on women drivers - the only prohibition of its kind in the world.
But Consultative Council member Mohammad al-Zulfa's proposal has unleashed a storm in this conservative country where the subject of women drivers remains taboo.

Al-Zulfa's cell phone now constantly rings with furious Saudis accusing him of encouraging women to commit the double sins of discarding their veils and mixing with men. He gets phone text messages calling on Allah to freeze his blood. Chat rooms bristle with insulting accusations that al-Zulfa is "driven by carnal instincts with 454 horsepower."

There even have been calls to kick al-Zulfa from the council and strip him of his Saudi nationality.

The uproar may be astounding to outsiders. But in Saudi Arabia, where the religious establishment has the upper hand in defining women's freedoms, the issue touches on the kingdom's strict Islamic lifestyle.

Conservatives, who believe women should be shielded from strange men, say driving will allow a woman to leave home whenever she pleases and go wherever she wishes. Some say it will present her with opportunities to violate Islamic law, such as exposing her eyes while driving or interacting with strange men, like police officers or mechanics.

"Driving by women leads to evil," Munir al-Shahrani wrote in a letter to the editor of the Al-Watan daily. "Can you imagine what it will be like if her car broke down? She would have to seek help from men."

But al-Zulfa contends neither the law nor Islam bans women from driving. Instead, the ban is based on fatwas, or Islamic edicts, by senior clerics who say that any driving by women would create situations for sinful temptation.

Blue skies,

Jim

[jumper03 0]

Quote

Conservatives, who believe women should be shielded from strange men, say driving will allow a woman to leave home whenever she pleases and go wherever she wishes.

What a concept! And Saudi Arabia is an ally?????

Scars remind us that the past is real

[Rebecca 0]

Quote

"Driving by women leads to evil," Munir al-Shahrani wrote in a letter to the editor of the Al-Watan daily. "Can you imagine what it will be like if her car broke down? She would have to seek help from men."

Sounds to me like the sinful temptation and weakness they fear is from the MEN, not the women.

you've got to ask yourself one question: 'Do I feel loquacious?' -- well do you, punk?

[mnealtx 0]

Quote

Sounds to me like the sinful temptation and weakness they fear is from the MEN, not the women.

Let's just say that I have it on good authority that the Saudi Air Force pilots made Tailhook look like a church tea when they were going through training....

Mike
I love you, Shannon and Jim.
POPS 9708 , SCR 14706

[ryoder 1,590]

Of course they don't want women to drive. The Saudi's are among the most filthy rich in the world. If they let women drive, the first place they will drive to is the mall, spend all the money, and leave nothing in the checking account.

"There are only three things of value: younger women, faster airplanes, and bigger crocodiles" - Arthur Jones.

[EricTheRed 0]

Quote

And Saudi Arabia is an ally?????

They must be, after all, GW likes the Saudi's very well...

illegible usually

[dorbie 0]

My father worked in Saudi Arabia for well over a decade, he related a story of an electrical fault he investigated at a house there.

The husband was trying to explain the fault and pointed to a bare wire near the ceiling, then he gestured to his wife, who dutifully touched the wire. She was given a dangerous electrical shock and knocked to the ground.

She picked herself up and the husband continued talking, then he turned to his wife and gestured at her to perform another demonstration, she was about to without hesitation until my father made it clear that no further demonstration was required. It became obvious that she'd been doing many demonstrations of the electrical problem for her enlightened spouse.