Saturday, May 16, 2015

She said

Somebody in Sweden did something so terrible, that the Saudi Arabian ambassador withdrew from the country and Swedish businessmen stopped getting visas to visit Saudi Arabia. The UAE joined in on the action. The Organisation of Islamic Co-operation, which represents 56 Muslim-majority states, said that Sweden failed to respect the world's rich and varied ethical standards. The Gulf Co-operation Council condemned the unacceptable interference in the internal affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

What triggered this response? Margot Wallström, the Swedish foreign minister, denounced the subjugation of women in Saudi Arabia. Why? Among other things, because Saudi Arabia prevents women from travelling, conducting official business or marrying without permission. Girls can be forced into child marriages with old men. She wasn't disrespecting Islam. She wasn't poking fun at their religious icons. She was stating facts. She also criticized Saudi courts for sentencing Raif Badawi to 10 years in prison and 1,000 lashes for setting up a website promoting secularism and free speech.

Have you heard about this? Probably not. Where is the outcry? Where's the news? Sanctions, accusations of Islamophobia and intolerance, for speaking truth, and the world is silent.

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