Benazir Bhutto knew- EVERY time she went out into the public square she was a target. Her supporters knew this too and by showing up for her public events they might also be a target.
"Islamic clerics tried to get a court to bar her from running in elections. She was a bad Muslim, they said.
"Anyone who supports the Pakistan People's Party will not enter heaven," a Muslim cleric in Lahore, Abdul Qadir, told a Friday prayer congregation ahead of the October 1990 elections. "
Of course she was a "Bad Muslim"- all of her early education was done in Roman Catholic schools with names like, " Lady Jennings Nursery School" and then the Convent of Jesus and Mary in Karachi.[2] After two years of schooling at the Rawalpindi Presentation Convent, she was sent to the Jesus and Mary Convent at Murree.
I'm not saying Benazir was a Christian, but she defintiely didn't go to a Muslim school as a child.
Could that be because there was no such place for a little girl to go back in the stone ages of Pakistan? Might it be the only institution that would cater to teaching (worthless?) little girls was that of the Christian faith? Surely, in her early years, she was somewhat shaped by a religion of grace and forgiveness; and a belief system shared by many of the founding fathers of our country, a place of democracy. Unlike the most of the Muslim leaders in the middle east who see women as merely property...or less. (one islamic document I read referred to women simply as f*ckable C*nts )
Not much has changed I'm afraid...seems Pakistan is still in the stone ages, except where technology and nuclear weapons are concerend.
Here's my point though- back to the beginning of the post- Benazir knew she was a target...every day, in every public situation- she knew her life was at risk. Her father was killed, as well as 2 brothers. She was painfully aware that her stabs at democracy would most likely shorten her life- and she was right.
My question to the American people is this- "Are you aware that WE are a target too?" The same democracy Bhutto struggled to bring to her country is the same stuff we piddle away everyday. Everything from not paying attention to how much of your paycheck is eaten up in taxes, to not voting...weakens our country. We are too easily distracted...we long for it actually- (what else explains Paris Hilton?) and too comfortable to get our feathers ruffled over the idea that the next ring of gunshots- or bombs going off....might just be aimed at us.
Benazir knew a laser sight was always locked on her heart and her head.
Don't ignore the red beam when you see it pointed in our direction. And don't tell me that no body warned you...
We are a target too, and getting bigger every day.
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Yes...it's a play on my name - ................................................................................................... "Correspondence" - noun - 1. communication by the exchange of letters 2. compatibility of observations; [syn: agreement] 3. A few words from me.
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Sometimes I just can't keep it all in.
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8 comments:
oh, here i was just gonna come by and wish you a happy new year, cora..
and i come across one of those extremely well written, thoughtful cora posts. i guess her son and husband who are inheriting the bhutto
political dynasty will also feel the laser beam locked onto them.
anyway, here's to a good new year to you and your family. and i'm planning on just forgetting for a few hours about all the strife and turmoil in the world.
I have a few Muslim friends here and in a few more residing in other Southeast Asian countries...I find not so much of a difference in our lifestyles..or the way they are treated by their hubbies. They are cared for and totally loved by the men in their families...They are highly regarded and treated with esteem. Therefore, it baffles me really how other Islamic nations can be so harsh on women..as if one did not give birth to them. Stone age is about the right term. My husband too uses that word ( and more...um'..colorful ones) to describe how they are.
Peace is a luxury....
I got your letter and will write back tomorrow. I like your new bloggy look and enjoyed my time reading:>
I wasn't aware you had this page. I've been going to Mayden's Voyage only. Perhaps I should edit my links column. Then again, perhaps you'd prefer that I not visit this page. If so, lemme know.
There's a tendency to never speak ill of the dead, but there are a number of complex issues surrounding Bhutto's assassination, one of which being the lack of political support for US intelligence activities in Pakistan should she come back in power.
I'm making no accusations. I'm simply pointing out that we have to wait a while to see how this sorts out.
Also, as someone who's taught at the university level, I've met a number of female muslim students who attended muslim schools at one point in their lives, and they come from all over the world (even the Middle East).
A lot of the information we get about Islam today is slanted, and doesn't reflect the complexity of a tradition that's very old. While it's true that fundamentalist Muslim sects have a very low regard for women, I would point out that some fundamentalist Judeo-Christian sects also require similar treatment for women. In both cases, these are supported by interpretations of the Holy Book.
Of course, most Christians and Jews realize that they live in the 21st Century, and that over the years we've come to learn that denigrating half of our society is simply evil. I've met plenty of Muslims who realize that they're in the 21st century as well.
But as a few have explained to me, the recent interventions of the US by recent, I mean starting with Mossedegh in the 1950s), into Middle Eastern affairs has encouraged a retreat into fundamentalism, because such is seen as a rejction of the west, and its modernist values. It's quite possible this trend will continue.
Then again, the US has never elected a female Chief of State. Say what you will about Pakistanis, they not only elected a woman once, they were about to do so again.
Me too--I mean, wuz gonna hop over to wish ya a Happy New Year--and read this real fine post---
Hope you are well and content..and writin'!
nicely done mayden!
I didn't know you were beavering away here and I didn't know you could be so ... political.
Full of surprises.
If you're refering to Islamo-facism then I don't think it's a direct threat to your people in the same way that say the USSR was.
What you have to look out for is that which is insidious. Political Correctness hands disproportionate power to minorities who then go on to change everything about your constitution and your freedoms because to oppose them is 'sexist', 'racialist', 'homophobic' or against minority religion.
The instigators of this are normally white no-win-no-fee lawyers out for the big bucks and to make names for themselves. They are eaten up with a hatred of conservatism and old fashioned ways.
Ditto to what Dell said! I just found ya from your comment at Chickory...
I think that we are definitely a target... but I also think(and believe that its part of the reason we are a target) its short sited to believe that we know better how a country like Pakistan should work and run their country. They have been doing their thing for far longer than we have been... and in reality... in light of where we are in our international politics, I dont think we have the right to be telling ANYONE how to better live! I used to be proud to be an american... I now find myself proud of less and less...
Interesting post. Have you read Infidel? Its wonderful so far! I just need a bit of time so I can get to finishing it! lol
Happy Friday!!
hi ... i found you ...
the pilot and i were discussing what i thought was a very odd thing i observed some time ago when i was at victoria station in london ~ no garbage bins! know why? it seems there's a very good reason ... 'the bearded ones' like to lace to garbage bins with ticking packages ... and hence, precautions must be taken! grrrr. what have we humans become?
its either one is the hunted or the hunter ... how sad
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