Stuck in the Dark Ages
Sue Brooks March 1st, 2012
Does anyone have a copy of last weekends Weekend Australian Magazine? My letter was published I just found out, but our shop didn’t get the paper last weekend. This is what I wrote but you can’t access it online without a subscription.. It was in response to an article on forced marriages.. But it can equally apply to other so called cultural practices… Just imagine if we still hunted whales because it was ‘our culture’?
Stuck in the dark ages.
When does culture become history? Isn’t it way past time that we simply say NO. No you cannot marry off your young under age daughters. No you cannot force your wives to dress covered in cloth from head to toe. No you cannot punish a woman for looking at a man. I am so tired of the excuse, and that is all that it is, an excuse, which permits people to behave badly simply because it is labelled culture or tradition! It is time that we grew up and consigned stupidity, laziness and persecution of innocent peoples and animals to the past.
- Meanderings and Musings
- Comments(3)
Politically incorrect to say so it probably is, but why confine cultural and traditional rationalisation to ‘overseas’ cultures ? Why do we still permit our own aboriginal people to slaughter endangered dugong and turtles – just because they did do before 1778 ? The vast bulk of their food needs now come, as do those of the rest of us, from a shop. If they live in truly remote communities maybe an exception , but that exception should then be for anyone. Should the tradition that alcohol excuses misbehaviour be maintained ? That teenagers committing serious adult crimes should have special protection at law ? That tearing down old ‘things’ and replacing them with new ones is ipso facto an ‘improvement ? That ‘progress’ brooks no impediment by stance in it’s way ?
We are the only pack living species on this planet that has such silly ideas – most will not tolerate members who do not comply with the pack norms. They kill them or banish them without compunction.
I have last weeks Australia plus the mag you can collect,
Regards Joan Eaton
A friend says she has a copy but thanks so much Joan. Cheers, Sue