eyejaw,

Did I say that I considered having 6 out of 10 people under 30 years-old was a good thing?

I merely pointed out that this was the current demographic in the region.
I was, in effect, highlighting the possible implications of such a demographic regarding shifting power structures.
And shifting they are - we have yet to see how all this pans out. Within this century it is likely that we will see a majority of Arab people populating Europe - they are the one's reproducing.

They are also the ones that have retained some basic skills and knowledge regarding human survival of the non-technological variety.

Sorry, but I haven't the time at the moment to debate the pros and cons of over-population in the developing world.
It seems to me that the West could undertake a whole lot less exploitation and do a whole lot more towards empowering these societies.
Instead most Westerners just bleat and offer up statistics....carry on as usual.

It's easy for the author to suggest that the Arab world must 'rise up' and elevate the almost non-citizen state of their women, when any women who have dared to demonstrate are brutally bashed or raped, or taken away and never seen again.

I wouldn't rely on most of the men of these countries to willingly give up the 'ownership' of their women, and their continuing belief that they have a God-given right to control all those around them.

If we add racism to the mix as well, then these countries will continue to have a long way to go before they can call themselves a true democracy, if ever.

popnperish
It is not “nihilistic” to assert the right of people, regardless of gender, to be free from harassment and arbitrary power based on political ideologies which not even their supporters are capable of making sense, even in their own terms.

Peter Hume
I was referring to your last paragraph about the US being a rogue state and Australia not much better. To not believe that democracy is better than its alternatives sounds like nihilism to me.

I don't think it's legitimate to simply assume that democracy is the best form of government or society for the reasons I have shown - democracy rests in the idea that government represents the will of people as ascertained by majority vote. It instrinsically provides no restraint against majoritarian oppression of minorities, which is the problem you yourself, correct me if I'm wrong, identify with Muslim society. Would the oppression of women be justified if a majority of electors voted on it? No. Nor are women the only minority liable to be oppressed by majority opinion. Therefore it's not my nihilism that's the problem. I'm correctly identifying problems with democracy, and with political feminism for that matter.

Peter Hume
I don't argue that democracy is perfect, just better than the alternatives. Muslim women are a lot better off in democracies like ours than they are in North African or Middle East non-democracies. They are, at least, largely protected from genital mutilation, honour killings and indiscriminate rape and murder. And they can get an education. They may face discrimination within their communities by men, but life is a lot better here for them in general.