The author has identified a difficult social emergence and moral conundrum for the left. She makes a complex argument, among others, that feminists, and others who claim allegiance to left-wing politics - can (and true to her own radical left beliefs should be) pro-refugee but are stumped when it comes to thinking through the implications of the moral diversity this creates. After all, in many regions where refugees are from what anthropologists Richard Schweder calls the ethics of community and divinity are prime and not, as for left-wingers, what he calls the ethics of autonomy. In some cases, such as with the mob sexual attacks in Cologne, Sweden and other places, the moral compass of some is orientated to keep social purity and heirarchy by intimidating women out of public space. I found this thoughtful, intelligent, compelling and well written article on a difficult subject - thanks for posting

I have said it before and now again. The conduct of the muslims in Europe is the conduct of the 'moderate muslims'. Don't forget they fled the radicals in Syria, Iraq, etc.

The muslims that offended against these women are the very ones that were invited into Europe, so now the Europeans have to live with that.

Does anyone think their conduct acceptable? Does anyone think they will change their conduct and attitude to women?

The only question remaining is:- Do we want people in western society that have and display such cultural practices?

If the answer is NO, then we have to stop muslim immigration.

Time for Aus to shut the gate on muslims.

'If the answer is NO, then we have to stop muslim immigration.'

come on Banjo the predominant dogma of emily's listers is we want it all. They have overplayed their hand and put all our wives/daughters in danger and are still to pigheaded to acknowledge their errors.

Banjo "Does anyone think their conduct acceptable? Does anyone think they will change their conduct and attitude to women?
The only question remaining is:- Do we want people in western society that have and display such cultural practices?"

Are you calling sexual assault and rape "cultural practices" Banjo? Why?
You must then believe that all the non-Muslim men who rape or assault women are also practicing their 'culture', when in fact rape is criminal violence against women, no matter who does it?

If we follow your ideas then we need to rid our western society of ALL men who rape and sexually assault women (no problems with me on this idea), because if you are suggesting we get rid of only Muslim men from other countries that display these 'cultural practices' , then that would be seen as being racist wouldn't it?

What disgusts me is that all the ranting and raving and crowing from the local racists and bigots about how the Cologne assaults on all those women were allegedly carried out by Muslim refugees, thus vindicating their warped views on immigration, and yet not a word about all the other rapes and assaults on women in Cologne from other men?

You guys couldn't give a damn about the women allegedly attacked in Cologne, and you know it...

Not really, Suse.

Perhaps what appals most of us blokes on this thread is the shocking mass assaults in Koln/Cologne, and the lack of official attention to them, hundreds of them, on 'cultural' grounds. Most of us, I'm sure, would not want to use the excuse of 'culture' to sweep any rapes under the carpet. Wouldn't you agree ?

If a mob of thousands of German men harass and assaulted and fraped on the same scale, we would be just as appalled, and ashamed and disgusted by proxy. Wouldn't that be the proper response ?

Just say it, Suse: "I think that what happened was appalling." What happened should be condemned, regardless of who were the perpetrators. Isn't that so ?

Joe

This article makes two fundamental errors.

The first is pretty obvious: there is no conundrum for feminists. Speaking out does not equate to racism. I know that many of the commenters on this site believe the Right's silly stereotype about the views of the Left, but that's no excuse to publish articles from writers so lazy that they just assume those myths to be true. Multiculturalism never excused any crime, and nor was it ever meant to.

The second error is assuming the perpetrators of the attacks were Muslim fundamentalists. Unfortunately there's no evidence for that. If this kind of behaviour is really so common in the countries they're from, it's more likely they're not. It also means the authorities have been remiss in failing to communicate to the refugees how seriously they take that sort of crime. And it highlights the need for discussions with Middle Eastern governments to encourage them to crack down on it in their countries too.

Muslim fundamentalists still need to be dealt with, but that's a separate problem.