Pericles,

How can you, or anyone say that Islamic values AREN'T barbaric?

Seriously, if you really are saying that, then you have no moral compass. You can call me what you like mate, but women are being severely mistreated every second in the non-west, black women are being pack raped by Arab Muslim immoral filth in Sudan, while their husbands are forced to watch, and then have their throats cut.

Do you not care? Do you not see how insane it is that Arab nations say nothing? It's the 'evil' US that has finally forced China to step aside so troops can go in.

Do you know about the politics of it? That China, through it's veto power on the UN security council, wasn't allowing anything to be done because they have massive oil deals with sudan?

The US and other western CIVILISED nations banned their companies trading with Sudan because of their human rights, yet CHina doesn't care.

Hey, there was just a slave market uncovered in china today!

When you speak ill of the west, or white people, I get mad because while whites have done some pretty bad things over the centuries, they are the ONLY ones now who care about the world, about people.

The US gives half of all world aid, just 1 country.

Filthy rich Arab gulf states do nothing, go check the UN. Tsunami especially. They use their money to fund wahhabi mosques.

It doesn't matter what u think though, truth is all that matters. The west IS superior and our values will be exported to the whole planet.

Even if the whole earth was Taliban, eventually, in 1000 years even, women would march for their rights, minorities would march, get the vote, and become like us.

For you to not see this is cowardice, and racism. ALL ppl are equal.

Romany – Pax indeed
I must admit your reading of the author is more generous than mine. I’d agree that the positions of power these women hold do not demonstrate that the USA is a feminist-friendly society, however

Now for the pregnant pause, it is really hard to keep abreast of things, but then one must do some hard labour, no matter how tittilating it may seem.

The word 'birth' is often used to describe the beginning of destructive events like the birth of a volcano, hurricane, storm, tornado etc.

What is it that us blokes get told?

I know, we get told "you are being too sensitive!" or "being overly sensitive."

Personally I don't think Hillary is the perfect sexual decoy.

I do however support her about health care in America, but it is not patrairchy or democracy that defeated her. It was the almighty american dollar god. Interestingly Hillary tried introduce a Australian styled health care system, just as Prime Minister John Howard almost simultaneously is trying to introduce the American style health care system in Australia.

One could be forgiven for thinking that Condi and Hillary are the only women in American politics.

"We need a politics where gender is not defined by one’s biological body."

Then why can we not transform the feminists movement into a humanist movement?

In the context of Benjamin's latest hyper-xenophobic rant, we find this:

"I know probably more about the subtleties of non-western cultures than most Anthropologists..."

The basis for this breathtakingly arrogant claim is his apparently miserable life experience in suburban Sydney.

If young Benny were to expand his personal horizons just a little - like, for example, by enrolling in an Anthropology subject at any university in the country that still offers them - then he might have some hope of learning just how deluded he is when he writes

"But I liken myself to an anthropologist, as I learnt a lot about other cultures growing up."

Benjamin may be many things, but he's not an anthropologist's bootlace.

White Warlock and Benjamin. It is almost as if you are one and the same person.

Or at least taking turns at the same keyboard. How sweet.

Where to start? There is enough hot air between the two of you to dry my carpets, which are still wet after last week's rain.

I did rather like the jibe

>>Patronising behaviour towards other cultures... is indirect, passive or negative racism. Probably worse than positive racism<<

Interesting concept, "passive racism". I guess it is in contrast with the blatant "positive racism" White Warlock demonstrates.

[White Warlock? Imperial Wizard? Coincidence? You decide]

But finally, there is some meat.

>>I think it is disgusting that the UN or someone doesn't attack every Gulf state to start with, to overturn the sever [sic] gender apartheid.<<

Since the UN is made up of a number of countries who don't necessarily agree with your priorities, who is the "or someone" that you have in mind to "attack every Gulf state"?

Australia? You?

Face it, your problem with Islam has its roots in your image of yourself as some kind of fascist "righter of wrongs", a sad mixture of Batman and Pol Pot.

And Benjamin, you need to get some perspective in your life before your irrational hatred of the "other" consumes you.

>>I know probably more about the subtleties of non-western cultures than most Anthropologists. I know about customs, rituals, and all the superficial crap, but mostly it's the values, the way they treat people outside their tribe, or race. Sly, cruel, cold and immoral<<

You can't use Cabramatta as an excuse for being a shortsighted bigot all your life, so it would be smart to start learning about yourself before you witter on about other cultures.

>>truth is all that matters. The west IS superior and our values will be exported to the whole planet<<

Ok, here's a question for you. Which country would you invade first, in order to "export our values"? And will you be first into battle?

The Boaz bug. "ONE NATION,ONE RACE, ONE CULTURE" (his caps, not mine).

Highly infectious.

White Warlock -

Your comment "to not focus entirely on the rights of women in the middle east" indicated to me that your view was there should only be a focus on the plight of middle eastern women to the exclusion of all else. Thus, I responded accordingly.

Besides, there was some mention of the suffering caused by the Iraq war - perhaps not in reference to the plight of women, but suffering all the same. Whilst it may be more indicative of an anti-american stance, the fact of the matter is, the author expresses concern about the situation there - for you to extrapolate that the author doesn't care about the oppression of women in the middle east, simply by the fact they're not mentioned, still has little basis to me.
It indicates than in any feminist discussion, you have to bring up the topic, which ultimately, doesn't get us very far.