With the resurgence of the Taliban and the worsening security situation in Afghanistan, we have seen an increase in the Taliban’s attacks on “unIslamic” acts. Women and girls are, once again, the focus of these disgusting acts of public punishment. Girls are not going to schools are a series of acid attacks by Taliban supporters in Kandahar.
Men on motorcycles attacked 15 girls and teachers with acid. One teenage girl still cannot open her eyes after being hit in the face with acid.
It is clear that, like many religious extremist movements, the Taliban most fear educated women who will realize that they are living under medieval traditions and seek greater freedom.
What is most striking about this story is the similar story coming out of Israel recently of Orthodox Jews throwing acid on girls who violate their traditions. The insane fringe of these religions have much in common — including an utter lack of humanity and morality.
For the full story, click here.
That is horrible.
We are fortunate enough to live in a country where we do not have to fear such acts.
I know I can send my daughters to school without the fear of someone trying to harm or kill them simply because they’re female.
I hope that things change in Afghanistan sooner than later
I agree that these crazies are a lot more like each other than they are about the rest of us. Bob Altemeyer has a great book called “The Authoritarians” free (!!) online. Check it out.
Religious Fundamentalists, choose any faith you want, are always about power and never about God. The Deity is used as their stick to beat non-adherents up with. Fundamentalists represent the 25 to 40% of the human race that long for a leader/father to lead them and to make it easy for them not to think, but follow. They are in general people who are frightened by the vagaries and terrors of life and want to be told exactly what to do. This makes them sheep for sociopathic wolves to shear and eat. Those wolves are of course the pretend religious leaders, whose true agenda is personal gratification. The companion situation related in this post of the Ultra-Orthodox in Israel acting similarly serves to bolster my contention.
This is not a screed against religion or piety. I have known truly spiritual people, who while walking different spiritual paths, nevertheless represented the commonality of the “Do unto others..” formulation. The unmitigated horror of throwing acid on innocent females to preclude their education represents something close to a nadir of human behavior. The authors of this heinous, cruelty and their mentors deserve to suffer whatever the worst horrors of life may be. I apologize for being hyperbolic, but these stories affect me deeply and force me to tamp down my emotions of despair that doubt the possibility of a better humanity.