You will notice a slight difference between the famous photos from the situation room of the White House during the Osama Bin Laden operation: Hillary Clinton has been removed from one of the shots. The altered picture ran in the Ultra-Orthodox daily Der Tzitung, which does not allow pictures of women to appease Orthodox sensitivities. Once again, the striking similarities with Islamic extremists is inescapable.
Pictures of women are reportedly viewed as sexually suggestive. It appears that even Hillary Clinton in a pants suit is just too much for the readers of the Orthodox daily. It is a position reminiscent of our earlier story how Hasidic leaders prevailed on the New York City authorities to get rid of bicycle lanes to avoid having to see women on bicycles.
Last week we saw the conviction of a leading Orthodox Rabbi who appeared unable to sit next to a woman on an international flight for more than 90 minutes without committing assault.
The Jewish Week blog notes that the original photo was released with the following disclaimer:
“This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.”
It is obviously not only an offensive treatment of women but a fundamental violation of journalistic principles — neither concern is likely, however, to move the writers of this Orthodox daily.
Jonathan Turley
Swarthmore,
Check out the conservative sect of Catholicism, known as Opus Dei. I know of one school in the Chicago area that was teaching that a women should never be the boss of a man and that a husband controls the home. It is fine if you want to live that way, but it is a disservice to intelligent women to not be allowed(via religious beliefs)to excel in their professional life. Justice Scalia is rumored to be an Opus Dei member.
SwM,
One of my best friends, who I met in my 20’s in the conservatory setting, is orthodox and a “gentle” feminist. Her family is very loving and very orthodox and very supportive of her work. I enjoy every minute I spend with them.
Bouise, My daughter had an orthodox doctor that saved her life and was very much a feminist in her own way although she wore a wig and a long skirt.
My son just sent me an email about this claiming I had previously defended that orthodox.
Elaine,
I was actually thinking of several of my co-worshipers in my misspent youth. I’ve kept in touch with a few, those of us that went to a physically left the culture (went to a non-religious school, moved away from home, etc.) all lapsed fairly quickly, those that didn’t are still VERY religious.
It had nothing to do with how religious they started out before getting done with high school. I was one of the most devote at the time of my leaving home, and we all know how that turned out.
In order to chose, you have to know there’s a choice.
SwM,
I get your point and agree
Wayne in Minnesota,
Thanks for the observation. I missed that. Says something about ….
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/business/the-bottom-line-ultra-orthodox-girls-education-downgraded-1.223552 The girls receive a better education.
Loviatar They have not crucified gay people or chopped off women’s fingers for trying to vote either. Knew I would be in trouble here for even hinting at the fact that they are not as brutal as the taliban .Are ultra orthodox against educating women?
Please note: Hillary is not the only woman whose image has been removed from the photo.
It’s funny Swarthmore mom is reduced to arguing that the orthodox Jews are only slightly less intolerant as the Taliban because they don’t stone women.
So I guess denying women equal rights, turning them into illiterate baby machines, not allowing them the ability to speak or walk on the same side of the street with a man not their husband or family member is a major upgrade from stoning. It only destroys their soul not their body (although in the long run the multiple births works quite well on destroying the body).
The sole difference between the Taliban and the Orthodox of any religion is that the Taliban actually had control of a country for awhile and the world got to see what religious zealots can do when they are in control.
Gyges,
I think it depends upon how repressive the culture is. Women have no/few rights in some religious cultures in countries where there is a close relationship between religion and state. Women who live in such places would have little/no choice about being a part of those repressive cultures.
“This type of behavior is also sadly true with the Fundamentalism of some Christians, some Muslims and indeed some Hindus. I believe it has arisen because there are many humans who are so frightened of the changes technology has wrought, that they need to go back to their ideas of “real religion” as a bulwark against modernity. Also inherent in Fundamentalism is the need for conformity and the tendency to follow those perceived as “strong” leaders. This paves the way for sociopaths to rise to leadership positions, along with people who have severe sexual and emotional “hangups.” These people would destroy the world, literally, in their search for a “nirvana” that would release them from responsibility for controlling their own lives.”
Well said, Mike S.
Mike S, You know more about them than I do. I still don’t think they compare to the taliban.
Elaine,
More importantly, how much choice does somebody who spends their existence in one culture have about choosing to be part of that culture?
Elaine, They should not.
“One major difference is that the ultra orthodox are not into stoning and caning women.”
SwM,
I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Many women in Israel who have dressed in ways that a small percentage of the Orthodox deem inappropriate have been scarily berated and have had stones thrown at them. If these idiots gained power, who knows that they would act differently from the fundamentalist Muslims. I don’t think they would be any different and I come from a large Jewish Family many of whom, including my Grand Parents and now many cousins, are quite Orthodox. My Daughter and Son-In-Law, who are Conservative Jews because of the Orthodox diminution of women’s status, nevertheless practice religious observance that are equal to those of the Orthodox.
As a Jew I am disgusted, though not surprised by this behavior. I
am no defender of the Orthodox philosophy, yet I must stress that this behavior is typical of only a small minority of the Ultra Orthodox, even Lubavitcher Hasidim do not behave this way. What angers me is that being 66 and coming from an Orthodox background, I know that this small minority of Fundamentalist Zealots practices a form of Judaism that is really a recent development in the modern world. They are so far out in their practices that they would not recognize my family as being “real” Jews in a religious sense. They have caused a grave split not only in the Jewish diaspora, but in Israel itself, where they are given far too much deference.
This type of behavior is also sadly true with the Fundamentalism of some Christians, some Muslims and indeed some Hindus. I believe it has arisen because there are many humans who are so frightened of the changes technology has wrought, that they need to go back to their ideas of “real religion” as a bulwark against modernity. Also inherent in Fundamentalism is the need for conformity and the tendency to follow those perceived as “strong” leaders. This paves the way for sociopaths to rise to leadership positions, along with people who have severe sexual and emotional “hangups.” These people would destroy the world,
literally, in their search for a “nirvana” that would release them from responsibility for controlling their own lives.
Swarthmore mom,
“Those are the rules they choose to live by.”
But should they try to impose the rules that they choose to live by on others who aren’t members of their religion?
Do you remember this story?:
New York City Erases Bike Lanes to Appease Hasidic Men Who Object to Seeing Women in Bike Shorts
http://jonathanturley.org/2009/12/10/new-york-city-erases-bike-lands-to-appease-hasidic-men-who-object-to-seeing-women-in-bike-shorts/
We do similar things here — we’re just better at hiding it…
http://www.thejewishweek.com/blogs/jewish_techs/hasidic_newspaper_photoshops_hillary_clinton_iconic_photo Rabbi says alteration is actually a violation of Jewish principle.