Today is Earth Day and I think it is wonderful to have a day dedicated to the Earth. The other happenings in my mind include President Obama and Congress passing the healthcare bill, and President Sarkozy and the country of Belgium trying to ban the Islamic veil. Now, you might be thinking, how do they all relate? They are all related by the word Love. Everything in existence or that has existed or will existed is connected by the word love.
The idea that everyone in America can have healthcare comes from love. Now, will this idea of universal healthcare in America work? It will work if people are fairly charged for healthcare and the costs become reasonable. It will work if doctors and healthcare administrators are coming from love and do what is best for the patient and not what is best for them. It will work if the patients use their rights appropriately.
In addition, how is the ban of Islamic veil and Belgium related to the word love? I think maybe President Sarkozy was trying to come from love; he was trying to stop women who are "oppressed" from being forced into wearing the veil or the scarf when they did not want to. However, by doing so he and Belgium are denying love to a specific group of woman, those who practice Islamic culture.
Clothes are not symbols of oppression but behavior is. Do people who wear other kinds of clothes not get "oppressed"? A woman wearing jeans and a shirt can be a victim of domestic violence while a woman wearing the Islamic veil or scarf might just be happily practicing their culture. Sarkozy and Belgium should not violate civil liberties and curb freedom of expression for this reason. By doing so, ironically, they are practicing the very the thing they are setting out to stop, imposing on and forcing Islamic woman to wear clothes that adhere to Eurocentric standards. Therefore, in this case, love might be to let Islamic women choose what they want to do, wear the veil or not wear it.
In conclusion, love or lack of love is tied to everything, and what is love? Love is kindness. Kindness sounds like a simple word but it has deep dimensions. It has various manifestations. Healthcare will work if doctors and adminstrators are doing what's best for the patient and the patients act with responsibility. The veil or scarf or the jeans or any kind of clothing will work, when the person wearing the clothes is treated with dignity. The Earth will work, when we choose to protect and nourish it, and the last word is Love.
Okay, this sentence of yours is accidentally hilarious!
ReplyDelete"and President Zarkozy trying to ban the Islamic veil as well as the country of Belgium"
Hey, Belgium and the veil, you are both banished! lol
Great blog though. I enjoyed discussing the topic on Facebook. I think you're right when you say that the French president probably has good intentions, he just doesn't realize how complicated the issue is. I understand the veil being part of a woman's culture that she may be happily practicing, however I do hate the cultural idea behind the veil: That a woman must cover herself so that she won't tempt a man. It isn't about *her*, it's about men's apparent lack of self-control. Which then implies that a woman that won't cover herself is immodest, wants a man's attention and is immoral.
Thanks Niala for the commment. I have enjoyed discussing the topic on facebook also. The cultural idea behind the veil is not necessarily so she won't tempt the man, I think the interpretation varies. But yes, I agree THAT idea is not cool and ya it is not about her, it is about the guy's lack of control. But most often elderly woman like grandmas wear it and not really the young "tempting" woman so much. They wear it to practice their culture and it is sort of like their outfit. And it is the woman's choice if they want to wear it or not, they are not suppose to be forced to wear it b/c that violates the rules. If they are not being forced, then who cares what they want to wear or not...
ReplyDeleteOh by the way it's Sarkozy not Zarkozy, next time will try to edit better. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteok did the editing now trying to figure out how to delete my comment. hehe
ReplyDelete