Until Everyone is Free, No One is Free

Re: Iranians Protest Bill on Rights of Women (February 17, 2010)

To The Editor,
There are many preconcieved notions about Islam here in the U.S. One particular notion seems to be that Islam views women as inferior, however that is not necessarily true. The fact of the matter is that because of the flexible nature of Arabic many men have taken Qur'an verses and translated them in a way that best fits their needs. This shows that many times it is not Islam that is the oppressor but the authoritative male figures of Islam that are keeping women inferior to men. However as one can see by this article, many women are fed up with being oppressed and are rising up together to gain the rights that they deserve. This struggle is something that many western women should be able to relate to. Not too long ago American women did not have the right to vote and were therefore not deemed full citizens of the United States. It wasn't until 1920 that the 19th amendment was ratified, giving women the right to vote inthe U.S. This should show everyone that no matter how different someone may be, there is always something there that is shared, whether it be a quality or a struggle or a dream. When women from the tribal areas of Pakistan were asked what they want in life they replied that they didn't want their babies to die and that they wanted their children to recieve an education. This statment is something all women should be able to relate to. I believe that this article should remind everyone that no one can truly be free, until everyone is free and that in the end people are much more similar than they think.