The War on Polygamy
The war on polygamy is in full swing and it's really hard to determine why. The arrest of Warren Jeffs has fueled a media feeding frenzy which has brought this insignificant phenomena into the cultural crosshair. After all, less than 10,000 people in the whole United States practice polygamy. This is yet another example of the addiction the mainstream media has for sensationalism and issues that really don't matter. Some people would draw lines and try and explain this as a distraction perpetrated by right wing forces to keep the masses away from the issues that matter. I don't buy that; sensationalism is simply a national illness that needs to be addressed.
Let's say I care about this - which I don't -but let's say that I do. I can't believe the hysteria that has people like Larry King treating this like a plague and a scourge, when I can think of things that are ten times worse. Not that the Muslims needs another blemish on our image, but did you know that polygamy is allowed in Islam? The limit is for each man to have four wives, though not many people do. This was set up to solidify social ties and allow 'families' to have children if one wife is incapable of bearing. As a 'social program' designed to ensure that all women are taken care of, I admit that it's antiquated which explains why it's much rarer today, in a country like Egypt, than it was even fifty or sixty years ago.
I personally know about three different people who are married to more than one woman. It's seen as little more than a curiosity and people regard it as a tolerable oddity.
I concur with that point of view. So why do people here regard it with such revulsion and disgust? I mean, for all intents and purposes, many people here lead a similar lifestyle, with several baby mamas on the scene at the same time, with no condemnation. Another reason people regard polygamy with suspicion is it's close association with statutory rape. But isn't that more a function of closed up, backward-ass societies than polygamy? I mean, child brides are more common among monogamists in the south, by sheer weight of numbers (again, less than 10,000 practising polygamists in the continental US) than they possibly could be among polygamists.
Don't you agree that regulating relationships by allowing multiple marriages is, at least, no worse than what we have now? I mean, I'm all for people doing what they want and polygamy really doesn't suit my taste, but the hypocrisy surrounding it really pisses me off. Especially when the media adopts this holier-than-thou air.
And why has the media not brought up the fact that Muslims (the incumbent whipping boys for America these days) are allowed to practise polygamy? Are they afraid of a backlash by Muslims or concerned about causing people to hate Muslims even more?
Another inconsistency: a man sleeps with a 15-year old, he's reviled by everyone. Do it anywhere in Canada where the age of consent is 14, and it's legal. Why the double standard? And why doesn't the media at least discuss this when weighing in on such repugnant issues as pedophilia and NAMBLA. I mean, my grandmother was 13 when she got married and had her first baby and I don't consider that statutory rape. Why is there no honest and open dialogue about our own inconsistencies in this country?
Let's say I care about this - which I don't -but let's say that I do. I can't believe the hysteria that has people like Larry King treating this like a plague and a scourge, when I can think of things that are ten times worse. Not that the Muslims needs another blemish on our image, but did you know that polygamy is allowed in Islam? The limit is for each man to have four wives, though not many people do. This was set up to solidify social ties and allow 'families' to have children if one wife is incapable of bearing. As a 'social program' designed to ensure that all women are taken care of, I admit that it's antiquated which explains why it's much rarer today, in a country like Egypt, than it was even fifty or sixty years ago.
I personally know about three different people who are married to more than one woman. It's seen as little more than a curiosity and people regard it as a tolerable oddity.
I concur with that point of view. So why do people here regard it with such revulsion and disgust? I mean, for all intents and purposes, many people here lead a similar lifestyle, with several baby mamas on the scene at the same time, with no condemnation. Another reason people regard polygamy with suspicion is it's close association with statutory rape. But isn't that more a function of closed up, backward-ass societies than polygamy? I mean, child brides are more common among monogamists in the south, by sheer weight of numbers (again, less than 10,000 practising polygamists in the continental US) than they possibly could be among polygamists.
Don't you agree that regulating relationships by allowing multiple marriages is, at least, no worse than what we have now? I mean, I'm all for people doing what they want and polygamy really doesn't suit my taste, but the hypocrisy surrounding it really pisses me off. Especially when the media adopts this holier-than-thou air.
And why has the media not brought up the fact that Muslims (the incumbent whipping boys for America these days) are allowed to practise polygamy? Are they afraid of a backlash by Muslims or concerned about causing people to hate Muslims even more?
Another inconsistency: a man sleeps with a 15-year old, he's reviled by everyone. Do it anywhere in Canada where the age of consent is 14, and it's legal. Why the double standard? And why doesn't the media at least discuss this when weighing in on such repugnant issues as pedophilia and NAMBLA. I mean, my grandmother was 13 when she got married and had her first baby and I don't consider that statutory rape. Why is there no honest and open dialogue about our own inconsistencies in this country?
posted by Basil Epicurus at 10:13 PM
3 Comments:
Because, like in any other country, no one actually wants to THINK, let alone discuss. So, while polygmay is something chest thumpers use to bash muslims, foking every poonani in any given office is a-ok because its bling bling. We live in a culture that thrives on excess and double standards.
I can come up with one "inconsistency" and hypocrtical cultural hiccup for every night for the next 1001 nights. In Egypt. It's not just Americans. But while there is a greater degree of discussion (albeit loaded with flabergasting terminology and quasi-rehearsed scripts), Egyptians never claimed theirs was the best country on earth.
as a matter of fact, there's a bil lto get the age of consent in canada raised to 16. they're working on it now.
Doesn't really negate the point, does it Forsooth? The point is, it's an arbitrary line in the sand.
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