Unrest in Iran - demonstrations against the Morality Police

Unrest in Iran - demonstrations against the Morality Police

Author
Discussion

Fatboy

Original Poster:

8,064 posts

278 months

Wednesday 21st September 2022
quotequote all
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-62967...

I didn't see any threads on this - seems like there are major protests kicking off in Iran, caused by the death of a woman who had been detained by the morality Police...

Haven't seen much on it yet, but is this a short term thing, or is there growing unrest?

Four Litre

2,105 posts

198 months

Wednesday 21st September 2022
quotequote all
Fatboy said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-62967...

I didn't see any threads on this - seems like there are major protests kicking off in Iran, caused by the death of a woman who had been detained by the morality Police...

Haven't seen much on it yet, but is this a short term thing, or is there growing unrest?
I find it ironic that the women in Iran are burning their head scarves as a sign of oppression. Here in the UK people make out that women wearing a head scarf is a symbol of cultural identity in a nicey nice way..

Personally I know which one I believe.

Ian Geary

4,701 posts

198 months

Thursday 22nd September 2022
quotequote all
I recall a year or so ago, when the European media was reporting heavily on the Navalny protests/goings on.

A friend who works studying security/politics told me it was really a fringe movement in Russia, and not at all getting wide support.

The reason European media reported it so vigorously was because it served our political agenda.


So part of me wonders to what extent this protest is widespread and represents a real sea change moment? Or is just small, isolated incidents being played up.

In the same way russian state TV might video a stop oil protest and claim the whole UK is ready to overthrow the govt.


The lady's death was senseless and shocking, and is a solemn reminder of the things we take for granted in the west.

But ultimately: it's their country, their rules, their state run morality police. Much as we don't like it, didn't the UK get the whole telling other places how to run out of it's system 100 years ago?

Rivenink

3,936 posts

112 months

Thursday 22nd September 2022
quotequote all
Four Litre said:
Fatboy said:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-62967...

I didn't see any threads on this - seems like there are major protests kicking off in Iran, caused by the death of a woman who had been detained by the morality Police...

Haven't seen much on it yet, but is this a short term thing, or is there growing unrest?
I find it ironic that the women in Iran are burning their head scarves as a sign of oppression. Here in the UK people make out that women wearing a head scarf is a symbol of cultural identity in a nicey nice way..

Personally I know which one I believe.
Women in the UK have the right to choose; at least legally so. Many people choose to wear religious clothing and are free to do so.

While undoubtedly some people do not get a 'choice' because of family and social pressure and that could be described as opressive, in the eyes of the law, they have the freedom to choose.

Iran is oppressive because the Government enforces adherence to a religious dresscode. There is no freedom.

ReallyReallyGood

1,627 posts

136 months

Thursday 22nd September 2022
quotequote all
Ian Geary said:
I recall a year or so ago, when the European media was reporting heavily on the Navalny protests/goings on.

A friend who works studying security/politics told me it was really a fringe movement in Russia, and not at all getting wide support.

The reason European media reported it so vigorously was because it served our political agenda.


So part of me wonders to what extent this protest is widespread and represents a real sea change moment? Or is just small, isolated incidents being played up.

In the same way russian state TV might video a stop oil protest and claim the whole UK is ready to overthrow the govt.


The lady's death was senseless and shocking, and is a solemn reminder of the things we take for granted in the west.

But ultimately: it's their country, their rules, their state run morality police. Much as we don't like it, didn't the UK get the whole telling other places how to run out of it's system 100 years ago?
They have removed access to the internet. This is not just a local spat on a street corner.

Type R Tom

3,985 posts

155 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Rivenink said:
Women in the UK have the right to choose; at least legally so. Many people choose to wear religious clothing and are free to do so.

While undoubtedly some people do not get a 'choice' because of family and social pressure and that could be described as opressive, in the eyes of the law, they have the freedom to choose.

Iran is oppressive because the Government enforces adherence to a religious dresscode. There is no freedom.
Indeed, to quote a conversion with a former colleague, "my wife is free to choose to wear whatever she likes", "what if she chose to wear nothing?", "then she'd be a sinner".

The shutting off of the intenet is a big deal, they don't want people organising or the outside world seeing what's going on. Good luck to them I say.

grumbledoak

31,767 posts

239 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
It's not the first time. I imagine it will be the "short term thing".

Kermit power

29,433 posts

219 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Four Litre said:
I find it ironic that the women in Iran are burning their head scarves as a sign of oppression. Here in the UK people make out that women wearing a head scarf is a symbol of cultural identity in a nicey nice way..

Personally I know which one I believe.
I think you're making a false comparison.

Yes, you get people in Muslim culture who want to (and often can) force women to dress in a certain way.

On the other hand, you get people here who want to force women NOT to dress in a certain way. Personally I don't care whether this group are doing it because they think they're saving women from oppression or because they want to force people to integrate into what they perceive to be British society, I still find them as reprehensible as the previous group.

The society I want to live in is one where everyone is entitled to wear whatever they want (within certain minimum standards of decency, mainly keeping genitals covered) whenever they want, with the focus on it being what THEY want, not what anyone else wants FOR them.

Fatboy

Original Poster:

8,064 posts

278 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Ian Geary said:
I recall a year or so ago, when the European media was reporting heavily on the Navalny protests/goings on.

A friend who works studying security/politics told me it was really a fringe movement in Russia, and not at all getting wide support.

The reason European media reported it so vigorously was because it served our political agenda.


So part of me wonders to what extent this protest is widespread and represents a real sea change moment? Or is just small, isolated incidents being played up.

In the same way russian state TV might video a stop oil protest and claim the whole UK is ready to overthrow the govt.


The lady's death was senseless and shocking, and is a solemn reminder of the things we take for granted in the west.

But ultimately: it's their country, their rules, their state run morality police. Much as we don't like it, didn't the UK get the whole telling other places how to run out of it's system 100 years ago?
There didn't seem to be that much coverage of this on the BBC, which makes me wonder if it's as you say a very small set of protests, or something bigger that's not being covered well...

andyA700

3,196 posts

43 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Kermit power said:
Four Litre said:
I find it ironic that the women in Iran are burning their head scarves as a sign of oppression. Here in the UK people make out that women wearing a head scarf is a symbol of cultural identity in a nicey nice way..

Personally I know which one I believe.
I think you're making a false comparison.

Yes, you get people in Muslim culture who want to (and often can) force women to dress in a certain way.

On the other hand, you get people here who want to force women NOT to dress in a certain way. Personally I don't care whether this group are doing it because they think they're saving women from oppression or because they want to force people to integrate into what they perceive to be British society, I still find them as reprehensible as the previous group.

The society I want to live in is one where everyone is entitled to wear whatever they want (within certain minimum standards of decency, mainly keeping genitals covered) whenever they want, with the focus on it being what THEY want, not what anyone else wants FOR them.
I am married to an Iranian born woman, we have been together for over thirty years. The better half of my family live in Iran. When any of my female relations visit us or go outside of Iran, they do not wear hijab, they wear Western style clothes. However, there is still a lot of control and abuse of Muslim women going on in the UK, where they are forced to wear hijab, forbidden to work, forbidden to socialise with non Muslim people.
It isn't a matter of "want", because a lot of Muslim women in the UK and around the World do not get a choice - because men dictate what they should do.

Blib

45,267 posts

203 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Kermit power said:
I think you're making a false comparison.

Yes, you get people in Muslim culture who want to (and often can) force women to dress in a certain way.

On the other hand, you get people here who want to force women NOT to dress in a certain way. Personally I don't care whether this group are doing it because they think they're saving women from oppression or because they want to force people to integrate into what they perceive to be British society, I still find them as reprehensible as the previous group.

The society I want to live in is one where everyone is entitled to wear whatever they want (within certain minimum standards of decency, mainly keeping genitals covered) whenever they want, with the focus on it being what THEY want, not what anyone else wants FOR them.
There's absolutely no equivalence between the two.

Which UK government agency is dragging women from the streets, imprisoning them and beating them, sometimes to death, in order to subjugate them?

Kermit power

29,433 posts

219 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
andyA700 said:
I am married to an Iranian born woman, we have been together for over thirty years. The better half of my family live in Iran. When any of my female relations visit us or go outside of Iran, they do not wear hijab, they wear Western style clothes. However, there is still a lot of control and abuse of Muslim women going on in the UK, where they are forced to wear hijab, forbidden to work, forbidden to socialise with non Muslim people.
It isn't a matter of "want", because a lot of Muslim women in the UK and around the World do not get a choice - because men dictate what they should do.
No argument there, which is why I made a point of saying it's only a freedom if it's really an individual choice.

I don't, though, see any moral difference between the Iranian authorities forcing women to wear a hijab and the French authorities forcing them not to.

eldar

22,529 posts

202 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Blib said:
There's absolutely no equivalence between the two.

Which UK government agency is dragging women from the streets, imprisoning them and beating them, sometimes to death, in order to subjugate them?
TV licence enforcement is the nearest I can think of.

Kermit power

29,433 posts

219 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Blib said:
There's absolutely no equivalence between the two.

Which UK government agency is dragging women from the streets, imprisoning them and beating them, sometimes to death, in order to subjugate them?
None in the UK, and long may it continue, but it is a regular populist theme.

The French government have banned the veil though, and I find it an unacceptable infringement of civil liberty.

The barbarism with which regimes such as Iran enforce their laws is, of course, horrific in comparison to the West, but that is a different matter to the ethical validity of the law in the first place.

Vasco

17,201 posts

111 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
What is the penalty for a muslim woman not wearing a hijab on the streets of the UK ?

Type R Tom

3,985 posts

155 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Kermit power said:
I don't, though, see any moral difference between the Iranian authorities forcing women to wear a hijab and the French authorities forcing them not to.
While I get your point, I'm not sure I can agree that a cultural mindset that can lead to things like honor killings and FGM can be compared to anything happening in France.

Edited by Type R Tom on Friday 23 September 10:08

4Q

3,450 posts

150 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Vasco said:
What is the penalty for a muslim woman not wearing a hijab on the streets of the UK ?
In some cases getting beaten by her father, brothers & uncles.

Vasco

17,201 posts

111 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
4Q said:
Vasco said:
What is the penalty for a muslim woman not wearing a hijab on the streets of the UK ?
In some cases getting beaten by her father, brothers & uncles.
Yes, true in some extreme cases, that are picked up by the media - but in the majority of cases ??

anonymous-user

60 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
4Q said:
Vasco said:
What is the penalty for a muslim woman not wearing a hijab on the streets of the UK ?
In some cases getting beaten by her father, brothers & uncles.
Or killed by her father, brothers & uncles.

There are estimated to be around 12-15 'honour killings' in the UK every year.

Kermit power

29,433 posts

219 months

Friday 23rd September 2022
quotequote all
Type R Tom said:
Kermit power said:
I don't, though, see any moral difference between the Iranian authorities forcing women to wear a hijab and the French authorities forcing them not to.
While I get your point, I'm not sure I can agree that a cultural mindset that can lead to things like honor killings and FGM can be compared to anything happening in France.
That is a cultural mindset which is abhorrent, but you can't counter it just by saying "right, fine, we'll BAN the wearing of the hijab then", because for every woman that liberates, you're going to end up with more who just aren't let out of the house any more, so they lose any freedom and independence they once had.