Child Brides

[Kaere]

A marketing campaign meant to shock and bring child marriage more onto the radar of the western world.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/world/the-truth-about-thea-norway-s-12-year-old-child-bride-1.2046750

[Stirky]

Yes it goes on a lot more than people think, even in our countries. I haven't looked at the link, but there has been a lot about it recently in this country. They are trying to really stamp it out, but it is a very difficult thing to do.

[Stirky]

Under age and arranged marriages are so set in some cultures they believe it is their right to carry on with these practises, even if they live in a country where under age sex is illegal, let alone marriage. These girls are often forced into it by their own families, there have been cases in the UK of girls being murdered as they would not do as the family wanted. It is shockingly sad.

[Rockhopper]

It's traditional in some societies. When it happens in ours then we can tell others what to do but if it is somewhere else then do we really have the right to impose our beliefs on them?

For the record I don't like child brides either.

Tim.

[Stirky]

But it goes on in our own countries where it is illegal.

[Rockhopper]

But it goes on in our own countries where it is illegal.

Yep Stirks and quite rightly so too. It does need to be stamped out.

My earlier comment was that from a foreign country's point of view, for us to criticise what they do is seen a modern colonialism. If we want to be taken seriously we have to get past that mindset.

Tim.

[Stirky]

We respect a country by abiding by it's laws and cultures when we visit, and people visiting our countries should do the same.

Yes it does go on in their own countries and no there is nothing we can really do about that, still doesn't make it right though. But we can stop it happening in our own countries. There is a lot that goes on in other countries that seems awful to us, but that is their culture and we should respect that, we don't have to like it.

Just take a look at Spain and their bull fighting rings, it has been going on an awful long time and a lot of people look at that and see it as cruel, but really should it be stopped when it is such a part of their culture and heritage? (I would argue yes, but that's starts a whole OT deate lol ) But if the Spanish came to the UK and wanted to do bull fighting it would be outlawed straight away.

[Monk (in hiding)]

Girls in Iran can't chase boy's, Boy's must court them. If you are a male, you cannot shake the hand of a girl. Females by law must wear Hijab's in public.

Who are we to tell them otherwise?

[Stirky]

Who are we to tell them otherwise?

Like I said, we should respect their culture when in their country and vice versa.

[Rogue]

When they are in our country they should try to follow our laws too, though I realise some cultural things may be difficult. The wearing of the Burka is something i'd prefer to see changed.

[Rockhopper]

I agree Roggie but most people in the west particularly don't realise is that the head-covering of women in some places was and is still a Christian Edict.

In Constantinople Constantine issued an Edict that all women in public shall be covered from head to foot. When the Turks over-ran Constantinople in 1144AD they spread it throughout the Islamic nations.

Tim.

[Kaere]

I find myself struggling between the whole 'respect their culture' thing and the whole 'that's effed up!' thing. Genital mutilations, men raping baby girls in order to cure their aids, girls marrying men against their will, a girl in India being condemned by a judge to be raped because her brother committed a crime... it's horrific, the things that people think of to do to others.

Some things do no harm... other things do much harm. Do we not have some sort of responsibility to the world in general or should we sit back and let these types of actions take place in the name of 'culture'?

Personally, I think anything that sheds light onto shadowy practices that take advantage of another, especially someone as vulnerable as a child, is a positive thing.

[Rockhopper]

It certainly does Ka. It highlights the wrong things that are done.

Bringing them out to open view can and does cause changes.

Tim.

[Stargate]

I contend that if another culture is allowed to take any sort of root in ones own culture, it will be contaminated. I know this sounds kind of drastic, but one has to see and understand the implications of mixtures. The world was not meant to be a melting pot, because it will become a cultural soup with out clear definitions. Take the example from the body their are very clear distinctions in the separation of the organs if we merge one organ with another the normal functions crosses lines and our bodies behave differently. I think when different cultures come to visit they should be given a certain time for visitation and when the time is over they should return to their own, other than that we will have what we have today. Just my point of view.

[Stirky]

Yes Kaere that is very true, when culture is an excuse to cover up what is essentially crimes, then no it should never be right or allowed to happen, ever!

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