Re "the issue of the Muslims in Europe. Their society is extremely conservative, and women remain mostly covered up and in the home, for example."
They can remain "conservative" and covered up if they want to. If the wife doesn't want to live that way and wants to leave her husband, the law should protect her, but if she believes that's the way she should live, whose right is it to say otherwise? As for daughters, like their male siblings, their mode of dress is governed by the parents. Would you let your child leave the house dressed in a way you considered inappropriate? Many other manifestations of "conservatism", though clearly not all (see below), should likewise offend no one and be of no one else's business. For example, the state has no business interfering with a parent's ability to govern or restrict a child's music listening, television, movie or reading choices.
"Does the larger society need to protect Muslim girls and women from beatings from their husbands in the same way that they would if the women belonged to the dominant culture?"
Of course.
"Should the state insist that Muslim girls go to school as long as other girls are required to?"
Yes, but like anyone else, they can choose whether to attend public, private secular or private religious schools. Or, perhaps, home school, but with some kind of supervision (I'm not sure how that works here and can't really relate to those who want to do that to their child, but who am I to judge?).
"What should the state do about the problem of clitordectomies in the Muslim community?"
The state has a justifiable interest in protecting the physical and mental health of residents of all ages, regardless of who is inflicting the injury.
The point is, the state's role and responsibilities are no different regarding Muslim immigrants than regarding native residents - that is to protect individual rights. If they are prohibiting head scarves, they have gone way beyond the proper role of government. I don't understand why this is so confusing to you.
PS: Yes, Atlanta is very international. Large communities of east Asian, south Asian, middle eastern, various Hispanic, Brasilian, east African, west African, Caribbean, etc. What? You thought it was all white Southern Baptist Republicans and black Methodist-Episcopal Democrats? You need to get out more. ;-) |
