Sunday, September 25, 2011

Saudi Women Get Right to Vote but Not to Drive

Hi Everyone:

Saudi women now have the right to vote as well as be appointed to Shura Council but still remain unable to drive or travel abroad without male consent (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/saudi-king-women-given-vote-first-time-2015-130137846.html) .

While King Abdullah's ultraconservative country is slightly modernizing itself, it still remains backwards in allowing women to enjoy the rights that men have.

Where's the logic in being able to vote but not use a car? Would women endanger society if they drove?

Are women children that they must ask permission to travel? I'm surprised they can go to the bathroom without informing someone.

Patriarchy, religious fundamentalism, oppressive Shariah law, fear and ignorance are all factors that limit the rights and freedom of these poor women.

Ending stonings and lashes for adultery (the last time I checked it takes two to tango) and honour killings would be a huge victory.

However, equality will likely never come to pass in countries where women are viewed as having half the worth of men.

At least Saudi women can vote (they just have to wait until the 2015 nationwide local elections). Some progress is being made.

Dahlia

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Remembering the 10th Anniversary of 9/11

Hi Everyone:

It's kind of hard to believe that today is the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

I've rewritten this post many times and wish I had something profound to say, but I don't.

My heart goes out to the families of the nearly 3,000 innocent people who died that tragic day (http://ca.news.yahoo.com/always-hero-9-11-victims-names-ring-world-151102491.html).

I also cannot forget the first responders who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder or illnesses and conditions associated with the Ground Zero clean-up. I was reminded of their situation while watching 60 Minutes.

May God bless and keep you. May we never forget.

Dahlia

Monday, September 5, 2011

Freddie Mercury Will Rock You... Even 20 Years After His Death

Hi Everyone:

I grew up listening to Queen and learning to appreciate and love the band thanks to my Dad (I'm so jealous that he saw them from the second row!).

It was, however, by surfing online today that I discovered it would have been Freddie Mercury's 65th birthday had it not been for the bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS, which killed him in 1991 (http://www.spinner.ca/2011/09/05/freddie-mercury-65-birthday-tributes/).

Not surprisingly, Mercury is still inspiring musicians 20 years after his death.

Artists such as Katy Perry, Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan and the Foo Fighters' Taylor Hawkins were a few of the artists to honour the late rock legend through video posts on You Tube (http://www.spinner.ca/2011/09/05/freddie-mercury-65-birthday-tributes/).

Perry sang "Happy Birthday" and said she wanted to be a "killer Queen" as well as spoke of how much of an influence Mercury had been on her
(http://www.spinner.ca/2011/09/05/freddie-mercury-65-birthday-tributes/).

While Hawkins said his first concert was Queen in 1982, Corgan said he wished he "could sing half as good as (Freddie) did" (I agree that it would make Corgan's annoying nasal voice a tad more bearable) who was a "warm, loving person" and "loved grandeur" and that "If (Queen) were a band that was coming out today they would still be massive"
(http://www.spinner.ca/2011/09/05/freddie-mercury-65-birthday-tributes/).

I will always think that "Bohemian Rhapsody" is one of the greatest rock songs of all time. I've seen footage and Mercury's unique voice and flamboyant antics made him a memorable showman. He definitely enjoyed being on stage, and I bet he would still be shaking his stuff if he was alive.

Made in heaven? I think so.

Dahlia