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<font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font color="black" face="arial" size="2">-----Original Message-----<br>
From: spike <spike66@att.net></font><br>
></font><tt>A big part of the problem in a lot of places is the culture itself, and very
</tt><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">></font><tt>likely the religion. Those religions that cherish ancient writings for
</tt><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">></font><tt>instance have an inherent difficulty changing with the times. </tt><tt></tt></pre></font>
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<div> To me <font size="2">t</font>hat's not just a big part it is <font size="2">the</font> <font size="2">fundamental</font> issue.<br>
<font size="2"><font size="2">The treatment of Women is a direct res<font size="2">ult of a <font size="2">foundation</font> stone of human p<font size="2">hilosophy</font>, </font></font></font>Ownership of <font size="2">the</font> self. In a culture where the self has any sort of <font size="2">ownership by higher authority su<font size="2">ch as God.</font></font><font size="2"><font size="2"><font color="black" face="arial" size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"> Thus <font size="2">o</font>wnership of others <font size="2">descends</font> from God<font size="2">.</font></font></font></font> It is then by exten<font size="2">sion </font>100% logical to see ownership of others as a basic and perfectly moral right. Even to see it as <font size="2">beneficial for t<font size="2">he owned</font></font>, which it usually is. Culturally</font> </font>as society and trade evolved we <font size="2">reinforced ownership of other<font size="2">s through contracts such as marriage. <font size="2"><font size="2">T</font>he male</font> gives his<font size="2"> sweat equity to provide food<font size="2">, shelter, protection etc. </font></font></font></font>In return the women gives her reproductive ability<font size="2">, loyalty and <font size="2">subservience</font> <font size="2">a</font>s lai<font size="2">d out in the marriage vows. <font size="2">Somewhat <font size="2">a</font>ntiquated notions <font size="2">by our modern eyes<font size="2"> and loosing favour within western <font size="2">religion.</font></font></font></font></font><br>
<font size="2">While it originally stemmed from the basic natural male dominance and gender roles it was given moral support by both religion and l<font size="2">aw.<br>
<font size="2">It<font size="2">'s only really due to t<font size="2">he recent decline in religion in <font size="2">the</font> <font size="2">westerni<font size="2">s</font>ed</font> world that these "<font size="2">fundamental</font>" moralities have been overturned. This has come ab<font size="2">out due to the <font size="2">reali<font size="2">s</font>ation</font> of self ownership.<br>
<font size="2">God doesn't own me, No one owns me. <font size="2">No one has responsibility for my life except <font size="2">me. SO THERE!....ah ok, then Likewise if I extend that logic to all other people, I cannot morally justify any sort of sexist oppression, or any other oppression and so on.<br>
<font size="2">While movement like <font size="2">the</font> <font size="2">suffragettes (>you go girls!<font size="2"><)</font> and feminism (>insert rabid comment here<) have done their bit. They were really secondary as they <font size="2">were top down rights <font size="2">arguments </font>that left the <font size="2">underlying problem<font size="2"> in place.</font></font></font> </font></font><br>
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So <font size="2">until other cultures get <font size="2">their</font> heads around total self ownership, the problem is not going away. We can throw as much money and new law </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font color="black" face="arial" size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2"><font size="2">at <font size="2">it </font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font></font>as we want<font size="2">, but the moral/logical foundations which it stems from will remain and it will be a<font size="2"> <font size="2">persistent</font> and <font size="2">recurrent</font> problem. People will continue to follow the logic from a flawed starting point and will ignore laws we put in place designed to fix this. Such laws won't make sense to the<font size="2">m and they will<font size="2"> see it as a<font size="2">n immoral attack on both them and their culture.</font></font></font></font></font></font><br>
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