Get back, slut
When the Number 40 bus arrived, the most curious thing happened. Husbands left heavily pregnant wives or spouses struggling with prams and pushchairs to fend for themselves as they and all other male passengers got on at the front of the bus. Women moved towards the rear door to get on at the back. When on the bus, I tried to buck the system, moving my way towards the driver but was pushed back towards the other women.
Towards the other servants, the other slaves, the other niggers, the other untouchables.
The separation system operates on 30 public bus routes across Israel. The authorities here say the arrangement is voluntary, but in practise, as I found out, there is not much choice involved.
Well, no, it’s voluntary for the men, you see. If they decide to choose to have the buses divided into front and back, that makes the arrangement voluntary. Capeesh?
Shlomo Rosenstein explains further:
This really is about positive discrimination, in women’s favour. Our religion says there should be no public contact between men and women, this modesty barrier must not be broken.
And that’s why they get pushed back, threatened, and, not to put too fine a point on it, beaten up if they refuse. On a public bus.
Well…what is religion for if it’s not for keeping women down? I ask you. What good is it if it doesn’t sanctify the loathing of women?
Naomi Regen says the buses are just part of a wider menacing pattern of behaviour towards women in parts of the orthodox Jewish community. “They’ve already cancelled higher education in the ultra-orthodox world for women. They have packed the religious courts with ultra-orthodox judges. In some places there are separate sides of the street women have to walk on.” She says that there are signs all over some religious neighbourhoods demanding that women dress modestly. “They throw paint and bleach at women who aren’t dressed modestly…”
Which of course is positive discrimination, in women’s favour. Lucky lucky women.
But…I thought it was only the Muslims in the Middle East who are a problem?
Did you?! Because – what? I’ve said that? I post news items exclusively about ‘the Muslims in the Middle East’? No, and no; so what’s your point?
“Use of the “Orthodox” label seems to have begun towards the beginning of the 19th century. Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch wrote in 1854 that:
…it was not “Orthodox” Jews who introduced the word “orthodox” into Jewish discussion. It was the modern “progressive” Jews who first applied the name to “old,” “backward” Jews as a derogatory term. This name was… resented by “old” Jews.
“This really is about positive discrimination, in women’s favour. Our religion says there should be no public contact between men and women, this modesty barrier must not be broken”.
It was the modern progressive jew in the nineteenth century who coined the term – “backward”. Tell me, is the modern progressive jew still in the twenty first century “backward” with respect of their vile treatment of women. As it certainly seems that way in relation to their bus segregation practices.
“their”, should have read “its” vile, “its” bus.
Brian I should point out that this form of ultra orthodox jew is a very small component of jewish tradition 2% ish,where as this kind of crap is widesread throughout the moslem world. It is still ugly though!
My point was a persistent thread by some that Israel is largely blameless and that all the problems in the Middle East are caused by Muslims. I’m not responding to YOUR posts, per se, OB, more to several commenters over the months and years who harp on the evil of Palestinians and the virtue of Israel as a state.
Like I said, one can question militant Zionism (which represents a bigger part of the political structure in Israel than the Orthodox, who have a disproportionate share of influence as well) without being pro-Islamic or pro-suicide bombing.
Well it’s a bit ridiculous to respond to ‘several commenters over the months and years’ by commenting on a post of mine, isn’t it. If you comment on a post it looks as if you’re commenting on a post, not replying to other commenters.
And people wonder why I think clarity matters!
Oy.
Mea Culpa, Ophelia.
Well, it’s all right there in the Bible. Leviticus 15: 19-24. IBTP
Strange that no bible-literalist Christians are pushing the same concept.
Ego te absolvo, Brian.
cackle
Thanks. Of course, I let loose with more rage on the thread above this one. But…that rage was actually directed to specific posts in the trhead!
“Traditional” and fundamentalist cultures mostly suck.