Furor in Saudi Arabia over Woman Drivers
Associated Press via the Ithaca Journal
Council member Mohammad al-Zulfa's proposal to give women the right to drive in Saudi Arabia has unleashed a storm in this conservative country.
Conservatives, who believe women should be shielded from strange men, say driving will allow a woman to leave home whenever she pleases and go wherever she wishes. Some say it will present her with opportunities to violate Islamic law, such as exposing her eyes while driving or interacting with strange men, like police officers or mechanics.
"Driving by women leads to evil," Munir al-Shahrani wrote in a letter to the editor of the Al-Watan daily. "Can you imagine what it will be like if her car broke down? She would have to seek help from men."
Council member Mohammad al-Zulfa's proposal to give women the right to drive in Saudi Arabia has unleashed a storm in this conservative country.
Conservatives, who believe women should be shielded from strange men, say driving will allow a woman to leave home whenever she pleases and go wherever she wishes. Some say it will present her with opportunities to violate Islamic law, such as exposing her eyes while driving or interacting with strange men, like police officers or mechanics.
"Driving by women leads to evil," Munir al-Shahrani wrote in a letter to the editor of the Al-Watan daily. "Can you imagine what it will be like if her car broke down? She would have to seek help from men."
posted by Daryl McCullough
2 Comments:
If I were them, I would be afraid that the women would just drive away--as any sane person would do.
The proper thing to do would be to pass a law forbidding men from assisting women whose cars have broken down on the road.
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