Wednesday, May 17, 2006
The Pure, Chaste Youth of Saudi Arabia
Not to be led astray by pictures of women in newspapers * Midterm elections and Democrats
It would be funny if it were not for the seriousness with which such edicts by the monarch are taken by the people of Saudi Arabia. They have no choice. Obey or be punished, and punishment could be severe."In recent months, newspapers have published pictures of women — always wearing the traditional Muslim headscarf — to illustrate stories with increasing regularity. Usually the stories have had to do with women's issues. The papers have also started publishing a range of views on causes that are not generally accepted in Saudi Arabia — such as women having the right to drive and vote."
- RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - King Abdullah has told Saudi editors to stop publishing pictures of women as they could make young men go astray, newspapers reported Tuesday.
- The king told editors on Monday night that publishing a woman's picture for the world to see was inappropriate.
- "The youth are driven by emotion ... and sometimes they can be lead astray. So, please, try to cut down on this," he said.
Democrats - Success or failure, what lies ahead ?
That is the heart of the matter. A headline in the Post reads "Confidence in GOP is at new low in poll". Heartening news indeed but what does it portend for Democrats ? "The second warning for Democrats is that their improved prospects for November appear driven primarily by dissatisfaction with Republicans rather than by positive impressions of their own party. Congressional Democrats are rating only slightly more favorably than congressional Republicans, and 52 percent of those surveyed said the Democrats have not offered a sharp contrast to Bush and the Republicans."
There is no question that the Republicans are vulnerable. Among other things they have lost the American public's support for the war. According to a recent Washington Post-ABC News Poll 59% of those contacted felt it was a "Mistake"; 40% "It was the right thing"; and 1% had no opinion. There is clamor but not a single Democratic leader has emerged to offer clear and different alternatives about the war; health care; education; tax cuts; and women's right to choose. To their shame, they are playing politics. There is crying need for a man or woman to rise above the herd.
