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(12/05/13 12:23am)
The Fox News morning show “Fox and Friends” recently aired a segment proclaiming that Sharia law is changing everything. This came after the recent creation of a one-hour swim class for Muslim girls at a YMCA in Minneapolis-St. Paul. The new class was created to protect their right to privacy and allow them to access the pool.
There is a large Somali-American population in St. Paul, and this program looks to be a promising opportunity for young girls to learn to swim. However, Fox News claims that this is evidence that the “minority is becoming the majority” and that Sharia law is taking over our country — notions which are both ridiculous and prejudicial.
A new swim group in one city hardly calls for a sweeping declaration that Sharia law is becoming the norm in this country.
There is nothing threatening about making accommodations for groups so that they can participate in activities that we may take for granted. The “slippery slope” argument embodied in fears that this swim class will somehow lead to this whole country being taken hostage by Islam not only is wrong, but also shows how dangerous ignorance and bigotry can be.
These are young girls who want to learn how to swim in a place where they feel comfortable and have no difficulty adhering to their belief system. This isn’t a terrorist group and others aren’t being forced to participate in the swim class. It is voluntary. Their access to these skills is often limited and this class opens them up to new experiences, providing a public good by shutting down the male locker rooms and bringing in female lifeguards, in accordance with Islamic principles.
During this time every year, we are all privy to the “War on Christmas” that seems just on the horizon. Fox News even has its own section about this tyranny where viewers can submit their stories of challenges to religious freedoms. Attempts to make schools and other public places more secular in nature are seen as stifling Christians and their ability to celebrate.
This is one more example of those who refuse to accept or tolerate the beliefs of others demanding that their own intolerant beliefs be respected. Any perception of infringement, true or not, is labeled as denying religious freedom — even if that religious freedom means treading on the toes of everyone else.
While the “War on Christmas” is a fallacy meant to scare people, it also shows the hypocrisy many hold about what religious freedom means.
You can’t claim on one hand that everyone is attacking Christmas, while announcing that the creation of a one-hour swim group is the sign of a Sharia law apocalypse.
The First Amendment protection of religious freedom does not only apply to the Christians of this nation. The right to practice a religion applies to all groups.
There is no “creeping Sharia,” and the idea that one group is fine to practice and have universal public accommodation for their beliefs, while another religious group represents an attack on everything we hold dear, is outrageous.
Religious freedom is not only for the majority to decide and accommodations for minorities don’t mean that the majority is being held captive.
Reach the columnist at rasimpso@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @beccasimpson
(11/20/13 10:59pm)
The former second family has been making headlines, as a major, long-time rift between former Vice President Dick Cheney’s two daughters has been aired in public.
Liz Cheney, a Republican candidate for the Wyoming Senate seat up for grabs next fall, supports the “traditional definition” of marriage — between one man and one woman.
However, this has complicated her relationship with her sister, Mary Cheney, who has two children with her female partner, Heather Poe.
Many media outlets are jumping on the idea that this familial dispute echoes the national conversation about gay marriage — or else they’re making jokes about the awkward holiday dinners to come over the next month.
The reality is much more grim. We are not only confronted with the ideological differences that separate many on both sides, but we also see the impact these ideologies can have on relationships and how they affect those closest to the issue.
This issue is larger than a mere family feud. While polls show that same-sex marriage has more support than ever before, conservatives and members of the Republican Party continue to support bans on same-sex marriage and repeatedly announce their support for “traditional definitions.” They support denying Americans the freedom to marry in order to maintain a status quo.
Here's the thing: Liz Cheney has every right to her opinion, as do those who agree with her. But in Cheney’s case, it is obvious that this opinion is not only some abstract idea, as she has seen the direct impact of denying same-sex couples the right to marry. Her own sister has had to undergo the scrutiny of coming out and trying to find happiness.
I applaud Liz Cheney for supporting benefits for same-sex couples. That’s a step in the right direction. But the idea that marriage should remain only for the heterosexuals because of tradition?
This game of ideology and grandstanding by conservatives and liberals needs to stop. We keep inching forward on the same-sex marriage issue. More and more conservative candidates have begun to espouse their support for the traditional definition of marriage, all while advocating for rights for couples.
Marriage is a big deal. It’s the idea of commitment and being able to call someone your husband or wife, and to only go halfway on the issue of same-sex marriage is disrespectful to everyone involved.
As Mary Cheney said to Liz, she’s on the wrong side of history. Holding antiquated notions of what marriage means isn’t just about getting the votes of conservatives who value tradition, the results of these views actually affect people and how they are able to live their lives. Human beings are denied the chance to love, raise families and have security in times of emergency so that others can tout their commitment to “family values” and “traditions.”
Ideology has real consequences. When you hold a belief and run on that platform, you are affecting other human beings. Liz Cheney is not only hurting her sister, but millions of other gay Americans who want the opportunity to make a commitment to the person they love.
Reach the columnist at rasimpso@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @beccasimpson
(11/08/13 2:30am)
Since 1948, the term genocide has carried a great weight among the international community. The implications of the term suggest responsibility — a call to action — and reflect the gravest atrocities perpetuated by people in power.
(10/24/13 11:22pm)
Storytelling is a part of human nature. We are drawn to stories and what they highlight about the human experience.
(10/10/13 11:15pm)
Malala Yousafzai is a 16-year old Pakistani girl who loves school. She just won the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought for her courageous pursuit of an education, despite threats from the Taliban, and is now the youngest person to be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.After the Taliban shot her in the head last year, Yousafzai has taken her crusade for education to the world stage.Across the world, indicators of a good quality of life are remarkably lower for women than men. Women are far more likely to face discrimination, poverty and even death globally, but particularly in certain regions of the world. These facts are astounding. This inequality is preventable, and policy initiatives that aim to invest in women are ultimately some of the most powerful and effective. Women are a wealth of human capital with ideas, hopes, dreams and opportunities to change this life for the better.As Bill Gates said to the World Economic Forum in 2007, “If you're not fully utilizing half the talent in the country” — women — “you're not going to get too close to the top."There is a reason the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals focused on gender equality, reducing maternal mortality and access to education: These are real and pressing issues that can make not only a difference for individuals but for communities, as well. Not providing equal and fair opportunities for women isn’t only unjust; it’s bad policy.Yousafzai teaches us that educated women are powerful and can revolutionize the world. She is a symbol of the transformative effects of education. She is a fully fleshed-out person with her own opinions and view of the world. Just check out her Oct. 8 interview with Jon Stewart. Most importantly, we can see that educating females is more than a women’s rights issue; it’s a human rights and a development issue. Investing in females pays out enormously.Policy is all about creating strategies and plans conducive to growth and success in a country and its citizens.Educating women and improving their overall status can have an incredible impact. The World Bank did a study in 2011 showing that investing in girls and closing the employment gap could create a GDP increase of 1.2 percent in a single year. Integrating women into a developing nation’s workforce can spur economic growth while also creating even more potential in the future. Education helps to allow girls to marry later and have fewer children, putting less strain on them and reducing dangers associated with childbirth. Women, when given the chance to have gainful employment, can contribute meaningfully and successfully to their family and communities.This phenomenon is called The Girl Effect, and it’s not just a coincidence. Women’s rights and growth go hand in hand.The world needs more people like Malala — extraordinary women empowered by education to create change in their communities. Reach the columnist at rasimpso@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @beccasimpson