Iranian Woman Presentation

The presentation, by Nicole and Vivian, about Iranian women gave some important information of how women in Iran are treated unequally with the men. In the United States, we are used to live in a condition where men and women are equal. American women have exactly the same rights as men do; such as get the same education, capable to divorce their husbands, and have individual identity. On the other hand, Iranian women must live under discrimination in term of rights. They can’t get as high education as men because they can’t go to college if their husbands don’t want them to. They also can get divorce for no reason, and worse, they can’t marry twice while men can marry more than once. From my point of view, Iranian women get the same treatment as Chinese women. They both are being disrespected by society. I can say they live like dogs where their presence must obey their owner, and they are not supposed to complaint. Personally, I feel sad about this situation because from my point of view, women play an important role in my life. For example, my mother, I wouldn’t want to see the discrimination like those towards her. If you want to look back, how many people in this world does not come from a mother’s tomb? The big question is why people are being cruel and do not appreciate them. Muhammad once said “Heaven is located beneath your mother’s feet”. Isn’t this saying teaching us to respect and appreciate women instead of treating them like some kind of lower level people? If Iranian conducts Islamic religion, then it is a pity that they don’t follow what their leader said. I’m not saying that women can forget their nature as wives to give companionship to their husbands with highly respect. On the other hand, men should cherish the presence of women in this live.

Pursuing Better Future

Marjane Satrapi's parents believe that it is better to send her to Europe for better education and better future. Marjane's parents realize that the social life and the education in Iran do not suit her both personality and thoughts. They are going to send her to Austria because it is easier to get an Austrian visa and because Marjane's mother's best friend lives in Vienna. Due to Marjane capability of speking French, her parents send her to a French school in Vienna, and she will go there by herself. Her parents have faith in her that she would be fine and had better future (Satrapi 147-153).

From this book, I relate my experience to Marjane's that having better education will lead us to better future. I know how she felt when her parents told her that how much they adored her, and they also told her not to forget where she came from. When I read this part, I suddenly remember what my father told me before I came to the United States. My father told me, " You are my golden child. All I ask you is please make me proud. Don't you ever give up on me". By the time I arrived, I really didn't know what to do. I never traveled alone in my whole live, and I had a very hard time since the first day in the United States. My freshmen year in Sacramento City College was a disaster. I got difficulties in socializing because I didn't speak English fluently. Worse, I know how the feeling of being discriminated due to our races. I was treated so badly by the Americans that I have bad impression about them. Not only did I get difficulties in socializing, but also in my studies. I was left behind due to lack of English language. I never realize that I would so many troubles that frustrated me. I was about to go back to Indonesia because I couldn't stand it any longer. However, I always tell myself that those days will help me to pursue better future. Now, I can see how those days work. I learned to never give up and to pick myself up whenever I fall. Those days had helped me to become a stronger and better person. I will never give up on my father and I will make him proud.

Work Cited:

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2003

Human Rights

"People believe what they want to believe". This quote has become my principle since I went to Christian junior high school. Even though I am a Catholic, many of my friends were provoking me, sometimes bullied me, to believe in their religion. I was forced to pray in their way. I was told that Catholic should not pray to Holy Marie, mother of God. It is a sin to pray whenever there is statue. Now, I've been wondering, What is the point of insisting me to change my belief? I really do not understand why Protestant make a big fuss or sometimes insulting Catholics even though they believe in the same Bible and the same God. Not only do Protestants do this to other people, but also Muslims. From my point of view, these two religions have the strongest faith to insult people to believe in their Gods. Worse, Muslims sometimes use violence to "satisfy" their God. Similar to the book Persepolis, fundamental people beat everybody who does not want to follow the rules about how they should dress up ( Satrapi 76). Back to my country, Indonesia, there are many incidents where Muslim kills Christians because they forced the non-Muslim to change their beliefs. The Christians were forced to say the Shahadad, sentence we must say to become Muslim, or they would kill them. I keep wondering, why do people do this insanity to insult other people's beliefs? What would they gain of abusing others? We, as human being, have the right to possess ones religions. We should respect other people's beliefs and that is the only way to live in peace.

Work Cited:

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2003

Social Class Differences

In the chapter, The Letter, Marjane tells an interesting idea about social class discrimination, which occurred during her childhood. The story begins when Marjane's maid, Mehri, had to leave her parents to work in her house. Mehri's parents did this to her, eventhough she was only eight years old, because they had so many children that they couldn't support them all. Years after she worked with Marjane's parents, she began to live normally as the other girls. Marjane's parents treated her nicely and fairly as if she was their own child. However, the problem came when she was about to marry a man next door. Under Shah's law, they couldn't get married due to their social classes. During that time, people must stay within their own social class (pg. 33-39).

I think this chapter is interesting because the story is very related to my country. In Indonesia, many people, who live in traditional way, believe that the more children they have, the wealthier they will be. Until today, these poor-uneducated people keep having more babies, even though they can't support them. To make ends meet, their parents ask their children to beg for money. When they are big enough, they would be asked to work as maids with low salaries. Maid is the most common job for uneducated people in Indonesia, and it considers as low class people. From my own experience, many of my overseas friends wouldn't believe that I have three maids in my house, in Indonesia. Do you think that my parents are millionaires? Absolutely not. In average, they are paid very low and sometimes I feel very unfair. They work eighteen hours a day, 7 days a week, and they only get 250,000 rupiahs, which is only US $25 a month. Sometimes they are treated very badly by their bosses, and worst, sometimes they got abused because they are maid, which is consider as low class people. This discrimination still occur in Indonesia until today. I feel really bad about them both whom got low payments and whom got abused by their bosses. Fortunately, my parents are not one of those people who look down on maid. I was taught by my parents to respect them as they are. Their job are so helpful that they should be treated well. I really love one of my maid, who took care of me since I was born, just like Marjane had. We should be grateful that there is no such thing as social discrimination in the United States.

Work Cited:

Satrapi, Marjane. Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2003

Terrorism

As I read the book, Persepolis, I found something interesting about "The Key" part. In this chapter, Marjane tells the story about young boys who were taught to go to war in order to get "The key to Heaven". Since they were kids, they were recruited by the military to serve their country, by going to war, and they were promised a better life in heaven. Marjane's uncle, Shahab, had the same experience that the other boys had. He explained, with broken hearted, that every day there were busses full of kids. The politician had successfully hipnotized those youngs and heartlessly tossed them into wars (pg. 94-102). I found this part interesting because some groups of Muslim still do this kind of act. In today's life, we are haunted by the terrorists who are speard in all over the world and kill innocent people due to their mission, to kill the ones who are not Muslims. Terrorist were taught to kill the "guilty" in order to get better life in Heaven, Just like in Persepolis. After I've done some research about Islam, I found a very good news for Muslim who are in still in the right track. From the website that I found, the Muslim priest said that there was nothing in the Quran said to kill anyone, whether he or she was Muslim or non-Muslim. The man in the video also said that the true Muslim should not support terrorism in any circumtances. As we all know, most people think that Muslims are the terrorists and they are going to kill us all. Most people think that Islam's doctrines are cruel. Personally, I disagree about it because the doctrines are not the ones to be blame. As I have said in one of my blogs, about Islam as Religion, many people have false understanding about the Quran and teach false lessons to other people. Those "fake" priests are the ones we should point out.

Work Cited:

Nnabilos. "Mail Box By Yusuf Estes - Terrorism in the Qur'an?" Video. 7 August 2008. Youtube. 18 November 2008.

Islam's Social Codes

I really like Giselle's presentation on Monday about Islam's Social Codes. She explained that there are many restrictions in term of everyday life. In some of Islam countries; such as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Iran, the governments have extremely strict laws to control their social lives. For instance, alcohol is strongly prohibited to possess and to consume. They believe that drinking alcohol is a sin and will lead them to hell. Every man or woman can be jailed for possessing alcohol beverages. More, they also have strict laws about relationship between man and woman. In those certain countries, men and women are seperated in some places; such as mosque, school, and even restaurant. Men and women are not supposed to have body contact at all before they got married. Just like the alcohol possession that I have said, they can be jailed or got ticket for breaking those laws. I feel very bad when Giselle explained that there were some people whom got executed because they didn't follow the Islam's laws. She mentioned that there was a woman who cheated on her husband, and she was stoning to death. My heart broke and relieve at the same time when I heard about it. I feel really sad about it because their ways to punish people are not in the right track at all. Does their God really want them to kill the sins? Are they taught to kill the sins? If they do, what kind of God do they believe in? I don't understand whom I should blame, whether the God or the people. On the other hand, I feel relieve because my country, Indonesia, doesn't have those brutal rules, although Indonesia is an Islam country. I can't imagine how bad it is of living under those kind of laws. I just feel fortunate about where I come from.

Islam's Clothing Codes

Differ from other religions, Islam has strict rules about clothing. They believe that there are some benefits of dressing up in muslim's way. The main purpose of their clothing is to cover their whole body, except their faces and hands, for women, so that the opposite sex won't get too "excited". Islam's clothing rules are derived from three major sources. First,they are derived from the Quran, the Islam's holy bible. Second, they also derived from the tradition of the prophet Muhammad. lastly, they are derived from Muslim scholars and jurists.
The first source of Islam's clothing codes come from the Quran. In the Quran, in chapter 18, Sura 24, verses 30-31, God states “Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty...And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and adornments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers...(a list of exceptions)". According to this chapter, we all know that this is the commentment from above that they must believe and follow. They will get punishment from disobeying God.
The second source of Islam's clothing rules come from the tradition of the prophet Muhammad. Muslim believe that prophet Muhammad is the emissary of God. Muhammad was appointed by God to lead the people to the right path. Thus, technically, God told his commandments through Muhammad,and this is why Muhammad was appointed as prophet. There is a quote from the prophet Muhammad that say "...If the woman reaches the age of puberty, no part of her body should be seen but this --- and he pointed to his face and hands". Muslims women are not suppose to show their bodies, except to their husbands.
Lastly, Islam's clothing rules come from Muslim scholars and jurists. The vast majority of Muslim scholars and jurists, past and present, have determined the minimum requirements for Muslim women's and men's clothing. Muslim's women must cover their whole bodies, from head to toe, except their faces and hands. Not only do they cover their bodies, but also they don't suppose to wear clothes which reveal the exact shape of the bodies. For Muslim men, they must always be covered from the navel to the knees. Muslim men should not wear tight, revealing the exact shape of the bodies. They also don't allow to wear silk clothing and gold jewelry.
Dressing up properly is an important rule to obey by Muslim men and women. They will get punishment for disobeying the rule. For example, Marjane's mother got insulted by the fundamentalist man, and she was threaten by them because she didn't wear the proper clothes. The main purpose of covering their bodies is so that men won't get too excited and it is for their own safety.

Work Cited:

"Quran" Sura 24. 1997-2007. submission. 16 November 2008

"Quran" Sura 33. 1997-2007. submission. 16 November 2008

Persepolis. New York: Pantheon, 2003