Saudi women drive thier point home....

[Che Guava]

...but will they get the right to be behind the wheel?

Saudi women challenge driving ban

A group of women in Saudi Arabia is for the first time to lobby the kingdom's government for the right to drive cars.

Members of the Committee of Demanders of Women's Right to Drive Cars plan to deliver a petition to King Abdullah by Sunday, Saudi Arabia's National Day.

Correspondents say the demand is likely to be rejected, as conservatives argue if women are allowed to drive, they will be able to mix freely with men.

The issue of women driving has recently become the subject of public debate.

Two years ago, a member of the Consultative Council sparked a heated debate when he pointed out there was nothing under Islamic law or the constitution that justified the ban, and that the council ought to discuss ways of lifting it.

Mohammed al-Zulfa's comments later prompted the Saudi interior minister to dismiss calls for the ban to be lifted, saying the country had other priorities.

'Social issue'

The current driving ban applies to all women in Saudi Arabia, whatever their nationality.

It was originally unofficial, but became law after an incident in 1990, when 47 women challenged the authorities by taking their families' cars out for a drive.

After strong criticism from the Saudi religious authorities, the women were jailed for one day, their passports confiscated and many lost their jobs.

A founding member of the Committee of Demanders of Women's Right to Drive Cars, Fawzia al-Oyouni, said its electronic petition would highlight what many Saudi men and women consider a "stolen right".

"We would like to remind officials that this is, as many have said, a social and not religious or political issue," she told the Associated Press. "Since it's a social issue, we have the right to lobby for it."

"This is a right that has been delayed for too long."

King Abdullah has in the past said that he thought a day would eventually come when Saudi women were allowed drive.

link

Glad to see brave women challenging what is or is not 'islamic'. I think for too long islam has become an unofficial code in the middle east for ultra-traditional arab values...

 

[Ecofarm]

Is there an arab tradition besides Islam? Just like Judeochrist, there are plenty of passages that can/could be interpreted as sexist. Much of ~16-17th century science (see: Sir Francis Bacon) draws a violently dominate and sexist perspective from bible misconception/sexism.

I keep hearing fairy tales about shiney happy peaceful free people frolicking in the woods enjoying perfect morality and with no need for government. But noone has cited a source yet. I cannot find one example in credible history of women being treated as equals. Plenty of token positions have been appointed/earned, but seriously... equal? Even in the US and euro, women get paid less than men for the same corporate position (the glass ceiling is real).

Point being, if Islam is not to blame for sexism in the middle east, than what? Perhaps it is the ever slight and fleeting moments of free will that are to blame. I'm not saying Islam is to blame - placing responsibility upon inanimate (or animate) objects is quite below me; however, "they are just backwards/bad people" is hardly more satisfying than "they are just victims of their government". Ultra-traditional anywhere values treat women like pets (pre-historic utopias aside).

 

[Phlegmak]

the Committee of Demanders of Women's Right to Drive Cars

Amazing. .

 

[Shadylookin]

why would you want to do something silly like let women drive?

anyway I support women getting equal rights

 

[Mr. Dictator]

why can't america have a committee of demanders :[

 

[Godwynn]

The amount of accidents will skyrocket.

 

[Merkinball]

I was in Kuwait City a couple years ago and had a cup of coffee at a Starbucks with a Saudi girl. I asked her what she thought about not being able to drive, she laughed and said, "why would I want to drive? That's what men are for."

It was an intriguing moment.

 

[Pasi Nurminen]

Day One: Women can legally drive in Saudi Arabia.

Day Two: All women in Saudi Arabia on the road simultaneously; 98 dead, 745 wounded.

 

[JollyRoger]

Correspondents say the demand is likely to be rejected, as conservatives argue if women are allowed to drive, they will be able to mix freely with men.

I think there are a handful of U.S. conservatives that would be on board with this line of thinking (Gannon, Haggard, Foley, Craig).

 

[El_Machinae]

Geez, I hope everything works out for them.

 

[LightFang]

Women driving cars? They belong in the passenger's side, like God intended.

 

[Bill3000]

Driving is a religious sacrament between a man and his car. Women driving cars is unnatural, and letting them drive would threaten the sanctity of the roads. There is nothing in the universal declaration of human rights which states that women have the right to drive cars. Restricting genders to drive is nothing bad - it's a license, after all, and thus a justifiable restriction just like we set limits to the blood alcohol level allowed to drive. Besides, this will just lead to people clamoring to have children, infants, old people, or even dogs to have the right to drive.

 

[JohnRM]

These women will probably disappear now.

 

[Zarn]

I forgot what happened to the women that drove in protest one time.

 

[Princeps]

"Women shall not ride the iron camels of the future!" Mohammed told his followers.

 

[silver 2039]

Women shouldn't be allowed to drive.

 

[ori]

At least women have the right to fly in Saudi Arabia

 

[Phlegmak]

Woman flying plane? Watch out!

 

[Merkinball]

At least women have the right to fly in Saudi Arabia

But they can't be unnaccompanied. They also need a permit to fly without their husbands, and even then, a male in the family must be present.

I think it was Kuwait City, but it could have been Dubai, where we were waiting to depart, and a Saudi woman wanted to take her daughter to the bathroom. They wouldn't let her out of the holding area because she'd be unnaccompanied. She went back with her daughter, and then came the husband with the daughter. Only he could take the daughter out to the bathroom, and the woman had to remain in the company of the oldest son of the family.

Oh those crazy Arabs.

 

[Fugitive Sisyphus]

At least Saudi Arabia is doing their part to combat global warming.