How many Americans would be willing to be arrested for supporting feminism in their country, like these women?

Question

Check out the Sydney Morning Herald's article about the arrest of a second cyber-feminist in Iran: http://www.smh.com.au/news/Technology/Parisbased-media-advocacy-group-slams-Iran-for-arrest-of-secondcyberfeminist/2007/12/06/1196812858000.html

What happened? "Iran has jailed a second feminist within two weeks, the media advocacy group Reporters Without Borders said, condemning the arrests and demanding the women's release. Iranian feminist Internet writer Jelveh Javaheri, who set up a website called We-Change that has been campaigning for women's rights in the Persian nation since 2005, was arrested this week in Tehran when she responded to a court summons.

"Javaheri is the second cyber-feminist to be arrested in two weeks on utterly vague charges," the press freedom organisation, known by its French initials RSF, said in a statement made available to the AP. "By harassing feminist activists, the regime wants to put a stop to these news and information websites".

Answer 1

A relative of mine in Iran, who was a college professor was arrested for her beliefs and teachings in women's rights. The government accused her of anti-Islamic teachings. She simply vanished after being arrested. Two years later, nobody knows where she is and what happened to her. The government claims she was released hours later.

This is very common. And once again, thank you for bringing it into attention.

I'm not afraid to be punished or jailed for my beliefs, but since arrest can equal death in those countries, I would only put my life on the line if I knew my death won't be in vain and will actually make a determining difference. Most deaths are unfortunately in vain in those countries...and in some cases, hardly noticed by anyone.

Answer 2

I know about the use of the 'chastity' laws in Iran, and the other overwhelming hypocrisies of Sharia law. I would like to think that I would be prepared to do all I could as my part against it, but only if I didn't have children, as they would use them as a way of getting to me.
We haven't got so much to fight now - these women are at the absolute frontline of womens rights, stuff that the West has not had for hundreds of years, or at least a hundred. But a hundred years ago women were on hunger strikes in England for the vote, and they went through hell in the prisons. Apparently this was the first time many of them had been exposed to exactly how 'ungentlemanly' some men could be! I don't think women ever just disappeared, but they certainly made a lot of sacrifices.

Answer 3

it is difficult to acknowledge that there are still segments of the collective human society, which are subject to such denial of intellectual discourse. As it is that no society can aspire and evolve to a higher state of consciousness without the active participation of it's citizens, it remains true that any society refusing such participation will never evolve. Most of us take for granted the rights and privileges we experience in the larger Western psyche. And we tend to easily forget or ignore the suffering of others not so fortunate as us. The fact that we can openly engage in critical discussion of virtually any topic conceived, is also largely squandered. I have been fortunate to find some who have been willing to branch out and explore deeper and extended conversations concerning topics just like this. We come from varying perspectives, but share in common a mutual respect which gives each of us hope for a better world. It may be something some of you would enjoy as well. But the point is, that we should never concede our minds to darkness.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/EmergentDestiny/messages

Shingoshi Dao

Answer 4

Those women are gutsy who stand up for feminism over there. But then they've had good role models, haven't they. A lot of American women in the first decades of feminism took the same risks for the greater cause. Feminist groups here are helping by making sure the international spotlight stays on her so that she doesn't disappear in the middle of the night.

Answer 5

No. American women never were treated like middle eastern women even before feminism. And even in the middle east, the condition of women is variable, depending on which country we are talking about.

Answer 6

I have always been ready to go to jail for my political beliefs and I've proved that time and time again by getting my butt kicked, pepper sprayed, gassed, detained, interrogated, my rib cracked, my phone tapped, directly investigated by the FBI, etc. Most feminism in the US right now is being directed by liberal feminists, they tend to be more about writing letters and government sanctioned protests, so not much jail time for feminists right now in the US...

Answer 7

Yet there are anti-feminists here who actually joke about this sort of thing. Imagine if Iran was a militantly pro-woman country that wanted to jail THEM for their beliefs — then they'd start complaining.

Answer 8

I think women like her are very brave. They know the risks they take, and yet they take them because they truly believe in what they stand for. It doesn't surprise me that Iran opposes women like these. I fear for her safety. Perhaps because she is now in an international spotlight she will be saved from facing the worst consequences....or not.....but I pray she will not be harmed.

Answer 9

Just goes to show how many people are truly threatened against women rising up against what is happening within their own society.
Either people close their ears to this or women become scorned or jailed.

Answer 10

The irony here, is that ancient Persia was one of the more sexually equal places in the ancient world. And that idiot Mahmoud Ahmadinejad claims women are respected in Iran.