ceasar salad

07.21.09

I woke up early. at 6:30, went for a walk with preeti. It was a beautiful morning.
Sunsets and sunrises are so over rated, I think neglected mornings have the most grace and wisdom to offer.

Feeling like I was ahead by a century, I started watching some tv. I miss watching Live with Regis and Kelly. So during commercials I was watching something titled 'Whose Sharia is it anyway'.

I can't say this more plainly, I am so fucking tired of people grouping 'muslim women' and tagging them as 'oppressed' or not aware of their rights. of not having choices. of muslim men being oppresive, controlling. of Islam being disadvantageous to women. of Islam being Archaic.

don't tell me I don't have choices. don't tell me I don't have a voice or that I don't know my rights. I have undeniable hatred and pity for people like Sally Armstrong, who say that 'Canada should stay secular, because we need to welcome all cultures and embrace them'. bullshit. embracing a culture does not only entail celebrating their clothes or food, or music or art. there is so much more depth to it that people are so ignorant of. I feel like this charade of 'multiculturalism' is just that, a charade. to most extent cultures are just boiled down to their stereotypes and appreciated for their 'exoticness' which in turn is just a more subtle form of assimilation. take indian culture for example, even though I am not well acquainted with it, or even different aspects of it, i feel like this glamorization of indian clothes and food and music/movies has done such a disservice to the depth and meaning of its true nature. India as a nation is probably a better example of multiculturism than Canada. Yes, there have been wars, and there is animosity. But there are so many different sects and religions coexisting, with each having the capacity to fully practice and embrace their culture. And these cultures of different origins come together in one country and mesh beautifully. As opposed to seeing selected synopses of these individual entities, you see them being practiced in every aspect.

Although I agree that Sharia law should not be implemented at this point, but for completely different reasons. I think there needs to be some sort of criminal code written down, by muslim scholars which can be the reference point when practicing sharia law. Because it is not a codified law, it is not 'common' so to be able to establish it, I think it needs to be codified first. Other than that, people need to realize that if you look at family law from the Islamic perspective, it doesn't contradict the charter. Rather, it targets equity as opposed to equality. But it can co-exist under the charter.

writing this makes me wish I had gone through with writing my law essay on Sharia in Canada. it would have given me a chance to organize my thoughts a lot better, and research more. But also, writing this, and watc,hing that piece on Sharia reaffirms my desire to study law. I feel indignation if for no other reason than the fact that my rights are being represented by feminists and people like Tarek Fateh who proclaim themselves to be saving muslim women from a system so unjust as the sharia court system. these soundbites of 'fundamentalist muslims

they are so pregnant with self-proclaimed righteuousness.

I think every minority should be able, and encouraged, to have a tribunal that works within the charter.