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“After the flirtation came the fatwa”
The great first line of a Christian Science Monitor article about Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari drawing a fatwa, or religious edict, condemning his “flirtatious” comments to Gov. Sarah Palin at the United Nations last week.
A mosque in Pakistan denounced his comments to Palin.
A radical Muslim prayer leader said the president shamed the nation for “indecent gestures, filthy remarks, and repeated praise of a non-Muslim lady wearing a short skirt.”
What the president actually said was that Palin was “gorgeous,” adding:
“Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you.”
“You are so nice,” replied the Republican vice presidential hopeful, smiling. “Thank you.”
Feminists in Pakistan were angry too, but more because they viewed the comments as sexist.
“As a Pakistani and as a woman, it was shameful and unacceptable. He was looking upon her merely as a woman and not as a politician in her own right,” says Tahira Abdullah, a member of the Women’s Action Forum.
It’s not often that you get feminists and hard-line Muslim clerics on the same side of an issue!
back to top20 Comments to ““After the flirtation came the fatwa””
Is this the same country that Bush thinks is going to help us find Bin Laden and root out terrorism?
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Wouldnt you love to be in the middle of a Pakistani street with processions of Paki feminists coming at you from one side and militant jihadi wackos converging from the other direction?
I just pray that they never get nukes.
Oops.. I fergot.. they do already!
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And we thought our politics were silly and small-minded!
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Palin should have the decency to don a head scarf and drape those gams, since after all she is a guest there and represents all America when meeting foreign heads of state.
Oops.. I fergot.. she was in the USA on OUR soil.
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I’m of two minds on this:
1. He spoke the truth – her “appeal” is her good looks.
2. They are sexist. I bet he wouldn’t have made those comments to a man.
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Somebody pass the Gingko Biloba to Sawgunner. Thanks.
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When I 1st read about the Pakistani president flirting with Sarah Palin, I told my wife, this reminds me of Ariel Sharon when he met Condolessa Rice. Sharon’s comment was. “she has nice legs”
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Anlir: I bet he wouldn’t have made those comments to a man.
Or to Hillary Clinton!
Kidding aside, his remarks were demeaning to himself, degrading to Palin, and insulting to the American people.
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The world has changed mucho, no doubt about it. Though he didnt go into much detail on the matter, a man I know made a perhaps (by today’s standards) inappropriate remark to a female coworker. She reported him and he got counseled for harassment.
The point is, a lot of what we now get alarmed about (ie, a compliment on a woman’s appearance as the Paki Prez did) used to be accepted/expected by gals as late as the 1940s/50s.
The Paki Prez committed “lookism”!
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Um, just asking, isn’t using “Paki” deragatory? Or was that on purpose?
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And “lookism” isn’t really a crime. He flattered her. He acknowledged the truth. Heaven forbid someone should pay someone else a compliment. No one got upset when men said those same things to Princess Diana.
If you want to get upset over something, get upset over the video of her beauty contests. We don’t see any video of Biden’s oral argument in law school.
(Just so you know, Sawgunner, gals still like to hear that they’re pretty.)
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The point is, a lot of what we now get alarmed about (ie, a compliment on a woman’s appearance as the Paki Prez did) used to be accepted/expected by gals as late as the 1940s/50s.
Yes, and nobody used to get alarmed about calling black people the “N” word in the 1940s/50s.
The “good old days” of the 1940’s and 50’s were not so “good” for women, blacks, and other people.
And I don’t think we should apologize for (or regret) treating other people decently and civilly.
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Men may not compliment other men on their outfits, but I often hear men say “you’re looking fit” or “you’re looking prosperous” to other men.
There is no need for speech police.
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He didn’t say she “looked good” he called her “gorgeous” which has a definite sexual undertone. While I don’t think it should upset Palin overmuch, it does seem unprofessional. I wouldn’t compliment my female coworkers by telling them they’re “gorgeous”. I might compliment them on a dress, or a new haircut, but that’s a specific thing, not a general assessment of their overall attractiveness. You wouldn’t say to a female coworker, “Hey, you’re looking really hot today!”
The worst part about what he said is probably the the second sentence: “Now I know why the whole of American is crazy about you.” Not because she’s competent and effective, or has the right platform, or because she’s a good speaker. No, because she’s gorgeous.
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To NJ Lawyer
The problem is men don’t know when it is okay to compliment women on their appearance and when it is not okay.
My hunch is women want to judge that on a case-by-case basis and men are suppose to ascertain their thoughts.
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Hey, Nick, #15 made me laugh. I was always under the impression that men had always been constrained to ascertain the thoughts of women — at least the ones they were interested in. And then, of course, women had the right to play the game.
That, of course, is different from an “office” situation. And I suppose that’s what the feminazis here and in Pakistan want — the poor guy was trying to be nice to Palin, that’s all he intended, and I think intent matters. It certainly does in criminal law. An element of a crime is whether the perp has “mens rea” (evil intent) and without it, there is no crime. That’s how I view this situation. The man had no evil intent here. It doesn’t seem to have bothered Palin, but she’s probably used to being considered pretty. What a sad commentary when we have to pick apart everything a person does, but that’s what the liberals MSM and liberals in general do. They never give the benefit of the doubt.
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To NJ Lawyer
Since when can men figure out what women are thinking? But as a rule I think compliments should be taken in the spirit in which they are given.
But women (and men) should not let compliments about physical appearance go to their head. Physical beauty is fleeting but our faults are forever.
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LOL, Nick. I agree. I think most women — and men — know the difference between a compliment and a sleazy remark. In fact, I’m sure of it. As I said, intent should be given credence and weight.
I also agree that physical beauty is fleeting, so it’s a good thing I got my education. What’s inside makes all the difference.
They are currently reviewing the Bush/Ferraro debate, and she called him patronizing, and in a way I would agree. At the same time, if he had said his words to a man, it would have been a direct hit. Palin said she wouldn’t whine, and so far, I haven’t heard that she has.
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And the truth, Nick, is that men don’t really know what women are thinking, and women like it that way.
(Now let’s watch them scurry….)
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It would be wrong to say “Wow Sarah you look hot!” but acceptable to say “Hey that’s a great outfit your wearing today!” and anyone who deems both statemts to be equal is certainly an outlier on the bell curve.
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