One of the mantras of the "diversity" movement in America and the West is that all cultures are equal. The basic idea is that each culture is an adaptation to a particular environment. Therefore no culture is inherently preferable to another. The political significance of this is that all cultures are equally deserving of respect. The goal of education becomes one of inculcating in young people a respect for all the cultures of the world. By learning that our own culture is not superior, we also become less racist and bigoted toward other cultures.
This doctrine of cultural equality--or more precisely cultural relativism--sounds good when we are considering the quaint folkways of other cultures.
Undergraduates at Yale write papers noting "Who is to say that the Western practice of inventing new technologies is superior to the kangaroo-tracking techniques of the Australian aborigines?" Meanwhile the best students at Stanford can be heard opining that "Shakespeare may have had a rich and supple vocabulary, but let's remember that Eskimos have twenty seven words for 'snow.'"
Then comes a report like the one in Canada about the Muslim father who killed his sixteen-year-old daughter because she didn't want to wear a headscarf. Now it should be noted that the Koran does not mandate that Muslims wear the veil or hijab. These head coverings, however, have come to symbolize modesty in the Islamic world. And Muslim immigrants often bring with them their cultural expectations when they come to America.
Apparently the daughter, Aqsa Parvez, could not convince her parents that her head should be uncovered. She would wear Muslim dress out of the house and then change when she was out of her parents' sight. Perhaps this deception was discovered. Apparently the father Muhammad Parvez was enraged. According to police, he beat the girl so badly that she succumbed to injuries and died. Now the father is charged with murder and the older brother is charged with obstructing police.
I'm waiting to hear from the liberal champions of diversity on this one. Will they say, "Sure, we may not approve of beating one's daughter to death over a headscarf but let's remember that in other cultures they see it very differently. Why should we impose our parochial Western morality on others?" In Canada there may be judges crazy enough to let the murderer walk free. In the United States, I suspect we won't hear too much of this. The reason is that the American brand of cultural relativism is basically a fraud. It's a device to undermine and attack Western institutions and practices. Yet cultural relativism is quietly abandoned when it produces results that liberals don't like.
Reader Comments ( Page 4 of 26)
46. This is well thought out and quite on point. More and more as I read Mr. DeSouza's reports, I am impressed with his logic and the destination. Congratulations to you. I will continue to learn and expand with you, Mr. DeSouza.
Donna at 11:49AM on Dec 12th 2007
47. I grew up in the neighborhood where Aqsa Parvez was killed yesterday. Her story is not unique among girls in this community despite being a cultural minority. None of the girls I knew died, but I know many who bore the scars of frequent battles with their fathers and brothers, and some who were successfully beaten into submission.
Where are the Muslim protestors condemning this action? Where are the streets filled with supporters of the "true" peaceful Islam? There will be none, because as Dinesh is trying to delicately point out, one can find support and encouragement for the action in the religion and culture that gave rise to this tragedy.
The Bible contains some awful stuff in the old testament, but when was the last time a Jewish woman was stoned to death by Jews?
Both Judaism and Christianity have been tempered by centuries of introspection, critical thinking, reasoning, and even exposure to the so-called cultural enlightenment. In my opinion, the only relevant measure of a culture's worth today in a pluralistic society like Canada, one that actually pledges to be multicultural and has Constitutionally protected cultural relativism, is the product of that culture in the society.
Calling Asqa's dad a monster misses the point entirely. Does anyone want to seriously contend that this man and his son were not acting in accordance with their faith and culture?
Svan at 11:50AM on Dec 12th 2007
48. Mr. D'Souza, look at the very source of the ideology that you espouse as being the greatest ever - the Bible. The Bible clearly and absolutely not only condones, but commands the killing of those guilty of breaking "God's" laws. "Laws" such as not working on the Sabbath, son's being unruly with their parents, women not being virgins when married, and other so-called laws mandated directly from the alleged creator of the universe. The Bible also clearly condones and establishes rules and regulations regarding the buying and selling of human beings for slavery - to include the selling of one's own daughter and the seperation of a slave's family from one another. These slave laws follow directly after the issuing of the Ten Commandments in Exodus. Well, you already know that, don't you.
You are certainly being quite selective in pointing your huge sanctimonious finger. Today you are pointing it directly at Muslim culture because of a despicable Islamic zealot in Canada who killed his daughter over a quite ridiculous religous custom. Yesterday, you pointed it at atheists and agnostics because of some alleged atheist on your very blog who declared he would "slap his mother" over her religion. Yet, as high-profile a story as it has been, you choose not to point that sanctimonious finger in your own face and criticize Christian culture because of the completely Christian-raised, Jesus-freak, missionary-wannabe individual who decided he wanted to kill people at a couple churches in Colorado.
It certainly looks like you are abandoning your own ideology when it produces results you don't like.
Your blog has become a completely predictable joke. Instead of posting constant hatred and criticism, why don't you follow your ideology and spend your time on your knees praying in silence. Praying for all the atheists, agnostics, Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Taoists, Jainists, Zoroastrians, pagans, Wiccans, Shinto, etc, etc, to become Christians? According to the Bible, you ask for this and you will receive it, right? Start now.
Frank at 11:58AM on Dec 12th 2007
49. I would like to take this opportunity to plant seeds: The first supernatural being you see descending in the clouds claiming to be Christ will be Satan pretending to be Jesus.
Colin at 12:00PM on Dec 12th 2007
50. SARAH> Thanks for your prayers, but it seems your prayers are very small, or how would you find the time to make a posting?
If Dinesh needs to make a posting that I believe is foolish, I have every right to respond.
JefFlyingV at 12:02PM on Dec 12th 2007
51. Everyone is entitled to their own beliefs without persecution. You all must be curious or you wouldn't be reading them. If you don't like him, stop reading his columns. - Sarah
You must be curious (about our responses) or you wouldn't be reading them. If you don't like us, stop reading our replies.
It works both ways, Sarah.
fabio at 12:01PM on Dec 12th 2007
52. The comments up until this point are rather distressing. What has happened here is that a man murdered his daughter under the influence of Islamic culture. This is not an isolated incident -- the tradition of honor killings is very much alive and well throughout the Islamic world. Comparisons with Andrea Yates are not apt; she was a deeply ill woman not acting in the name of any ideology. Comparisons with Christianity or any other culture or religion are not apt; regardless of instances in the Old and New Testaments, the Enlightenment did indeed happen, and no Christian theology currently practiced views this murder as anything short of monstrous.
Islam has not undergone an Enlightenment, and you will not find a single strain of Islamic thought that does not condone the beating and frequent execution of women who do not participate in their own subjugation.
Andrea Yates acted after hearing voices, this man acted after hearing imams. Put aside your dislike of American Conservatism and how this incident fits your worldview, and examine Aqsa Parvez's murder objectively. She deserves as much.
David at 12:04PM on Dec 12th 2007
53. This is a great post Dinesh. The moral equivalence and cultural equality that is preached in the west is dangerous because it limits one's ability recognize evil and to and fight it. This is evident by many of the comments today. Many are so blinded by their dislike for you that they don't even get it – they no longer have eyes to see. I would recommend reading the late Oriana Fallaci's "The Rage and the Pride". She was an atheist that understood the dangers of cultural diversity (which translates into cultural equivalence in the end) and how the west is at risk.
Abednego at 12:07PM on Dec 12th 2007
54. In fact, when I see dd interviewed, and he espouses racist garbage, and, in his pseudo-intellectual style, defends it with dubious statistics and circular (il)logic....
IT IS MY DUTY TO:
a) Refute and point out his failings.
and
b) Slap his mother all night long!
obvious liberal at 12:09PM on Dec 12th 2007
55. So, then, the framers of the constitution had it all wrong??
We are not created equal??
Or maybe it is just all white men plus dinesh that are created equal.
By the way, I just looked in the mirror, and this alter-ego, stuart something keeps looking back at me.....I don't like him very much. dd, please use me as your poster child blogger for future columns. It would make me feel so warm and fuzzy inside, you dope.
Your use of blog posts reminds me of bush about a year ago, using the blogs of two pro-invasion iraqi students, who were posting that baghdad is safer and calmer than it used to be. dope bush actually used their blogs as evidence that the mission in iraq was working!!!
and, now, coincidentally, dd uses the same flawed tactic. Of course, we knew bush was no intellectual, but dd fancies himself one.......
hmmmm.......
obvious liberal at 12:16PM on Dec 12th 2007
56. Once again, this guy is off the mark. Not only does his current blog ramble, it is unclear in its comparisons. Is "D" saying that killing young girls for not wearing a scarf is the cultural norm? Actually, his blog appears to argue the opposite (re: reference to the Koran). So, supporting this father is not about supporting cultural differences, it's about supporting murder. I know of no Liberal who supports murder... only conservatives and Republicans support such behavior.
Ken at 1:52PM on Dec 12th 2007
57. Exodus 21: 7 "If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do."
Exodus 21: 17 "And he that curseth his father, or his mother, shall surely be put to death."
Yep, praise the Bible!
Zagros Sadjadi at 12:23PM on Dec 12th 2007
58. Andrea Yates was deeply Christian and responding to the 'voice of God.' How about the mother that chopped her child's arm off, because god told her to? And now all the child murdering references in the bible are being discredited by "Enlightenment"? Wow, how convenient is that?!Yes, Andrea Yates also happened to be mentally ill, but would she have committed the crime without her deeply Christian background? There is a disturbing message in these fear-based religions and this does not only pertain to Islam.
emma at 12:24PM on Dec 12th 2007
59. just thinking
your hate blinds your eyes. if the atheist here would stop hating DD so much they would be able to better evaluate what he is saying. but behind all these post from the atheist view is incredible malice. it oozes like a toxic waste. i thought atheist prided themselves in rising above this.
to be so smart and yet hold such malice,and then to think they think they can think clearly. just thinking??? makes me wonder
brian at 12:24PM on Dec 12th 2007
60. zagros,
that is not even worth a response. you have clearly side-stepped the issue of what they're culture was like or dealing with. women were property back then as they still are today in the middle east. have ever thought god was trying to protect them? again your malice is blinding you to really understanding the times
brian at 12:28PM on Dec 12th 2007