Michelle Obama foregoes a headscarf and sparks a backlash in Saudi Arabia

[Kingofalldems]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2015/01/27/michelle-obama-forgoes-a-headscarf-and-sparks-a-backlash-in-saudi-arabia/?tid=sm_tw

Watch the right attack her.

[Beaverhausen]

1. Good for her

And if she wore one, I think the right would attack her too.

They attack her no matter what.

[Kingofalldems]

3. Exactly.

They would have proclaimed her a Muslim.

[R B Garr]

72. +1

You are exactly right!

[hifiguy]

6. +1 nt

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

52. I bet my life on it...yes, MY LIFE

[treestar]

56. +1

They most certainly would, as they did when Obama bowed as they do in Japan while in Japan. Add to that more hints the Obamas must be Muslims.

[raouldukelives]

82. Exactly. nt

[winter is coming]

2. "In photographs from the official events, other foreign female guests are also shown not wearing

headscarves."

Which is something Fox News will almost assuredly "forget" to mention.

[d_r]

4. this fine line

Between respecting cultural differences and not support ing patriarchal customs

[Arugula Latte]

13. In this case the culture is pretty much all patriarchal bullshit, all of the time.

[d_r]

15. no argument

[SamKnause]

5. Too bad should didn't

ride through town straddling a Harley with a tube top and hot pants on.

I am so sick of all this shit !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dont call me Shirley]

7. Is there supposed to be a video link?

Some males, who believe they have the right to own women, need to get over their pompous
dick-selves.

NO single human being is more special and deserving than another no matter what their circumstance. We are all born onto this earth. We are all deserving of the earths resources. We are all deserving of dignity, self-determination and respect.

[catbyte]

64. +1000

[KoKo]

79. At the link...but here's a Photo:

[mnhtnbb]

8. Good for Michelle!

Screw those patriarchal jerks.

[elehhhhna]

26. i dont see those men wearing PANTS when they visit here.

Which is more weird?

[Coventina]

9. Good for her!!

Screw them and their violent patriarchy.

[Damansarajaya]

10. Had she worn the headscarf the Right would attack her, but since she didn't,

they'll still attack her.

Haters gonna hate. They hate us because they ain't us.

[Arugula Latte]

11. Right on, Michelle.

We wouldn't expect a Saudi to come here and go bare-headed, so anyone who has a problem with this needs to chill the f@#$ out.

Muhammed will just have to get over it, as well.

[INdemo]

90. You mean attack Michelle as this

might suggest?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2007/10/28/laura-bush-blows-off-cons_n_70141.html

[Terra Alta]

12. Way to go, Michelle.

This is 2015, women should not be subject to ancient patriarchal rules anymore. But yes, I'm sure the RW will find some reason to attack her for this, it never fails. She can't do anything right in their eyes.

[Autumn]

14. Good for her.

[panader0]

16. Good for her. I'm sure it was a calculated omission.

[Aristus]

17. I expect she wore the hijab in Indonesia, because as far as I know, wearing it is optional

for Indonesian women. Wearing it as a sign of respect on Michelle Obama's part would be appropriate in that case. Since the hijab, or niqab really, is mandatory for women in Saudi Arabia, she did well by not validating it by wearing one herself.

Hats off to our President and First Lady!

[George II]

46. Don't you mean "jiqabs off"?

[JDPriestly]

74. My thoughts precisely. It's about coercion. Michelle and most American women are against it.

[MohRokTah]

18. Rightwing heads are exploding as we speak.

They want to attack her, but then she tweaked the noses of fundamentalist Islamists and they want to attack them, too.

[msanthrope]

78. She's no lame duck, either. nt

[Tom Ripley]

19. Good for her

[Liberal_in_LA]

65. yes

[dhol82]

20. It's interesting that she had the choice

I was visiting Iran in November and would not have been allowed across the border if I had not had my head covered and the rest of me suitably dressed. It's interesting that there are some allowances for heads of state with spouse in Saudi Arabia.

[tammywammy]

22. A head scarf is not required of non-Saudi non-Muslim women

I work for a company that does business in Saudi Arabia. I know quite a few women that have gone there on business and they didn't wear a scarf.

[dhol82]

23. Wow

Hard to believe that Iran is even more crazy religious than Saudi.

[tammywammy]

24. We don't do business with Iran, so I don't know any women that have been there. n/t

[dhol82]

29. Well,

all I know is that the instruction I was given was that it was necessary to be covered, head and body, appropriately, by the time we reached the border or I would not be allowed into the country even though I had a valid visa. Did not notice any women without a head covering during the 8 days I was in the country.

Actually, at one of the holy shrines I visited, there was a local woman who got all pissy with a woman in my group whose headscarf had slipped. The local was quite insistent about the horror of her hair showing.

[Aerows]

40. I don't mean to be rude

to the person you replied to, but obviously, they have absolutely no idea what they are talking about. I agree with you, and it is unfortunate that many people have never gone further than their front door, and think their mailbox is a cultural expedition.

Thanks for speaking up. It gets tiring to hear from the "I don't know but I'm going to act like I do" set constantly.

[dhol82]

55. Hi

I'm the person she replied to. I was making a comment about head scarves and proper attire because I had just been in Iran and the customs there were obviously different.

My mailbox has seen mail from over 60 countries around the world. How about you?

Hugs.

[Aerows]

84. Hi

I'm not going to sit here and pretend that you didn't say exactly what you said upthread, and are now trying to be condescending about it.

Conversations work both ways and claiming that someone doesn't know what they are talking about (which I did, too, to you after you said it to another person) doesn't exactly facilitate dialogue. I did the "here's a dose of your own medicine" reply.

Doesn't feel good to get summarily dismissed, does it?

[dhol82]

105. Ummm

Dont understand what you are talking about. I replied to another poster with a question about why there were such differences in my experience. Why you got snarky about it was curious. I had a perfectly reasonable private discussion with the other poster. Not sure where you are going with this. Don't get why you think I was being dismissive.

[Kablooie]

42. I think it's a political statement of American independence.

It is a trip about politics so America wants to show that they don't kowtow.

She has covered her head in the past to be polite when she was simply a guest.

(And I'll bet you won't see Obama kissing any of the guys like Bush used to do.)

[Rex]

63. Good point, both are closed countries.

But I think the difference is SA allows non-Muslims from other countries some lee-way, whereas Iran does not allow any lee-way and will punish anyone (foreign or domestic) that does not toe their religious laws.

[Brigid]

21. I love you, Michelle!

[NightWatcher]

25. I hear they even let her drive the Presidential limo while texting and eating a burger

I would love to see pics of that.

[progressoid]

27. Coolest First Lady in a long time.

[arcane1]

28. So now the rightwingers have to take the Saudi/Muslim's side on headscarves?

[underpants]

30. ~n|m

Good for her

[Botany]

31. She is not a Saudi and if they don't like it who cares?

BTW I bet you in private or in rare public instances thousands of Saudi women
were thrilled to see Michelle standing up for a woman's right.

[Trajan]

61. +1,000,000

The subjugation of women in the kingdom is a current subject in Muslim countries ... especially amongst the women ... Surely there are many there who are quietly applauding ....

[riderinthestorm]

32. Good nt

[Skittles]

33. love her

go Michelle!!!

[SolutionisSolidarity]

34. Won't get much traction attacking her for not being sensitive to Muslims.

That goes against the crypto-Muslim story-line.

[Tarheel_Dem]

35. Flotus keepin' it real!

[LuvNewcastle]

36. I would support her choice either way.

I just think it's her right to do what she thinks is best in this situation.

[Aerows]

38. It's suddenly fashionable for people in the ME

to tell Americans what to do.

They can muck out their own stalls first, and take the beam out of their own eye.

[Aerows]

37. Who cares?

Last I checked, Michelle Obama is an American and she can wear any damn thing she wants to wear. Everybody in the Middle East, including Israel, suddenly thinks they can have a say in our politics and our people.

Tend to your own business, we are Americans.

[CTyankee]

43. I hope this will hold when she doesn't cover her hair in meeting with the Pope....

[Aerows]

44. no kidding

It's like people LOOK for reasons to criticize.

[jalan48]

39. Good for Her!

[Kablooie]

41. It had to be a deliberate choice.

And probably not just by Michelle alone.
These are carefully staged photo ops so it must be a White House decision for Michelle not to cover her head.

Probably it is meant to show that Americans will not be constrained by foreign traditions that they don't agree with.
It's a political statement.

The situations where she did cover her head in the past were probably when she was clearly a guest so she would do it to be polite.

[Zorra]

45. She did the right thing, good for her. nt

[littlemissmartypants]

47. Good for her.

Everybody knows it would have just mussed up her hair.

I love you, Michelle!

And I love feminist justice.

[Roland99]

48. Was Bushie there to give one last kiss?

[another_liberal]

49. I think the Saudi punishment for that is fifty lashes on the back with a cane . . .

Or maybe it's a hundred? Administered in front of a public audience, of course.

Hey! They've got a whole lot of oil, right?

[packman]

50. Damned if she did, damned if she didn't

regardless-good for her.

[GreatGazoo]

51. It wasn't news when CONDI RICE did it !

[lunasun]

60. +1

[3catwoman3]

66. Thank you for...

...posting this picture.

[flamingdem]

89. +2

[treestar]

53. Much ado about nothing

once again from the right wing.

[samsingh]

54. good for her!

very impressed

[NoJusticeNoPeace]

57. Next she is gonna do something crazy like say drinking water is healthy

[Spitfire of ATJ]

58. On that note...

[hifiguy]

59. Even better

[Rex]

62. Yes that is what SA leaders worry about, not that women are virtual slaves in SA

not that their methods of punishment are no different than ISIS. Not the fact that they have many wealthy groups that support ISIS.

NO...the fact that a women did not wear an article of clothing on her head. THAT is what is important in the here and now.

BUT religions are GOOD for The People or so I am told. Frankly I am skeptical about that one.

[Cha]

67. Here's a pic.. "leading by example.."..

World News Tonight ✔ @WNTonight
Follow
Leaving her head uncovered in Saudi Arabia, First Lady Michelle Obama leads by example: http://abcn.ws/1zV0uvm
11:58 AM - 27 Jan 2015 627 Retweets 480 favorites

http://theobamadiary.com/2015/01/27/a-tweet-or-two-220/

I thought it was taboo? Thank you for the OP, KoaDems

[Ilsa]

68. Good for her. The men were going to ignore her

anyway, so why stoop to their nonsense?

[Dr. Strange]

69. I'm surprised she would do that...

what with her husband being a Muslin.

[Orrex]

93. Sounds like a material conflict

[Dr. Strange]

96. This thread is starting to make me uncomfortable.

[Orrex]

97. Is it getting under your skein?

[Dr. Strange]

98. Of course not. Who told you that?

I can assure you, that is a complete fabrication.

[Orrex]

99. No one told me.

I made it up out of whole cloth.

[Dr. Strange]

100. That doesn't surprise me. You're totally full of sheet.

[Orrex]

101. I refuse to acknowledge blanket accusations like that.

[Dr. Strange]

104. Take it easy.

I was just trying to pull the wool over your eyes.

[AnnieBW]

70. I hope that the Secret Service lets her drive the limo, too!

That would really stick it to the religious zealots in Saudi!

[e-cigdub]

71. hell yeah!!

i love how shes so strong!! shes not bending over to bunch of sexist pigs who think there superior to women. but i swear if she did wear a scarf people would accuse her of being a muslim.

[ohheckyeah]

73. Good for her

and screw the right wing and Saudi misogynists.

[GeorgeGist]

75. Trolls.

[Pacifist Patriot]

76. I am in awe. One very simple sartorial choice and right wing heads explode with internal conflict.

And I thought I couldn't adore this woman any more.

[msanthrope]

77. I think MO just said "bless your hearts" to Saudi Arabia and our rightwing. nt

[wolfie001]

80. Pivotal moment in history!

Someone's got to nudge these backward countries forward!

[jwirr]

81. The right would have attacked her at any rate. Did any of the bushies ever take any of their ladies

with them to Saudi Arabia? Bet they did not cover their head.

[Triana]

83. The RWNJs have no ground upon which to attack Michelle about this. Here's why...

[cynzke]

91. No Doubt....

There were people at that time who objected as well no doubt about Laura Bush. This is just typical of the press, finding a mole hill to build up. Especially if it involves Obama. But I've read somewhere, that Obamas came to attend the former King's funeral (at a mosque) and THAT is why some objected to Mischelle not wearing a headscarf......out of respect of the circumstance.

[OverBurn]

86. Good for her!

In the 21st century it is insane that women has to cover her head in any country.

[LiberalFighter]

87. The writer of the article was slanting the event.

[delete_bush]

88. I just saw the "receiving" line

where the Saudi's shook Obama's hand and completely ignored Michelle.

I'm really disgusted that the President attended this event. The Saudi Royal family are ALL a bunch of rancid, disgusting, low class, misogynist pieces of conservative garbage. I would much prefer we sever our relationship with these worthless scum, deny them passage to the U.S., and let the chips fall where they may.

These filthy pigs need to go away, the sooner the better. Wrap them in bacon and feed them to the dogs.

[mainer]

92. Photos of Laura bush and Angela Merkel without scarves

prove this is perfectly appropriate.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/29/world/middleeast/michelle-obama-praised-for-bold-stand-she-did-not-take.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&module=mini-moth&region=top-stories-below&WT.nav=top-stories-below

[B Calm]

94. We should of attacked Saudi Arabia after 9/11!

[oberliner]

95. At least she didn't draw a cartoon of Mohammed

Now that's scandalous!

[dballance]

102. Good greif. Are these not the same people are afraid of Sharia Law?

How exactly does the right-wing media square being against Sharia law yet criticizing Michelle Obama for not following it?

Yes, you can say hypocrites.

[jwirr]

103. I guess the next time a foreign leader comes to visit this country we will want them to take off any

religious symbols they are wearing and put a cross around their neck. This whole thing is ridiculous. Freedom of religion means just that - freedom from forced religious practices. Since when are visiting leaders expected to adopt the practices of the religion of the country they visit. In fact since the USA does not have a national religion - what should they wear?