Millions of men believe and act on that, as a murder trial was recently told by an expert witness, a refugee from Iran. In a global society, we need a philosophically coherent means of confronting cultures that believe and act on such views, not an excuse for accommodating them.
The trial in question features a couple and their son, charged with killing four women (all but one is a close relative). The expert said,
In some cultures, women are considered the property of men; men are responsible for controlling their behaviour, particularly their sexuality; a woman even perceived to be out of control reflects on the man’s honour, and “the way to deal with the dishonouring is through the shedding of blood. . . . It’s a way of purifying the honour of the family and the community.”
The drowned Shafia sisters, Zainab 19, Sahar 17, Geeti 13 and their father’s “other” wife were all found in a black Nissan submerged at the Kingston Mills (Ontario) lock on June 30, 2009. The family’s inability to give a straightforward account of the dreadful incident first alerted the police.
More.
See also: When we celebrate “diversity,” what exactly are we celebrating?
And Is it still wrong if another culture says it is right? A teacher’s surprising discovery about what today’s students are really learning.
Note: UD news staff have all been off sick. Regular coverage resumes shortly.