'Dancing Boy' Scandal Taints Both Americans and Afghans

[Kulindahr]

A very wise suggestion - but I would also add that you can't exclude the Taliban. They will feature in any future power structure in Afghanistan.

And as long as they do, barbarism will be part of Afghan culture, even if they stop the boy slavery.

 

[arpeggi]

Americans are an ethnocentric bunch, thinking that they can go to some country AND impose what THEY think is the correct way of living. By no means am I encouraging any of what we North Americans consider "socially unacceptable" , but it is their way of life. One does not see the reverse happening to the Americans where others are imposing what they think is correct? Just my 2 cents....

These countries we supposedly impose our way of life on are countries nearly, if not entirely, war-torn. I'm not justifying the war, or any way of life being imposed, but in many cases these people no longer have their traditional ways of living. Too much of it has been destroyed. Maybe we shouldn't "impose" our own, but we tend to think our model of democracy is what made our country rich and powerful after a war or two, and these people do need help. I'm not saying the way in which we're doing it is the best, or a way in which will work for them, but these tend to be impossible situations, and creating or recreating a civilized region amongst chaos is not easily dealt with. It isn't as simple as saying Americans are going around trying to birth new Americas because we don't agree with their way of living.

If anything, Americans are more concerned about imposing a "socially acceptable" way of life on other Americans. We tend to have an idea of what Americanism is, traditionally, and how America is supposed to be, and many people are fighting to retain that. Being on a gay forum I suspect you know what I'm talking about. Most Americans couldn't care less about other countries being more like them.

 

[Kulindahr]

Having done that, I don't think it changes the outcome of the analysis, at least not as far as I'm concerned: I don't see a culture that acknowledges early awareness of one's own sexuality and makes allowances for it, as some cultures do. I don't see it as part of a cultural and economic reality that just makes people look out for themselves at a much younger age. It looks more like common coercion and exploitation of young men and boys who feel they have no options, and who feel they have to put out to survive.

So, half the country grows up in this system? And then go on to perpetuate it. That's not the same thing as "preserving a cherished cultural tradition." The thing is though, it is just one more violation of autonomy in a country awash with coercion. In a country like Afghanistan, if you asked people there "What's the worst thing that ever happened to you?" this bacha bazi stuff probably wouldn't even register in the top 10.

I've been trying to decide which would be worse: to grow up and be used/abused like that, or grow up with the ridiculous emotional/spiritual sexual oppression I did.

I give up on it -- it's hard to separate the physical from the non-physical parts of my own abuse in order to judge.

 

[Kulindahr]

If anything, Americans are more concerned about imposing a "socially acceptable" way of life on other Americans. We tend to have an idea of what Americanism is, traditionally, and how America is supposed to be, and many people are fighting to retain that. Being on a gay forum I suspect you know what I'm talking about. Most Americans couldn't care less about other countries being more like them.

Yeah...

I suspect that most Republicans, being given a choice between ridding the U.S. of gays and bringing freedom to, say, an entire continent, wouldn't even give a thought to the matter of liberty.

 

[arpeggi]

Yeah...

I suspect that most Republicans, being given a choice between ridding the U.S. of gays and bringing freedom to, say, an entire continent, wouldn't even give a thought to the matter of liberty.

Yeah...

I suspect Republicans would simplify it all as "bringing freedom". Looks good on a banner.

 

[Kulindahr]

Yeah...

I suspect Republicans would simplify it all as "bringing freedom".

War is peace.
Hate is love.
Oppression is freedom.


Yep, they've got it down.

 

[arpeggi]

They are anti-gay marriage in the name of freedom, so why not?

Freedom and liberty for everyone! Even the boy-raping terrorists!

Just don't send the new openly gay soldiers over there.