A Little About Privilege (An Interesting Article Related to Social Justice)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/17/world/asia/in-baad-afghan-girls-are-penalized-for-elders-crimes.html?_r=1&hp

The activity we did on Wednesday regarding self-identification and areas of privilege/oppression in our lives really opened my eyes. It really put my life into perspective for me by showing me how many areas where I have privilege. This really goes back to Adam's first chapter in Readings For Diversity and Social Justice, which discusses dual identities. Although I am a woman of color, two identities that are considered subordinate groups, I'm also a citizen of the United States, something that I consider a blessing. After reading this article about the plight of 8-year-old Shalika, it further confirmed what I claimed as a privilege in class. Due to the fact that this girl's uncle ran away with the wife of a district strongman, she was abducted by a group of men in the middle of the night. In his anger, the district strongman sent the men to take this girl in order to pay for her uncle's sins, through a practice called "baad." In Pashtun, Afghanistan's local language, this word describes an ancient practice of trading young girls and holding them in custody in order to pay for the sins of their elders. This system, which dates back to the time of ancient nomadic Afghan tribes, allows for these girls to be beaten and raped in retaliation for another's wrongdoing.

What I personally found to be shocking is that this girl's family isn't opposed to the practice of "baad." Her father even states in this article that he isn't against the system. His only concern is that his daughter is already the property of a man whom she was betrothed to at a young age. Another mind-boggling fact is that the provincial governments of the Pashtun states in Afghanistan don't find it necessary to take a stand against this practice. While male officials in the government claim that the effects of "baad" aren't that bad and the women are "only beaten a few times and give birth to one or two children," the women involved claim otherwise. It makes my blood boil to hear about how an innocent person is punished for another's mistakes as well as the fact that a woman's integrity, health, and well-being are put on the back burner. Not to mention the fact that the girls taken through "baad" are so young, way too young to be exposed to the treatment that they are in fact exposed to. Reading stories like this remind of what I have to be thankful for, and that I am privileged because there are laws in the United States that protect me 100%.