I refer to the comments made by Polish parliamentarian Janusz Korwin-Mikke in the European Parliament (March 2). My initial reaction was one of utter amazement. However, on reflection I am not surprised. Having lived on this earth for decades and rubbed shoulders with men in a wide range of career situations, in a number of countries, I claim some insight into what constitutes a male mentality.
Indeed, having researched over several years the career of one of the most reported on men in history, namely, the Prophet Muhammed, I can look into the mental framework of Korwin-Mikke.
I find such striking similarity between the words of Korwin-Mikke and the words of Prophet Muhammed, that the situation is uncanny. Yet, these two men are separated by 1,400 years. They are products of two very different cultures: Muhammed, in the deserts of Arabia and Korwin-Mikke a politician in Poland. Two men, products of two different environments expressing the same thoughts on women. That must be indicative of something specific.
Korwin-Mikke said “Women are weaker, smaller and less intelligent”. As for Prophet Muhammed, as narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri: “Once Allah’s Messenger [Muhammad] went out to the Musalla [place of prayer] (to offer the prayer) of `Id-al-Adha or Al-Fitr prayer. Then he passed by the women and said, “O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you (women).”
They asked, “Why is it so, O Allah’s Messenger?” He replied, “You curse frequently and are ungrateful to your husbands. I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you. A cautious sensible man could be led astray by some of you.”
By keeping women ignorant, dependent and subjugated, men are better able to extract that which they desperately need, when and as they want it, namely sex
The women asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! What is deficient in our intelligence and religion?” He said, “Is not the evidence of two women equal to the witness of one man?” They replied in the affirmative. He said, “This is the deficiency in her intelligence. Isn’t it true that a woman can neither pray nor fast during her menses?” The women replied in the affirmative. He said, “This is the deficiency in her religion.”
Also as narrated by Abu Said Al-Khudri, the Prophet said: “Isn’t the witness of a woman equal to half that of a man?” The women said, “Yes.” He said, “This is because of the deficiency of a woman’s mind.”
An answer might be found in a lecture delivered by Saudi cleric Abd Al-Aziz Al-Fawzan, aired on Al-Majd TV (June 11, 2007), in which he said: it has been shown that the twisted nature of women stems from their very creation.
This is how Allah wanted them to be.
He explained further that, he (the husband) should tolerate her slips and errors, and put up with all the silly ignorant things she might say, because this constitutes part of the nature of her creation and that “When a man calls his wife to fulfil his needs, she must go to him, even if she is busy with the oven”, that is, work that cannot be neglected, she must leave the oven and go to her husband. Another Hadith says she must go to him even on the back of a camel.
My conclusion is that by keeping women ignorant, dependent and subjugated, men are better able to extract that which they desperately need, when and as they want it, namely sex.
Does this demonstrate that sex, not intelligence rules the male mentality? For it is well known that women hold intelligence-demanding careers such as scientists, medical doctors, lawyers, engineers and business entrepreneurs, and that equal pay for work of equal value is a policy that is undisputed in a democratic society.
This requires acknowledgement of rational argument as a tool and a rejection of female bondage, both fundamental to democracy. Yet both of which are rejected by Korwin-Mikke since he rates European culture as a lower civilisation than that in Muslim countries.
Write a letter of protest to the Petitions Committee of the European Parliament asking for the highest reprimand against Korwin-Mikke, at: The Chairman, European Parliament, Petitions Committee, Rue Wiertz, B-1047 Brussels, Belgium.
Joan Ribi is an international environmental scientist and member of the Political Studies Association, UK.