If you choose to complete the Iranian Revolution questions for one Layer 3 assignment, respond to the following questions 2-3 paragraphs. You should post your response, and unless you are the first to reply, you must respond to at least one of your classmate's answers.
1. How is the Iranian Revolution similar to the Arab Spring? In what key ways is it different?
2. How did both WWII and the Cold War contribute to the Iranian Revolution?
3. How did the Iranian hostage crises alter Iran's relationship with the West?
4. As a consequence of the Iranian Revolution, Iran became less modernized and progressive than it had been under the Shah. Women in particular felt this shift, as conservative mullahs encouraged a government-sponsored dress code requiring women to cover their hair and much of their bodies. Does part of you sympathize with this desire to curb overt sexuality and retain a society separate from Western influences? Or, is the Western perception of femininity and sexuality best for all cultures? Explain.
The Iranian Revolution is similar to the Arab Spring in that they are both are a group of people that were going against their government. In the Arab Spring, they wanted to turn their government into a democracy. The Iran Revolution was to turn the government into a theocracy. World War 2 and the Cold War had contributed to the Iranian Revolution by causing problems in some Middle Eastern countries.
ReplyDeleteThe Iranian hostage crises altered its relationship with the West by causing us to distrust them and not being able to trust them when they might need us. Part of me does shift sympathy toward Western influences. After what they had done to our people I am not sure that I could them if they needed us in a time of need. i agree that women are needed in all cultures, but only if it is to a certain point were they are not degrading themselves into someone's slave.
Jerry Manning
ReplyDeleteThe Iranian Revolution caused Iranian women to be forced to have a strict dress code. I understand why Iran is doing this. The government wants their people to stay with the culture that is currently set in place in Iran. It seems reasonable that they want their people to follow tradition that has been around for many decades. They do not want women to become walking pieces of sexuality. If somebody tried to change an important part of my culture, than I would not want to change it. It is important to understand and respect other people’s cultures.
I do, however, disagree with the strict dress code. I believe that if a girl wants to wear revealing clothing, that it is her right to wear it. Even though it does not go with her culture, she has the right to express herself. I believe that the people in Iran have the right to discourage it, but not ban nor take action against it. By this I mean people should be allowed to say they do not agree with the clothing, but not able to stop it. A few hundred years ago in America, it was a commonly accepted part of American culture to have slaves. Now, that idea is outrageous, so change in culture is not always a bad thing.
Although, in the eyes of many Westerners, the strict dress code of Iran may be strange and may seem like the women if this country are being forced to conform to this code, but many of these women want the dress code. Many of them are devout Muslims who want to stay good in the eyes of their god. It is understandable that people in these countries would not want to expose themselves “like Westerners do”. The West is very free in its sexuality and that can be frightening to some. To instill new laws that would force the women not to wear these clothes, like France, would be an outrage to many of the men and women in Iran and many other Middle Eastern Muslim countries.
ReplyDeleteEven if the Mullahs of these countries are the reason for these strict dress codes, they will be gone soon. Because of the past war in Afghanistan with the Soviets, baby boomers are populating the Middle East. All of these young people are bringing new ideas into all of these countries. They are the reason for the Arab Spring. When all of the influential Mullahs are gone, new thinking will be able to freely flow without much protest. There are big changes coming when new governments are finally instilled into the “new” countries.
Kayla Higgins
ReplyDeleteI think that women should be aloud to wear what they want, where ever they are. I understand that some are 'devout Muslims' but they do not have to wear the revealing clothing if they do not want to. There should be no dress code but people should get to make their own personal choice.
I think this new generation that started the Arab Springs will change the way the Middle East is, for the better. They will not and do not have to get rid of all the old ways but are introducing new ideas. They do not have to become like the West just because they let go of a dress code.
The goverment wants to stay the same and nto become like the West, but maybe in some ways the West is something to look up to. People are free to express themselves through clothing, speech, and anything else they choose. I can see both sides, but I think everyone should have the right to wear what they want. This new generation is a generation of change and we will be seeing that in the time to come.
Emily Arlauskas
ReplyDeleteI agree with Kayla that women should be able to wear anything that they want. honestly, I don't care if they want to wear a burqua. There really should not be an issue with what women wear. Does anyone say anything to men? No. Do men have a dress code? I don't think they do.
Here in America, people are insane with the way they dress. Take Lady GaGa for example. Why is she allowed to wear a meat dress yet women in Iran are not allowed to wear jeans...? That is an issue. The United States should spread our freedom of expression to other nations, so everyone can wear what they want. Maybe it does not have to be as outrageous as the meat dress but it doesn't have to be as restricted as the burqua. There is obviously a happy medium somewhere in there.
Kathryn Zablocki
ReplyDeleteAfter the Iranian Revolution,women were forced to cover their bodies with clothing. I agree with Emily about how men do not have to cover their bodies. Why should women be forced under a dress code and not men? By making the women cover their bodies, they are getting their rights taken away. Women should get the choice on whether or not they should have to cover their bodies.
By telling women they cannot show their body is taking away their freedom of speech. Some women do not mind that they have to cover their bodies because it follows their religion, but if some women do not want to, they should not have to. I understand why the government would want to keep this law, but they should make a dress code for the men too so the women feel equal. Women should be able to wear what they want because it is their body. Even though the governmebt has the most power, they do not have the right to tell a woman what to do with her body. It is not the government's choice.
Herbert Hall
ReplyDeleteWomen in Iran are affected directly by the iranian revolution. I agree with kathryn that making a woman cover herself from head to toe is taking away their rights. However, because we have to wear uniform are our rights being taken away? One thing that kathryn mentioned that I do agree with is why not the men? At least with uniform both men and women have to wear it. Which is why having just women cover themselves is pathetic. I also agree with Stephen when he said "some women want the code". I think if women want to cover their bodies then they should be able to. I don't think that there should be a law that says you either have to or can't cover your body.
Jerry mentioned that they (the government) wants women to dress according to their religion. I agree that that is why the government makes the women cover up. However this is ebidence that the government is not an affective government. To run a country via a religion can cause many conflicts. Not only within the country but with the world. In order to change this they (the people) need to first make sure that their government is secular. I alos agree with Kayla when she says that women should have a choice. The government should be focused on larger issues than clothing. People should be able to wear what they want wheather it is a burqua or short-shorts.
Vivian Morris
ReplyDeleteI agree with Emily and Kathryn that it is wrong for a woman to be forced into a strict dress code. It violates the human right that everyone has the right to freedom of speech and expression. Everyone should be able to express themselves however one choses and no one should be able to control that. It also violates the human right that everyone is born with equal rights because men do not have to follow a dress code like women do. It is not right that women have to dress a certain way when men do not. I do, however, disagree with Kathryn when she notes that the Iranian government "should make a dress code for the men, too, so the women feel equal." It may make the situation more equal, but this is the wrong kind of equality to strive for. If the Iranian government did this then it would be like taking a step backward when they should be trying to take steps forward. The government should not be focusing on more ways of restricting and regulating people's lives, but should instead try taking away unnecessary restraints. Although I believe that the dress code is wrong, I can understand why the Iranian government created the dress code.
It is a tradition in their culture for a woman to cover herself. It is quite obvious that most women in Western society do not place value in dressing modestly, and in fact do the opposite. The Iranian government and others would want a dress code because it preserves their culture by making a woman wear clothes that cover up her body. They would probably not want the ways of Western society influencing and changing the way in which women dress in their culture, so they would want a strict dress code to ensure this would not happen. I am not saying that the dress code is just, because I believe that it is not and that everyone should be able to express themselves however they want without anyone influencing them, but I do understand why some people want a dress code.