[sustran] Re: Israel's 'modesty buses' draw fire

[Jonathan E. D. Richmond]

I am not sure why this was posted to the list -- could you inform us?

One thing we do know is that the National Union of Journalists, of which 
the BBC author is likely a member, has declared a boycott of 
Israeli goods, thereby rendering their members' integrity in reporting 
events concerning Israel in an impartial way highly questionable.

One important fact that the article does not mention is that segregation 
of men and women on buses is common throughout the developing world. In 
India, this is the norm in many cities, with women very often packed into 
a set of uncomfortable bench-type seats at the front, and this reflects 
cultural reality.

I don't like it at all -- it would be nice if men and women had enough 
respect for each other that such segregation, which also goes on in many 
other places, were not necessary. But, let us not pretend that there is 
something special about this taking place in Israel -- you see it 
everwhere where religious and cultural norms prescribe it.

                                                             --Jonathan

On Tue, 24 Apr 2007, Todd Edelman, Green Idea Factory wrote:

> "*The other day I was waiting for a bus in downtown Jerusalem. I was in
> the bustling orthodox Jewish neighbourhood of Mea Sharim and the bus
> stop was extremely crowded.*
>
> When the Number 40 bus arrived, the most curious thing happened.
> Husbands left heavily pregnant wives or spouses struggling with prams
> and pushchairs to fend for themselves as they and all other male
> passengers got on at the front of the bus.
>
> Women moved towards the rear door to get on at the back.
>
> When on the bus, I tried to buck the system, moving my way towards the
> driver but was pushed back towards the other women.
>
> These are what orthodox Jews call "modesty buses".
>
> Full story: <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6584661.stm>
>
> -- 
> --------------------------------------------
>
> Todd Edelman
> Director
> Green Idea Factory
>
> Korunní 72
> CZ-10100 Praha 10
> Czech Republic
>
> ++420 605 915 970
> ++420 222 517 832
> Skype: toddedelman
>
> edelman at greenidea.eu
> http://www.worldcarfree.net/onthetrain
>
> Green Idea Factory,
> a member of World Carfree Network
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> IMPORTANT NOTE to everyone who gets sustran-discuss messages via YAHOOGROUPS.
>
> Please go to http://list.jca.apc.org/manage/listinfo/sustran-discuss to join the real sustran-discuss and get full membership rights. The yahoogroups version is only a mirror and 'members' there cannot post to the real sustran-discuss (even if the yahoogroups site makes it seem like you can). Apologies for the confusing arrangement.
>
> ================================================================
> SUSTRAN-DISCUSS is a forum devoted to discussion of people-centred, equitable and sustainable transport with a focus on developing countries (the 'Global South').
>


-----
Jonathan Richmond

1 (617) 395-4360

e-mail: richmond at alum.mit.edu
http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/