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

[Todd Edelman, Green Idea Factory]

Hi,

I posted this because it presents a separated bus situation in a place 
which it seems is generally not thought of as having one... in Israel as 
an island of modernity in the Middle East, etc.

I suppose that is a good segue to the impartiality issue you mention, 
but the article shows all sides of the story - the ultraorthodox Jews, 
the women and presumably others complaining about it, and so on. I would 
be surprised if some of my Israeli cousins would put up with it.

I agree that it would have been good to mention the situation in many 
parts of the developing world.

But the article also shows how an environment which everyone shares - in 
this case the inside of a public bus - shows a side of society which can 
possibly be avoided at other times. Also, lots of good things start on 
buses. I am thinking of Rosa Parks...

- Tuvia ben Tomas al-Canoga Park (Los Angeles...where the so-called BRT 
seems to discriminate against everyone who wants a good BRT)


Jonathan E. D. Richmond wrote:
>
> 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
>>
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>
>
> -----
> Jonathan Richmond
>
> 1 (617) 395-4360
>
> e-mail: richmond at alum.mit.edu
> http://the-tech.mit.edu/~richmond/


-- 
--------------------------------------------

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