Glasses look to keep Israeli women out of sight

[azurnoir]

It's the latest prescription for extreme ultra-Orthodox Jewish men who shun contact with the opposite sex: Glasses that blur their vision, so they don't have to see women they consider to be immodestly dressed.

In an effort to maintain their strictly devout lifestyle, the ultra-Orthodox have separated the sexes on buses, sidewalks and other public spaces in their neighborhoods. Their interpretation of Jewish law forbids contact between men and women who are not married.

Walls in their neighborhoods feature signs exhorting women to wear closed-necked, long-sleeved blouses and long skirts. Extremists have accosted women they consider to have flouted the code.

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The ultra-Orthodox community's unofficial "modesty patrols" are selling glasses with special blur-inducing stickers on their lenses. The glasses provide clear vision for up to a few meters so as not to impede movement, but anything beyond that gets blurry — including women. It's not known how many have been sold.

http://news.yahoo.com/glasses-look-keep-israeli-women-sight-161739244.html

[PDJane]

1. Gah...........that's bloody ridiculous.

[oberliner]

3. No more ridiculous than the way female athletes or swimmers are forced to dress

In some corners of the world, that is.

This puts the onus on the men rather than the women.

[oberliner]

2. That is really quite admirable

Men actually taking responsible themselves rather than going ballistic over forcing the women to dress a certain way.

In fact, any man who has a problem seeing women dressed a certain way ought to be required to wear these glasses rather than imposing their will on innocent women.

If this catches on, maybe it can be exported to some of the more conservative Palestinian areas.

[azurnoir]

9. well yes I would suppose it's better than this

[Scootaloo]

29. It's replacing one problem with another problem

Honestly I'm not seeing how "erasing women from my field ov vision" is any saner than "being an asshole about women I see." I mean... you're still being an asshole... And pretty much everyone here knows from experience with bigots of any sort, is that bigots enjoy their own rage.

So all it does is create a marketed product to reaffirm their psychological impairments and make it more socially acceptable.

[Enrique]

4. im picturing the streets of Israel

filled with ultra-orthodox jews bumping into each other.

[virgogal]

5. Just go to Brooklyn.

[oberliner]

7. You've obviously never been there

Maybe try Kiryas Joel.

[virgogal]

8. Brooklyn-yes,Israel-no,Kiryas Joel-no.

[valerief]

6. Maybe these nitwits will walk in traffic. nt

[Swede]

10. I like it.

"modesty patrol" are a bit more menacing in other middle east nations.

[Alamuti Lotus]

11. Read this a little earlier, and I thought to myself..

"now how will the hasbara brigade spin this nonsense?!"

Well, ask a stupid question..

[holdencaufield]

18. "hasbara brigade"?

I keep hearing this term -- can you explain precisely what this means?

[Alamuti Lotus]

19. absolutely

Public diplomacy in Israel (also hasbara) (Hebrew: הסברה‎ refers to public relations efforts to disseminate information about Israel. The term is used by the Israeli government and its supporters to describe efforts to explain government policies and promote Israel in the face of negative press, and to counter what they see as delegitimisation of Israel around the world. Hasbara means "explanation", and is also a euphemism for propaganda.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_diplomacy_(Israel)

A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of three to six battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment. Usually, a brigade is a sub-component of a division, a larger unit consisting of two or more brigades.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigade

[holdencaufield]

20. You're suggesting...

... that persons who take a pro-Israel position on this (or other) groups are part of a military organisation?

Following some sort of protocols?

[Alamuti Lotus]

22. wow, aren't you subtle..

It really took you far too long before you tried to insinuate the Protocols into this pseudo-discussion; your handlers will not be pleased.

On a pseudo-serious note, is that really the only argument you have to fall back on? Boy oh boy, it really reveals a pervasively vaccuous intellect entirely devoid of substance or dialectic where some thinly veiled "anti-semite" handful of mud is the first, last, and every line inbetween.

[holdencaufield]

26. We can't all be...

... intellectual geniuses like yourself who are able to elegantly fit the the word psuedo into every paragraph.

Now, if you'll excuse me -- I have to go to my weekly cell meeting (Shabbat Shalom)

[Shaktimaan]

34. Was he even referring to the "Protocols"...

And not merely protocols?

I think he was actually asking if you are being serious when you insinuate that there is a military organization connected to the Israeli government that's dedicated to spreading pro-Israel propaganda in message boards like this one?

Beyond that, can you explain how someone's intellect can be devoid of dialectic? I've read that line several times and it still makes no sense to me at all. Did you in fact mean "When one's sole dialectic relies on some thinly veiled "anti-semite" handful of mud for the first, last, and every line in between, it really reveals a pervasively vacuous intellect entirely devoid of substance"?

Because if he waited "too long" in the discussion to bring up anti-semitism (as you jokingly suggested was behavior that would annoy his handlers), then doesn't that mean he possesses an intellect capable of more than a single, all-roads-lead-to-Rome response? How can you accuse him of a one-track argument right after laughing about how it took him so long to get around to using it?

[Scootaloo]

30. No, you're clearly not

Military organizations are usually pretty good at what they do.

[Shaktimaan]

35. except for the ones that aren't. np

[oberliner]

21. When I read it, I thought something similar

"The anti-hasbarist brigade will have fun with this one...."

This story is right up their alley.

[Alamuti Lotus]

23. true enough

Imagine, however, if it was some Muslim group coming up with this nonsense; some Israeli leader would use it as an argument for bombing Iran and some baptist church in Tennessee and/or Missouri would hold a Zoroastrian book burning.

And I realize that last line may be a bit too subtle for this crowd. My advice would be to read it in light of the shooting at the Sikh temple recently, and media attempts to mention how important it is for them to be distinguished from Muslims (as if a random lead salad for some mosque would be more in keeping with presently acceptable public policy).

[Shaktimaan]

25. Right...

Imagine, however, if it was some Muslim group coming up with this nonsense; some Israeli leader would use it as an argument for bombing Iran

Because Iran's rabid anti-semtism, holocaust denial and calls for Israel's destruction while they seek to build nuclear weapons is EXACTLY the same as Orthodox Jews using special glasses which allow them to better adhere to their religious beliefs without inconveniencing others.

[holdencaufield]

27. Worse... NT

[azurnoir]

37. so we'll post a retort of our own? and none that insinuates how superior we are

to those 'others'? It's a class act indeed and one that shows just how upset and embarrassed we are over what was a relatively minor thing in big picture too

[Shaktimaan]

24. what do you mean?

what about it requires spinning? This is a story about how some orthodox are taking responsibility for their beliefs instead of imposing them on others, forcing them to dress or act a certain way just because they are offended by it. What's the negative side to this? Unless... Are you a super-frum Jew who believes that it would encourage immodesty in women, or something like that?

[King_David]

12. Maybe this was meant to be posted in the Jewish group ?

It aint IP...

[azurnoir]

13. No it's I(srael) either or both is okay though n/t

[King_David]

16. Yep about fringe crazy idiotic JEWS

Who happen to live in the Jewish State.

Gotcha.

[azurnoir]

17. if that is how you prefer it

however IMO it's about members of Israel's Orthodox community not all of whom are Naturi Karta by far and who have been the subject of much debate recently concerning the Tal Law

[holdencaufield]

14. I have to imagine...

... this would make it very difficult to fully enjoy Olympic Beach Volleyball.

[Bradlad]

15. Oooh yeah. Misty may. n/t

[loansstore]

28. I agree with holden

Hmm i totally agree with holden

[azurnoir]

38. well that's so good of you

and welcome to DU I'll be looking forward to more of your posts

[holdencaufield]

39. Don't be jealous...

... I have enough love for both of you.

[azurnoir]

40. well that's okay newbies need it more

[SDjack]

31. Xian priests and preachers should wear boxing gloves, in addition to coke bottle lenses. nt

[Ken Burch]

33. Agreed.

In fact, we should just BLIND all male Xian clergy and cut their hands off.



That'd save the Vatican and most television ministries Arkloads of money.

[Ken Burch]

32. In the name of modesty, the ultra-Orthodox are deliberately imparing their own eyesight?

Is there a reason they can't just display a normal degree of self-control when looking women?
(and yes, you could say the same thing about countries where women are forced to cover up...it's equally absurd in both cases and everybody knew I wasn't singling out the ultra-Orthodox here).

[LeftishBrit]

36. Nutty -but at least preferable to punishing the women

If you want to impair your own vision so you can't see anything 'shocking' it's up to you, so long as you don't drive or otherwise endanger others. Very silly, but better than imposing strict dress regulations on the women.

[Ken Burch]

41. If the idiots who put those things on started wandering into traffic and getting run over...

Would ANY court in Israel convict the drivers?