The Christian Science Monitor and the BBC both have articles today about Lahore Marathon, which went ahead as scheduled this past weekend in Pakistan despite threats and efforts by Islamist groups to ban women from the race.
There were armed police on every corner, reports the Monitor, and 400 people were arrested at a violent protest Friday. Last April religious hardliners physically attacked women running a race in Gujranwala, about 60 miles north.
“Though we are afraid, we are running,” Ethiopian star runner Ashu Kasim, who is Muslim, told the Monitor. “We can have our faith and we can run.”
I never ceased to be amazed at how stupid and annoying Isalmists can be.
I’m guessing that not too many of those runners are qualifying for the Boston Marathon. That looks more like a march then a marathon. Not sure I really even see any running in that picture. But more power to them.
As far as I am concerned, W. Bush didn’t need to find any WMD. The basic awful treatment of women in the middle east is enough justification to me for the U.S. invade just about every country there and slaughter their leaders, elected or otherwise.
As far as I’m concerned, if the women there don’t like how they’re treated by the men, they should read Lysistrata and follow the Greeks’ lead. Hell, I’d even air-drop Arabic & Pashtun translations over Lahore and Karachi. Beats pissing away $400 billion.
Hee hee. Jon, you are probably right re: the picture… I’m guessing those women were maybe in the accompanying 5K or 10K races. It was neat checking out the race’s English-language website.
While I agree, Mofo and Jon, that women’s rights in the middle east have a long way to go, let’s not forget our own country’s less-than-stellar history with women and sport. It wasn’t that long ago that a woman wasn’t allowed to compete in a marathon for fear that her body couldn’t ‘handle’ 26 miles. (Yeah, the same body that labors and delivers children. Heh.)
Hell, I’d even air-drop Arabic & Pashtun translations over Lahore and Karachi.
That would suck, virtually no one in Lahore or Karachi speaks either language. 🙂
I was born in Lahore and I’m flabbergasted that they even have a marathon, never mind one featuring five guys under 2:10 and sixteen at 2:15 or better. As for the controversy, I hardly think a road race constitutes the mingling of the sexes, certainly no more (likely less) than the many large markets in Lahore.
Fair point, Adeel. I’m also assuming they can read, which might be incorrect as well.