[Lynn]

It's one thing to value and preserve the customs and traditions of a culture. I think it's really important to respect the past and take care not to impose our own ethnocentric values on another culture. At the same time, some things are just abjectly wrong, and can be applied to humanity. In my opinion, I guess I shoud add. I feel that it is kind of a smokescreen to say that this (the degradation and murder of women and children) is "our custom," "our tradition," or even, "our religion." I have a difficult time seeing these abuses as anything other than a deliberate, calculated effort to suppress the strength and power of women. Cloaking it in the guise of religion or tradition confuses the matter and makes it difficult to remedy without increasing the violence. Some things should be preserved and sustained, but not practices which degrade, maim, disempower, or kill women and children.