Re: Sex-Segregated Buses: Freedom Riders 2011

"Art Tandy" <atandy907@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:5f6415d9-23b0-43e4-9bae-2b15a20d48ed@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Feb 1, 7:29 am, lee <schotn...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Art Tandy wrote:
> On Jan 31, 7:02 am, mos...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> > This should make many people happy. Interestingly, the chareidi > > are
> > _also_ claiming "victory" so I guess the ruling must be a good > > one!
> > ------------------------------------------
> > Dear Friends,

> > The Supreme Court has finally had its say about the sex-segregated > > buses.
> > While I think the battle will be won on the buses and not in the > > courts, I
> > am still pleased to say that the case we brought to the Court has > > resulted
> > in a victory for women's rights at least on paper. I hope to > > gather the
> > support of women's groups to make sure that these Court rulings > > find their
> > way to the buses as well, which have become the latest arena in > > which
> > women's rights are being eroded by extremist religious groups that > > are
> > inventing new religious rulings faster than we can keep up with > > them. If we
> > don't put a stop to it right now, they will change the face of > > Judaism until
> > it will be unrecognizable and interchangeable with certain other > > Semitic
> > religious practices towards women which will go unnamed.

> > Naomi

> > Freedom Riders, circa 2011
> > By SHARON SHENHAV
> > 22/01/2011
> > <http://www.jpost.com/LandedPages/PrintArticle.aspx?id=204783#>

> > In 21st century, why do we need a court to state the obvious - > > that women in
> > this country are entitled to sit wherever they choose on a public > > bus?

> > A major victory for women's rights was won on January 6 when the > > High Court
> > declared that segregation on public transportation is illegal. > > Relying on
> > court decisions and legislation, Justice Elyakim Rubinstein > > expressed
> > surprise that in the year 2011 the court even needed to state the > > obvious:
> > Women are entitled to sit wherever they choose on public buses.

> > Reviewing the history of bus transportation, he reminded us that > > there had
> > never been segregation on public buses, and that the issue of > > segregated
> > seating was raised only in the past decade by a group of religious
> > extremists. They demanded that women sit in the back of public > > buses on
> > certain routes which traveled through haredi neighborhoods. They > > also
> > demanded that women be dressed in a modest fashion, as determined > > by their
> > "modesty patrols."

> > RELATED:
> > Why we're marching to Knesset today
> > An exercise in 'halla diplomacy' [p. 15]

> > The Egged bus company complied with these demands and women were > > directed to
> > the rear of certain buses, while the front was reserved for men. > > When some
> > women refused to sit in the back, they were subjected to verbal > > abuse and
> > occasional physical abuse by some male extremists.

> > A few women were not permitted to board these buses because of > > their choice
> > of clothing. When best-selling Orthodox writer Naomi Ragen was > > subjected to
> > severe harassment while riding a bus to her Jerusalem home, she > > decided to
> > take action. In 2007, she filed a petition to the High Court of > > justice,
> > claiming that she was being denied the right to sit in the front > > section of
> > a public bus.

> > Joined by other female victims of harassment on buses, as well as > > by the
> > Center for Religious Pluralism, they were hopeful when the court > > ordered the
> > minister of transportation to set up a commission to study the > > issue,
> > conduct hearings and publish its findings. The commission > > presented its
> > report in late 2009, declaring that segregated buses were illegal.

> > Recognizing that some religiously observant men (and women) might > > wish to
> > sit separately on public buses because of concerns for modesty, > > the court
> > stated that in a pluralistic, multicultural society, everyone > > should have
> > the right to sit wherever he or she chooses. However, the court > > made it very
> > clear that women have the right to sit at the front of the bus (or > > anywhere
> > else on it) without harassment of any sort, whether verbal or > > physical.
> > Those who interfere with that right would be subject to criminal
> > prosecution.

> > Justice Rubinstein, an Orthodox Jew, quoted liberally from Jewish > > law
> > sources in his opinion, noting that respecting human dignity and > > love of all
> > creatures were basic to Judaism.

> > SINCE ALL of the parties accepted the commission's conclusions, > > the court
> > ordered the Transportation Ministry and Egged to implement the > > report as
> > follows:

> > 1. All previously segregated bus lines are to carry signs stating > > that every
> > passenger is entitled to sit wherever he or she chooses, except > > for seats
> > designated for the disabled, and that anyone who interferes with > > that right
> > by harassing a passenger may be subject to criminal prosecution. > > These signs
> > are to be of a reasonable size and are to be posted at both the > > front and
> > rear doors.

> > 2. Bus companies must publicize in haredi daily newspapers that > > segregated
> > bus routes have been cancelled, and every passenger has the right > > to sit
> > wherever she or he chooses.

> > 3. Bus drivers are to be trained to implement the court's decision > > that
> > segregation is illegal.

> > 4. The minister of transportation is responsible for the > > overseeing the
> > implementation of the court's decision, and must monitor the > > previously
> > segregated bus routes to ensure that women are not being harassed > > or
> > threatened.

> > The court declared a trial period of one year to determine if the > > decision
> > to eliminate segregated buses was being enforced. Rubinstein > > stated that if
> > the Transportation Ministry finds that it is unable to protect > > women who
> > choose to sit in the front of public buses, it should use its > > authority to
> > close down those routes which continue to force segregation. He > > concluded
> > that the influence of court decisions on human behavior may be > > limited. He
> > expressed his hope that all parties would behave with tolerance > > and good
> > will, for the benefit of society.

> > Women are cautiously optimistic, but unwilling to rely solely on > > government
> > agencies and commercial bus companies to enforce the court's > > decision. A
> > nationwide campaign entitled "Freedom Riders" is planned, which > > will
> > encourage women to ride buses on previously segregated routes, and > > to report
> > on their experiences.

> > In the spirit of Rosa Parks, this grandmother (and big-mouth > > lawyer) intends
> > to take a front seat on one of those buses on a weekly basis. I'll > > be
> > carrying my cellphone so that I can call the police if necessary. > > How about
> > joining me?

> > The writer is a women's rights lawyer based in Jerusalem. She is > > the
> > director of the International Jewish Women's Rights Project and > > was the only
> > woman to serve on the Commission to Appoint Dayanim from > > 2003-2009.

> > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

> > For more articles,please visit my Web page > > at:http://www.NaomiRagen.com
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> > with your old address in the Subject: line
> > To contact the list owner, send your message to
> > NaomiRagen-list-ow...@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

> Israel is fighting battles that we in america resolved 50 years ago.
> Might I suggest we give the O rabbis in Israel a course in U.S.
> Constitutional law?(specifically amendments 14 and 20)

Since when did Israel become the 52nd state?-


ROTFL! There are only 50 at present.Who do you think is no 51?
Many nations have learned from our experiences with civil rights.

Many countries granted civil rights before you did.
Maori men (the indigenous people of NZ) who owned land got the vote in 1852, all Maori men over the age of 21 got the vote in 1867 regardless of whether they owned land. Maori were assigned 4 Maori seats in Parliament to ensure they got representation.
Women in NZ got the vote (universal suffrage) in 1893, the first country to do so, a good 30 years before the US.
Many countries banned slavery before the US.
So you see the US isn't the leading light in civil rights you claim it to be.

Intelligent people learn from the mistakes of others so that they
don't have to go thru the pain of relearning them.





.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Sex-Segregated Buses: Freedom Riders 2011
    ... While I think the battle will be won on the buses and not in the courts, ... am still pleased to say that the case we brought to the Court has resulted ... declared that segregation on public transportation is illegal. ... severe harassment while riding a bus to her Jerusalem home, ...
    (soc.culture.jewish.moderated)
  • Re: Sex-Segregated Buses: Freedom Riders 2011
    ... The Supreme Court has finally had its say about the sex-segregated buses. ... While I think the battle will be won on the buses and not in the courts, ... declared that segregation on public transportation is illegal. ... Reviewing the history of bus transportation, he reminded us that there had ...
    (soc.culture.jewish.moderated)
  • Re: Sex-Segregated Buses: Freedom Riders 2011
    ... The Supreme Court has finally had its say about the sex-segregated buses. ... While I think the battle will be won on the buses and not in the courts, ... declared that segregation on public transportation is illegal. ... Reviewing the history of bus transportation, he reminded us that there had ...
    (soc.culture.jewish.moderated)
  • Sex-Segregated Buses: Freedom Riders 2011
    ... The Supreme Court has finally had its say about the sex-segregated buses. ... While I think the battle will be won on the buses and not in the courts, ... declared that segregation on public transportation is illegal. ... Reviewing the history of bus transportation, he reminded us that there had ...
    (soc.culture.jewish.moderated)
  • Re: Sex-Segregated Buses: Freedom Riders 2011
    ... The Supreme Court has finally had its say about the sex-segregated buses. ... While I think the battle will be won on the buses and not in the courts, ... declared that segregation on public transportation is illegal. ... Reviewing the history of bus transportation, he reminded us that there had ...
    (soc.culture.jewish.moderated)