In a message dated 02-05-15 13:43:08 EDT, Jay Heuman wrote:

<< It just sounds to me as if those condemning Chinese foot
 binding have taken a position of cultural superiority - one
 which ought to be viewed with as much (if not more) distaste
 as Chinese foot binding. >>


I think there are some practices, e.g., slavery, castration, human
sacrifice, suttee, that can be condemned as inimical to any notion of human
dignity and the worth of every person.  In my opinion, both footbinding and
infibulation belong on this list as well.

To condemn a practice of another culture is not necessarily to condemn the
culture as a whole.  Hindu culture in India does not appear to have been
seriously harmed by the banning of the practice of suttee.  Western culture
in its North American manifestations seems to have survived the abolition
of slavery.  I can value the music of the Italian Baroque, even though some
of the parts are now sung by women instead of the castrati for which the
music was written.  There are clearly many more similar examples.

I believe it is possible, and even necessary, to take the position of the
United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and say that some things are
unacceptable and that they must be opposed as contrary to basic notions of
human dignity.

Nick Finke


************************************************************************
Nicholas D. Finke                    Ph:513-412-6949
Digital Collections Librarian      Fx:513-241-7131
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
312 Elm St., Suite 1250
Cincinnati, OH 45202
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Web: http://www.undergroundrailroad.org

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