The morals of the majority.

I had some interesting training today. Its "cultural sensitivity training". It is designed around allowing troops heading to Afghanistan to understand the culture of the Afghan people.

I tried to keep an open mind about such things, yet something really bothers me. In one brief the instructor talked about how the women are held as a symbol of honor for the family. The problem comes in how much sugar is coated upon this lie. The culture of the Afghan people is built around the marginalization of women. Women are not human-beings, they are slabs of meat with a use, but certainly not the symbol of honor to the men of the culture. I am no expert in culture, but when men leave women to bleed to death in the street and refuse to seek medical help, there is something wrong. How can you stand there and watch another human bleed slowly to death? To watch the life blood drain out onto the ground and think it better that they die?

There is so much concern over honoring the local culture. We have to dance around this shit pile. We are not allowed to touch the dyeing woman. We are not allowed to provide medical care. We are forbid to render aid. We are required by the Geneva Convention to render aid to wounded enemy soldiers. But the life of a woman we will hold back on to maintain the status quo. Thats sad. I think its wrong.

Some days your own personal morals are in conflict with the majority around you. Some days you fight it, others you cave to the pressure. I hope I have the courage to follow my heart when the shit really hits the fan.