Shocked, is the way I would describe my reaction when I received news that King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia declared that women in that country would receive full suffrage. This is a telling moment for oppressed women in Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Middle East that treat women as second class citizens. To have to beg a male family member to be allowed to apply for a job, to be denied the right to drive and certainly to be denied full suffrage by denying women the right not only vote, but to hold office is to treat a woman as subhuman.

“We refuse to marginalize the role of women in Saudi society and in every aspect, within the rules of Sharia,” Abdullah said, referring to the Islamic law that governs many aspects of life in the kingdom.

So Saudi women can now vote and run for office, however, as we all know, one thing is to say it, declare it, even make it law, another is to implement and permit the execution of the law. There are factions involved here that will use strong arm tactics to stop women from running for office, which will certainly include threatening the family, shaming male members of the family and even murder to preserve the status quo in an overtly male dominated society.

In any event this is only the beginning of the end for the Saudi women who will still need to beg a male member of the family to be allowed to work at the very polls they may be allowed to vote at.

Women will also have to obtain a male driver to drive them to the polls or to the local municipality where they may serve as a council member if they’re able to overcome the election fraud that is sure to prevail.

I would say that these women who today live under an oppressive Saudi male dominated regime, are the pioneers of suffrage and will encounter resistance very similar to that which women in the United States encountered from a chauvinistic male dominated democracy.

I say to them, أتمنى لكم التوفيق وبارك الله فيكم, which for you who have embraced and respect full suffrage, translates to, “I wish you the best and may God Bless you.”

Now I’m left wondering how long it will take for them to break the glass ceiling that women here in the United States continue to struggle with?

Full Suffrage Granted To The Burqa Wearing Women

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on five radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana and the Tucson Citizen. Arizona. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com

Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com

When I was advised that Bachmann would be scurrying into town, I decided to skedaddle on over to Sheriff Joe’s office to see what she had to say, and of course to keep the mainstream media honest. I didn’t figure anyone would ask the hard questions, or at least a question that would put her on the hot seat, particularly regarding the fact that we have millions of undocumented workers in the United States. What would she do with them if she won the most prized post as leader of the world? Of course I knew she wouldn’t answer directly when asked.

Nobody wants to admit that we are completely dependent on the low skilled undocumented labor that we import from Mexico. Nobody wants to admit that we are complicit to the existence of the undocumented workers. Everyone wants to live in denial and in the houses built by these “culprits”. They want to stuff their faces with the vegetables picked by them. They want to enjoy their manicured lawns mowed and trimmed by them, and they want to enjoy their shiny cars after going through the local car wash spiffed up by these undocumented car wash employees. The list goes on and on of jobs filled by the undocumented worker that an average American absolutely will not fill, and, if they were to work that job, they wouldn’t last.

So Bachmann answered my question like any other politician would. You know? Using code words meant to incite emotion from Immigrant haters and deniers, and meant to make her appear responsible and in tune with the topic. “We have to secure the border first”, “We have to remove those magnets that draw them here.” Blah, blah, blah.

Bachmann proved she was just another talking head out of touch with the undocumented Immigration issue, seeking to fill a job she just is absolutely not qualified to fill. She did however, look like Sheriff Joe’s drooling lap dog, looking for his endorsement by touting his stardom and by winking her enlarged eyes while converting her cynical smirk to a beauty queen smile.

As for Sheriff Joe, when asked whether he would give Bachmann his endorsement, he responded by saying that he hadn’t decided yet. Ah, Sheriff Joe, always the astute politician. Why would he commit to endorsing one candidate so early in the game when he could possibly be courted by other candidates as the Republican field narrows down to two viable candidates for the Republican nomination to replace the black man sleeping in the White House.

Carlos E. Galindo is a radio talk show host & political analyst conducting radio shows in both English and Spanish on four radio stations in Arizona. Mr. Galindo is a weekly contributor to KPFK 98.7 FM Los Angeles and has appeared on CNN, Univision and Telemundo as a political analyst. Mr. Galindo is also an Op-Ed columnist on Prensa Hispana Arizona and the Tucson Citizen. www.nospinonair.com/http://www.carlosgalindo.com

Listen to our live radio broadcast every Friday from 5-7 PM on The JOLT Tucson 1330 AM or via the web on www.nospinonair.com