April 10, 2015 www.plaintalk.net 6A Vermillion Plain Talk CASA Expanding to Clay County What Does ‘The Honor Diaries’ Tell Us? By Elyse Brightman assigning them cases here The Plain Talk in Clay County,” Rodgers- By Alan Dale their own, their bodies are She added, “It is not Conti said. The Plain Talk not their own.” a Muslim thing, but due The Clay County Board According to Rodgers- Raza is Pakastani-born to various reasons, it was of Commissioner’s met on Conti, CASA began in According to Zainab who is now a long-time adopted by some Muslim Tuesday morning to discuss Seattle 38 years ago when Khan, a licensed clinical Canadian. She is proud of societies.” a brief agenda at the Clay a judge couldn’t afford to therapist in the movie, her Muslim faith, but she Raza also explained County Courthouse. hire advocacy workers and “The Honor Diaries,” the is concerned with human how the Islamic holy book Among the discussions began training volunteers biggest issues facing the rights violations that have “The Quran” does in fact was Sherri Rodgers-Conti from the community. of Southeast CASA to panelists in the film are come – erroneously – in not condone any of these Since then CASA has announce the organiza- that people aren’t tak- the name of Islam. acts, but “secondary com- formed into a national ing a bigger stand against tions expansion into Clay organization with six pro- One issue, according to mentary and hadith will County. Southeast CASA is grams in South Dakota. “honor” abuses and that Raza, is that the religion of support it in some cases.” political correctness has based in Yankton. “In the three and a half Islam has become “politi- “The film has the pur- “CASA stands for made it difficult to ques- years that we’ve had servic- cized.” pose to expose the prob- Court Appointed Special es in Yankton County, we tion a “culture.” One example came lem, educate the masses Advocates, so, as the name have served 60 abused and “We are overly po- in the 1980s during the and then eradicate the implies we are going to be from many in the Muslim neglected kids,” Rodgers- litically correct because if I Iranian Revolution. There, problem,” Raza said. “In or- working with the court Conti said. community and that the question it, I am question- a nation once progressing der to eradicate a problem system and we are going CASA will be looking to ing their culture,” Khan toward equality amongst film is not about religion, you have to first acknowl- to be training people to be add three to four volunteers says in the film. “This men and women, suddenly but rather about the acts edge and be aware that it advocates and that special from Clay County then add is about human rights turned women into legal against women. exists. If we push it under group that we advocate for an additional three to four and not culturalism. It’s second-class citizens, Raza The activist agreed that the carpet we will never be are abused and neglected within a year. not about a culture or said. women have battled subju- able to find a solution. children,” Rodgers-Conti Volunteers work around anybody’s culture to be However, all who see gation by men throughout “It is a film that is said. 10 hours a month and are a bu s e d .” the film do not feel the the centuries. very positive in that it CASA is an organiza- assigned one case at a time. Women have been same. “Yes, women have bat- shows positive, educated, tion that trains volunteers More information about known to be attacked for Ibrahim Hooper, tled these types of abuses eloquent, modern, caring, from the community to Southeast CASA can be on simply using Facebook or Council on American- in various forms in various Muslim women who are represent children who its website southeastcasa. Twitter to talk to a man. Islamic Relations spokes- cultures,” Raza said. “The speaking out and actually have been removed from org. In Saudi Arabia, man, said the film is “Isla- challenge for Muslim wom- doing something about it. their homes and put into • The board passed women are not allowed a maphobic” and noted that en is the fact that men get I have no time with those foster care due to abuse and an application for a pipe driver’s licenses. creators behind the film are away with abuses wrapping who want to make this a neglect by a parent. line by Clay Rural Water Activist Raheel Raza, “well known anti-Muslim themselves in religiosity religious issue. This is a “We are going to be Stystem and a proposal for President of The Council bigots.” and referring to man-made film about human rights expanding our services to the reconstruction of part Clay County as soon as we of Muslims Facing To- In an interview with laws of centuries old sharia and women subjected to of Highway 50 at Saginaw can recruit volunteers, train Avenue by Clark Engineer- morrow, says in the film: the Plain Talk, Raza said laws, which opens a whole violence in certain areas of “(Women’s) lives are not other can of worms.” them to be CASA advocates ing. she has had strong support the world.” and then we can begin don’t want to.” needs to be addressed.” shouldn’t,” Sternadori said. NUMBERS ON ‘HONOR’ VIOLENCE n RIGHT, According to Johnson- Trevino said that no Sternadori said no Struckman, discussions one representing USD has one has complained • Nine of 10 countries with the worst gender dispar- From Page 1A ranged from moving come to him with demands about the content of the ity are in Muslin-Majority nations according to World the film to a new slot to or requests to censor the film, but more about the Economic Forum. March 27 meeting origi- replacing it with a film film. He added that he motivations of the Clarion • Only 8 percent of parliamentary seats are held by nally scheduled to finalize that would be sponsor ap- was surprised the original Project, which sponsored women in the Middle East and North Africa according details of the upcoming proved. showing had been can- the film. to the United Nations. conference. She said that with- celled, as well. “This would not be • Over 85 percent of women are illiterate in Afghan- She said the meeting out notice, the originally He also believes this newsworthy if there hadn’t istan and 40 percent in Egypt. was attended by only 5-6 scheduled showing of “The Friday’s showing will run been any resistance in • According to the film a number of abuses toward people. Honor Diaries” did not as planned due to having showing the film,” Ster- women are still occurring in the name of “honor” or “I wanted to be there,” take place. more time to set the “pro- nadori emphasized, when Johnson-Struckman said. Jesus Trevino, associate cess” in proper order. asked the reasons given in how a woman can bring shame to a family. “When I walked in, there vice president for Diversity Sternadori said she is opposition to the film. “I • Since 1989, 125 million women and girls have was (Sternadori) at the at the USD, and also on the confused and surprised at dug in my heels because been victims of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in end of the table and there Women’s Research Confer- the opposition to the film. it went against everything the Middle East and Northern Africa, according to the was an ongoing discussion ence Planning Committee, “When I first defended I had studied in graduate United Nations, 500,000 in Europe according to Am- about the film not being believes the issue was more the documentary, I defend- school and my personal be- nesty International, and 150-200,000 are “at risk” in the shown.” about being able to better ed it on First Amendment liefs of having information USA and Canada according to the Center for Disease She went on to say “process” the film. grounds and had not even out there.” Control and Prevention. no one was listening to Trevino said that seen it, and I argued it’s As far as Sternadori is • 60 million women were married before the age of Sternadori and some in “processing” is to have a about human rights,” Ster- concerned, showing the 18 in the Middle East according to UNICEF. The prac- attendance were attacking dialogue where questions nadori said. “It doesn’t talk film is simply about creat- tice does occur in the United Kingdom and the United her credentials. are heard and posed. about religion very much. ing conversation. States. Many of these girls are forced into marriages at The implication was He said that the film We don’t want to generalize “This is a film about ages as early as eight and sometimes younger. that students would be needed a forum setting that about the religion of Islam women’s rights and human • The United Nations reports that 5,000 honor kill- harmed by the showing of allowed participants to not because there are multiple rights,” Sternadori said. “I ings occur yearly in the Middle East but some advocacy the film. only discuss how acts por- cultures in multiple coun- am just putting it out there groups believe that number to be four times that, ac- “It was an illusion of a trayed in the movie hurt tries in multiple regions of in the public’s face and I cording to the film. reason for what was cen- women, but also to protect the world. hope there will be a good • According to several sources, there are 1.6 billion sorship for something that the integrity of Muslims – “Can’t we show the film discussion about it.” followers of Islam. Thus, the above numbers, although is important,” Johnson- making sure the majority and let people make up She added that she too many in themselves, still represent a fraction of the Struckman said. “(Women that do not practice these their own minds?” believes the film will be entire Muslim community. and Gender Conference type of abuses were not Sternadori believes shown on Friday. committee members) were misrepresented. that the attempt to stop trying to do the right thing, “The committee voted the showing of the film is a but they were forgetting for the film to take place bigger issue. free speech in their quest and there is going to be no “I don’t understand to protect students. You censoring on my watch, I why people are trying to don’t protect students, will tell you that,” Trevino define which Muslim com- college students are free said. “The film is very good munity is more authentic, agents. They don’t have to because it brings up a good and which Muslim voices go to that movie if they issue about women that should be heard and which