¶ … honor killings" has been the subject of outrage from a variety of associations and individuals promoting human rights. Honor killings occur mostly in Eastern and Islam communities, for the purpose of preserving family honor and unity. As the statement claims, its purpose is to "strengthen" families. Furthermore the defense of the phenomenon rests upon the view that it is simply a part of tradition and culture, and should therefore not be condemned as wrong. The promoters of honor killings in fact use the ideal of tolerance in order to further this oppressive practice. When the claim of culture and tradition are however more deeply investigated, it becomes clear that the idea of honor killings is not based on any ancient or religious ideal. Instead, the practice stems from the psychological paradigm of oppression, under which certain sectors of society suffer unfairly. I therefore believe that honor killings are in no way defensible.
In terms of culture, it is claimed that honor killings are a tradition with a long history. It rests upon the basis of cultural differences and the defense of this tradition lies in the fact that cultures should be tolerant of each other. One must however distinguish between culture and oppression. Honor killings occur in many cultures -- not just a single one. None of these "cultures"...
Their oppression of especially women is notorious, as became clear with the widely published practices of the Taliban.
The practices upon which honor killings rest are also extreme and unfair. While rape is deemed a crime in these cultures, men who rape often receive a lenient sentence, while women are killed in order to preserve their family's honor. Further extreme cases include those where women are killed because their bridal dowry is not deemed sufficient, they flirt, or even do not serve a meal on time. This is not based upon culture, but upon a brutal practice using the weak and illiterate as scapegoats. In these societies women are considered the property of the males in their family, which justifies any sort of brutality against them. Women are therefore not allowed to make their own choices regarding entering or terminating a marriage, or anything else in their lives.
While it is therefore possible to consider the concept of family honor as extremely important based upon cultural values, honor killings cannot be viewed in this light. This can be substantiated by the scriptures and religion upon which the practice is claimed to be based. Islam and its holy scripture, the Koran, does not in any way condone either oppression…
