Somali Man, 112, Marries 17-Year-Old Girl, article.
Talk about your dirty old men, this guy beats them all.
My hat is off if he can actually still beget.
Update: in comments, Pascal educates my naive Danish ass a little about Somalia.
Update: of course it's well to remember that things are often not like they appear. For instance they might have a very happy happy marriage. Or not. Who are we to know? Or to judge?
13 comments:
A comment I just saw on that article's page:
"At his age, only dust is coming out of that pecker."
"The bride[...] did not comment, but her family said she was happy with her new husband"...
It's her family's role to "be happy" or to not be. Not the girl's. She doesn't truly have a saying in such matters.
Somalia is one of the absolutely most backwards countries in the whole world, and currently AlQaeda's official "vacation resort". I'm all for amusing DOM stories, but I'm afraid this one is not about a happy marriage. In these parts of the world, young girls are equivalent to cattle owned by their parents and SOLD to a rich husband. Probably after undergoing genital mutilation.
The topic of marriages in Somalia (and most of the muslim world) makes the whole discussion about Eastern Europe girls being "exploited" into nude photos by poverty more than a little pointless by comparison
Then again, I expect her to have another chance at picking her own life path pretty soon, if that old wreck is indeed 112. Just be a little patient, Safia. And if you're in a hurry to regain/discover freedom, give him lots of Viagra and cook him fried spicy dishes! What constant sex doesn't accomplish, cholesterol will help!
Then again AGAIN, it's 98% likely that widows don't inherit anything at all at the death of their wealthy husband. In muslim Sunni tradition, women don't inherit, period.
I've got a photo of a rather similar marriage, taken in Pakistan. I'll blog it some day, since I can't attach it to comments here.
Also, I expect things in Somalia to be no better than in India: widows simply "cease to exist" in the eyes of Society. They aren't potential brides for their families to, erm, "give away", and they eren't defined via their husbands either, so everybody simply ignores them, they become lower then beggars. Only international (read "Western") charity organisms help them not starve to death.
This would have been a great opportunity for a jokes smörgåsbord, but unfortunately, it's really not very funny.
Now, Anna Nicole Smith, THAT was funny!
Article with a photo:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8331136.stm
It's just the way I expected it would be. I've already seen that look. (Which reveals that I've seen a lot in my life...)
That poor girl has been raised to think of herself as a mere object to be owned by some man.
There you go.
Having grown up in progressive Denmark, it's very hard to get used to the ideas that big parts of the world still works like this.
Dear Doctor Pascal:
If 50 percent of us develop prostate cancer in our 70s and virtually all of us have it by the time we reach our 90s, then at 112, can this old coot even conceive at all? I'd guess the only 'sex' he's going to get is the fantasy variety.
There's no fool like an old fool, because you just can't beat experience!
"That poor girl has been raised to think of herself as a mere object to be owned by some man"
the problem is, its like religion (maybe it is in this case), you usually cant change the way people have been raised, she is probably very happy to be able to help her family
... a mere object to be owned by some man.
"Family" is today a high value for many people, but originally it comes from Latin "familia", which is NOT a female form (indicating something motherly as many may think), but a neutrum plural - and it means literally "all things belonging to a household", including furniture, cattle and, yeah I nearly forgot, one or a few wives ... at least a man has desires to be rich :-(
For instance they might have a very happy happy marriage. Or not. Who are we to know? Or to judge?
I'm very comfortable judging him. I doubt she had any say in it, and anyway how long is a 114 year old man going to be around if he somehow manages to father a child on her? Of course we should judge. Moral relativism is for the stupid and ignorant.
Having grown up in progressive Denmark, it's very hard to get used to the ideas that big parts of the world still works like this.
Denmark is not progressive. THey have many of the backward, almost medieval ideas common in European countries. Plus they have such a heavy taxation system that I can't understand why the entire population hasn't emigrated.
"she is probably very happy to be able to help her family"
Yeah, well, "ignorance is bliss". But I'd prefer ganja any day!
Weed is less damaging to the brain... :-P
Religion, tradition, immobilism, encrustment, crass ignorance, blatant barbary... when all these become de facto identical, I say FUCK RELIGION!
This ain't God's will, yo, dawg. I pity da foo'!
And if this were God's will, I'd immediately become a Statanist to praise the least despicable of the two Adversaries and try to balance the scales.
(Did you know that the etymology of the name Satan LITERALLY means "the Adversary" in Hebrew?)
I do not worship power, or even vague gratitude debt. Only what intrinsically DESERVES respect. Indignant fathers are owed no obedience whatsoever, are they?
There is an old arabian tale, about a young man lost in the desert, who is rescued by an old merchant, only to practically make him his slave "because you owe me your very life, boy, don't you forget it or you'd be dishonorably ungrateful before Allah". The merchant ends up severely condemned when the Caliph finds out the whole situation. And this, in faithful arabian tale tradition, bears a lesson of deep RELIGIOUS wisdom. 1001 Nights tales are always highly symbolic, especially about the notion of justice.
I remember a satirist (Cavanna, a Frenchie) writing "the bio of Satan", and suggesting that maybe God appears like such an insecure, egotistic, paranoid bully, "worship me, OR ELSE!...", because in fact this story of the Angel Rebellion at the dawn of time was forged by the victor, in typical History fashion. ("Clio is a shameless prostitute, always in the victor's bed." - Jean-Charles)
Besides, her being a muse immediately defines History as "a creative art"!!! :-P
The satirist, strictly extrapolating with logic on the official God figure as presented to us by conventional/traditional religion, emits the hypothesis that Satan in fact suceeded in taking God's throne, and is now scared shitless that somebody would find out, especially us humans whose naive worship he's usurped. His chutzpahdik but very funny conclusion: "Worship the Devil, for he is the real God, the one who's actually created and loves us, currently sent in indignifying exile. The bully terrorizing us is a disgusting impersonator."
All strictly by following the logic of typical/traditional taught religion as we witness it, and what the Books declare to us.
When I see the many places where narrow bigoted crass ignorance promotes absolute primitive barbary, I'm almost tempted to take that satire seriously.
Almost.
Because I'm residing in Lebanon, and I could get prosecuted for "Blasphemy" if I officially went further. :-/
More seriously, this in fact was OBVIOUSLY aimed at the utterly and blatantly un-godly hypocrisy and corruption of practically all earthly Clergies.
But I can't readily criticize Clergies in ebanon either. That's right, it's immediately considered akin to "insulting God and Religion" in my wonderful country. To protect the poor vulnerable Almighty, the Law remains very watchful!
Type (-: backwards...
[Slice 'n' dicin' time. To be continued]
["Saw II : I came, I sawed, I constructed"]
In these primitive countries, the official doctrin is that "God is All, so by blindly following and trusting Religion/the Book/the clerics, you know All that counts and cannot go wrong". It is a dogma. Merely QUESTIONING it can be highly hazardous to one's health.
"Well, yeah, maybe, but Communism was much worse.
- How come?
- Because it REJECTED God, and that's the greatest crime, the root of all Evil, so there!"
Have you noticed the motto on top of all my blog's pages? These populations, and especially their women, remaining in total analphabetism is VERY convenient to some. Only a minute minority is likely to spot the trick, and these are easily dealt with. "BLASPHEMY! WITCH! Burn her before she devours our babies, offends God, and draws His flaming raining maiming wailing hailing wrath on us all, BOOGA-BOOGA-BOOGA! [hhhhh]... Boo. (Oh, and a bippity-boppity to you too.)"
And the crowd goes "eep!"
"In Spain, the Inquisition would burn heretics, because they lacked warmth in their religious beliefs" -- Jean-Charles (again)
Yup, Satan must be having a blast and a ball watching it all. God's Love is mocked and trampled in the name of God Himself.
The Bible Belt is mostly useful to give the mulish unbelievers a good 'S'-whooppin'. Amen!
But does Satan even truly exist? Or is he just a convenient excuse for the Evil born within the miasma gurgling bowels of our own festering wicked hairy hearts? Can anything be more evil than Man? I can't help but wonder. They say Lucifer was a fallen "angel", as if these "perfect, spiritual, pure, loving beings of Light" could possibly degenerate. I suspect this is merely a metaphor for our OWN fall from original innocence. The Original Sin is not crazy-glued on us at birth: it is born within us when we choose to reject Love.
Could it be THIS simple? Fuck, why not? The rest would be mere scarecrows we made up and erected(!) ourselves to divert our nausea from our own narcissic pathetic selves. A bull's rag in the flapping in the wind to have us look ELSEWHERE for what is right here in our very homes: the blackness of our creeping shadows.
"Don't tell anyone, honey, this will be our little Daddy-and-daughter secret every night when darkness falls and conceals us."
P.S.: Confession time. Yes, this *WAS* a rant. I'm only half calm right now. Sometimes I do feel involved.
P.S.2: Eolake,
And what a pretty little Danish ass it is!
Too bad I'm hetero. I'm really gonna hate Fridays... ;-)
"Only the virulence of my heterosexuality prevents me from proposing you in marriage." (Paraphrased from Pierre Desproges)
[Snippity-snip time again, 'tis the season to be hole-y]
["Saw III, Caesar's revenge : Veinous, Videos, Vicious"]
"There's no fool like an old fool, because you just can't beat experience!"
Are you trying to lecture me here, BOY? ;-)
I hope that girl's fanny doesn't get too dusty on her wedding night...
Neeraj,
One as educated as you certainly remembers that in Ancient Rome, the pater familias had an absolute and arbitrary right of life and death over everybody in his household: animals, slaves, children, wife... (yes, even the porcelain vases, oh the humanity!)
This is where the famous expression of fatherly Love: "I gave you life, boy, and I can take it back", obviously came from. :-(
Anon ruled...
"I'm very comfortable judging him."
While I'm usually all against judging anyone specifically ("judge actions, not people"), I really can't blame you there.
Especially considering that in all likelihood, the fate of widows in Somalia is the same as in India: manless women, therefore absolute nothings.
Actions, and their vaster equivalent, social customs, I'm all for judging.
Not to punish, but to amend. (One can dream!!!)
Rollo B,
The debate about whether taxes are medieval or "highly modern" would require a whole other discussion!
Anyway, like I believe I've drawn attention to, "not progressive" is a very relative notion. But if you're Danish too, how about you share with us some of these "medieval ideas"?
"Knowledge is power", so I'm always wanting more.
Especially today. We've had a ker-ray-zah thunder storm, and I've been on the generator all day. Some more power would be most welcome. ;-)
[God's comment: "Serves you right for questioning My identity, nya-ha-ha! Here, have another vengeful bolt, I'm buying today!"]
"Plus they have such a heavy taxation system that I can't understand why the entire population hasn't emigrated."
That one I agree with.
But it seems many Danes views it as a fair price for living in a country where nobody starves.
What burns my ass is that apparently most of the taxes don't go to do good, but to paying interest to old loans to big international banks.
I always thought the twist to the bible is that satan has disguised himself as god, right from the start when god is lying to try and stop eve eating the apple while the snake keeps to the truth, but apart from eve no one sees past its skin
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