More on Laura Bush Wearing Abbaya

I commented on this here but found much better commentary thanks to
Little Green Footballs who points out this column by Caroline Glick.

Sunday morning, Mrs. Bush sought to answer her critics in an interview with Fox News. Unfortunately, her remarks compounded the damage. Mrs. Bush said, “These women do not see covering as some sort of subjugation of women, this group of women that I was with. That’s their culture. That’s their tradition. That’s a religious choice of theirs.”

It is true that this is their culture. And it is also their tradition. But it is not their choice. Their culture and tradition are predicated on denying them the choice of whether or not to wear a garment that denies them their identity just as it denies them the right to make any choices about their lives.

I am repeatedly astonished by the failure of the women's rights organizations to stand up and demand equal rights for women in Islam.

Update: from the BBC:

Saudi Arabia's religious police stopped schoolgirls from leaving a blazing building because they were not wearing correct Islamic dress, according to Saudi newspapers.

and

One witness said he saw three policemen "beating young girls to prevent them from leaving the school because they were not wearing the abaya".

Most of the victims were crushed in a stampede as they tried to flee the blaze.

The school was locked at the time of the fire - a usual practice to ensure full segregation of the sexes.

Perhaps Mrs. Bush has further comment about how much choice these young women have of wearing the abbaya.