You are most probably correct, but I shudder to think of the next super power....will it be China? Hardly a paragon of great human rights.

What ever America has done to show it´s power, is not unique to the USA. Who is in power does what they will to keep the power...it´s the old case of "might makes right"

I keep the hope humanity will realize our interconnectivity and work together for a more humane world. After all, we are all on the same spaceship earth.

 Vineyards,

I realize this is an internal Turkish issue, and sentiments are very volitile around the issue. I just wish that it were not. It´s just a piece of fabric that has become a hot button issue.

A woman can´t even wear these styles like Audrey Hepburn, Jackie O these days without sparking controversy. As I have said in the past, there are many reasons to cover one´s head, religion is one of them, but there are others. I know women who wear head coverings when they have chemotherapy, or they don´t want the wind to mess up their hair, they are having a "bad hair day", they have sensitive ears and the breeze is annoying or maybe they just like the way it looks.  So what if they cover their heads?  Why make such a big deal about it?

On the other hand, can you imagine being in a situation where you were forced to expose your bare chest? Obviouslythere are a significant amount of women who feel overly exposed by having to go bare headed.

The other issues you mentioned are other things, more complicated and I don´t want to get into in this thread.

By the way, it was considered a status symbol in early days for a person to have the right to be covered.

Ah yes...those cookies.....one should always be discreet......

As I said, it´s too bad it´s become such a political thing. I think they are lovely.

 It very much depends on where you are. Turkey has a very highly developed garment industry and one can find the latest European fashions, or the latest in Islamic fashions.

Of course in the cities, one would find more "Western" styles being worn.

 But you don´t really know why a woman is wearing a scarf. It could be her family insists she wear it, or maybe she just is having a bad hair day.

 Interesting Barba....but the styles you have here are just abreviations. Humans, young women in particular seem to get bored with the same ol same ol...thus they try to come up with new styles. Turkish Islamic fashion is very popular now in the Islamic fashion world.

As Muslim women take places in the professional world, they look for appropriate garb. Hijab Style is just one of the blogs devoted to developing hijab styles.  Another matter, is the new ability to now see what other Muslimah sisters are doing around the world, this expands style consciousness.

I had the opportunity to spend time in Morocco in the 70s, at that time most women wore full hijab via a long coat called a jellaba. Most wore the niqab as well. It was amazing to see all the different ways they were worn. I saw young women on motorcycles, prostitutes and many other young and old women wearing full veils. They were able to communicate very efficiently with only their eyes showing. People forget body posture & movements are also communicative.

I even wore one myself. I was dressed by the ladies of the home I was staying in. When I went to the American Express office & showed my passport, I was not asked to remove my face veil. The persons checking my ID could tell by looking at my eyes, that I was the person in the passport photo.

Wearing the full hijab and niqab was actually a very liberating experience. It was sort of like being invisible or visible when I wanted.  Another time in New York City,  I wore a Afghani Burqa on a dare. My friends said they would give it to me if I would walk around in it for a little while. Of course, I accepted the challange. What was amazing is when I went into some shops I knew, they recognized me. I won the burqa.

It´s a shame head covering has become so politicized. The covering on one´s face has been practiced in many cultures other than Islam. If anyone has seen any Japanese or Chinese movies, one will note veiled characters. In the opening scene of Rashomon, the female character is wearing a hat with a full face covering veil. The same style was in popular use in Korea in the early 20th Century. In fact veils have a long history

The above is a more traditional way wear the Turkish yazma0 You see, the little decorations go around the face. This is a little more complicated way to wrap than the simple tie under the chin style.

 I have known some spectacularly wealthy people who were quite miserable. Money doesn´t make one happy. Of course, it´s nice to have enough means to be able to take care of one´s basic needs, but fabulous wealth does not make one happy.

 Elisabeth, I don´t think vineyards was referring to you, or even the majority of contemporary Americans, but at the time the bombs were dropped, that WAS the reality. Most peoplein the US were jubilant...that´s a fact! I don´t think most of them had any idea what happened though.  They were just happy the war was over.

I know, I have met many of those who were alive at the time, and I spoke with them within a closer timeframe than you. I am older than you and discussed the matter with them when they were much younger. Talk with them today and people have changed their minds...but what are we doing today that we will be ashamed of tomorrow?

I hang my head and am one American who is deeply ashamed of the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and I have to admit, your observations are are right. I have met a number of WWII vets who do condone the bombings.

It happened to be the USA who got the bomb first, it could have been others. What is wrong with humanity? War is horrible, and as we (humans) seem to be just inventing more hideous methods to main and kill. I´m afraid we will kill our hopes to survive at all as we pollute and kill the very structure we depend on for our survival.

Now in retrospect, those not involved at the time have the luxury to condem the actions. The problem is, we are still doing it. There has to be a better way!

This is an interesting version of a popular Turkish song...

Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim