Cultural Tradition And Law Collide In Middle America Analysis

The New York Times article “Cultural Tradition and Law Collide in Middle America” tells the story of a father arrested for child abuse after marrying off his two eldest daughters, ages thirteen and fourteen. Their husbands, aged thirty-four and twenty-four, were arrested on accounts of rape. The issue is not as black and white as it may appear, as the individuals in question were refugees from Iraq who did not see anything wrong with their actions. The men involved had recently immigrated to America, and believed they were simply following their ancient traditions, unaware that American law would find fault with this, as they had not been properly informed of all of the laws in “the land of the free”. The issue stems from the fact that “In …show more content…
Culture is a large component in what one deems to be ethically and morally sound. In the family’s culture, arranged marriages are socially acceptable. Not only are they acceptable, but they are the way of life to protect one’s honor. According to Phebe Marr, an expert on Iraq, “in Iraq marriages of young teen-age girls were not uncommon, especially in the country's rural and more conservative regions, like southern Iraq” (Terry 1996). Though spectators of this case may argue that this is not morally sound in today’s society, it is socially acceptable in other parts of the world, and only seen as immoral by American standards. The article notes that the father truly believed he was doing what was in the “best interest of his daughters” (Terry 1996); an interest brought about by his cultural upbringing. This is proof that the father and husbands were following the moral code established back in their homeland, thus truly saw nothing wrong in their actions. The father had immigrated to America from Saudi Arabian refugee camps, with knowledge of America stemming from movies. The husbands that married the two girls had recently moved to America as well, with “little more than their clothes, their traditions and their faith” (Terry 1996). The traditions and faith that they brought along with them served as their moral compass; traditions and faith that failed to state that these …show more content…
Part of coming to America and wanting citizenship is the social contract to behave by American laws. With the girls under legal age, the offenses for the husbands should be charged with rape for consummating the marriage. The Deputy Attorney on the case stands firm, believing “You live in our state, you live by our laws … I have yet to find a law: 'Oh, and by the way, if you immigrate here from another country, none of this applies.’” (Terry 1996). With this, it is evident that the American law feels strongly that their laws have been infringed upon and the men must pay the consequences for their actions, whether intended or not. Although this would not be an issue if the family had remained in Iraq, this is not a fair defense, as they fled Iraq to live in American society. Part of immigrating to America is agreeing to the social contract to abide by our laws. As the daughter of a Syrian refugee, I can attest to the fact that American customs often conflict with those of my father’s homeland. That said, he knows to be extra mindful of the protocol here in America, as he is grateful for the refugee status that the American government has provided him. Out of fear of being deported back to the country he abandoned due to the constant state of turmoil, my father knows to do his best to assimilate to American society and laws. As a refugee immigrant, there is more pressure to follow American ways, as your prosperity can