Consent, outrage, and the abduction of Rumeysa Ozturk
The philosophies of Gilles Deleuze and Fred Rogers are helping me make sense of the shameful footage.
Around ten years ago, I had the chance to interview Saadia Faruqi on the radio. She had just come out with her first book of short stories, Brick Walls: Tales of Hope and Courage from Pakistan. I really enjoyed both the book and the conversation. A couple of months later I was at a reception at a religion conference, and Saadia approached me, said hello, and thanked me again for the interview. I was so excited to meet her in person, I reached out, took her hand, and shook it warmly.
Many observant Muslim women do not touch non-Muslim men. I vaguely knew that, but my brain did not catch up in time. It was one of those awkward moments when good intentions go awry. I was completely in the wrong but didn’t realize it until after the mistake was complete. I meant to offer her hospitality and welcome, but my intentions really don’t matter. What I did made her very uncomfortable. I immediately apologized. Saadia was very gracious.
It was a moment I have never forgotten: How quickly a line can be crossed, how quickly things can go from hospitality to inhospitality, and the irreducible importance of consent.
