[sigma2015]

On HN regularly posters demand the US not to impose their values upon other "cultures".

Then again - I don't believe this is part of Afgan culture at all anyway. I think that happens when survival bias due to war and destruction over a long period of time leads to very fucked up people climbing to the top of a society.

At the end of the day - or maybe rather at its start - the US is partly responsible for Afghanistan being trapped in a downward spiral.

Have a look at this (randomly chosen gallery) about Afghanistan in its 60s - I don't think that culture would be very fond of rapists.

http://www.upworthy.com/afghanistan-in-the-1960s-prepare-to-...

[etrevino]

Disgustingly, it is a longstanding cultural thing in Afghanistan.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/dancingboys/

Don't let the modernity of 1960s Kabul fool you. I have a teenage student sold into sex slavery in the US. The weak (or in her case, homeless and orphaned) are targeted no matter what the culture. For more moral turpitude, check out Rotherham.

* I work with folks from the US's Office on Trafficking in Persons. It's one of the few programs run by the Department of Health and Human Services that has broad bipartisan support.

http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/endtrafficking

[sigma2015]

Are you aware of the political and societal implications and surroundings of f.x. the cases around Jimmy Savile or Marc Dutroux?

Maybe you should watch some documentaries about that to realize that this is by the same token part of any "culture".

[etrevino]

Why the hostility? You said that you didn't think this was a longstanding part of Afghani culture and I brought up a documentary that was linked in the article you posted saying that, in fact, pederasty was a longstanding part of Afghani culture. There are plenty of people in Afghanistan who oppose it, but that doesn't mean it's not an accepted part of the culture.

As for "culture", we may be better describing this as a societal failure in the case of Rotherham. Note, I mentioned Rotherham, not Jimmy Savile. The sexual exploitation in Rotherham was disgusting and was allowed to happen for years. It was a failure on the part of the predators (obviously) and a failure on the part of the local governmental structure who largely knew about it.

In the Americas we have cases like my student's. Human trafficking is a big big thing and that it goes on isn't because of isolated individuals but because of large organizations of procurers, pimps, money launderers, etc., who are able to work because so many folks choose to turn a blind eye to it.

Let's be clear, here, I'm not saying that human trafficking or pederasty has widespread acceptance in the West. I am saying that there are cultural (or subcultural, whatever) groups for whom it is acceptable.

Modernity ≠ moral

[baldfat]

Yes the urban Islamic countries were very modernized. Yes women were educated. If you look to early Muslim culture you would see tolerance for non-Muslims in Jerusalem and other important areas that they conquered.

This new conservative form of Islamic State is a reaction to that modern movement. They have re-defined their scriptures and history to become who they are today. They break the Koran all the time (I had to read it twice in Graduate school). They really have twisted their scriptures and put more on traditions which they have mostly invented.

> I don't believe this is part of Afgan culture at all anyway

You have to be careful with blanket statements. Looks like people have found examples of this type of things and we can see it here in the United States as part of a sub-culture sadly as well as other cultures around the world.

Ethic part of it all is we should be protecting children.

P.S. This is Pediatric Cancer Awareness month. Children have been getting 4% of Federal Cancer Research Funding and American Cancer Society gives 1 penny for each dollar you donate to pediatric cancer. This is why there have been THREE new Chemotherapy drugs introduced in the last 20 years. Children don't always get a big helping hand.

[rusabd]

It is really old part in Persian culture. Russian observers reported that in 19th century when Central Asia became part of the Russian Empire (e.g. http://rus-turk.livejournal.com/80321.html)

On other hand, they didn't reported it be a rape, more like corruption of young boys.