--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As for those who think the Arab world…" description: "\"As for those who think the Arab world promises freedom, the briefest study of its routine traditional treatment of blacks (slavery) and women (purdah) ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/alice-walker-347_arab-world_as-for-those-who-think-the-arab-world-pr_1376982.jpg" --- # As for those who think the Arab world promises freedom… ![“As for those who think the Arab world promises freedom, the briefest study of its routine traditional treatment of blacks (slavery) and women (purdah) will provide relief from all illusion. If Malcolm X had been a black woman his last message to the world would have been entirely different. The…” quote by Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/alice-walker-347_arab-world_as-for-those-who-think-the-arab-world-pr_1376982.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/alice-walker-347_arab-world_as-for-those-who-think-the-arab-world-pr_1376982.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33d/alice-walker-347_arab-world_as-for-those-who-think-the-arab-world-pr_1376982.jpg) > “As for those who think the Arab world promises freedom, the briefest study of its routine traditional treatment of blacks (slavery) and women (purdah) will provide relief from all illusion. If Malcolm X had been a black woman his last message to the world would have been entirely different. The brotherhood of Moslem men-all colors-may exist there, but part of the glue that holds them together is the thorough suppression of women.” [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author critiques the notion of freedom in the Arab world, highlighting oppression of Black people and women, and imagines a different perspective if Malcolm X were a woman. **In simple terms:** Arab freedom is limited by racial and gender oppression; perspective changes message. Key Takeaway Question assumed assumptions about freedom and oppression. Themes freedom oppression gender race historical perspective Mood critical thought‑provoking Type essay social commentary When to use this quote - human rights advocacy - educational curricula - policy reform Key Concepts postcolonial studies gender studies African diaspora studies Questions to Reflect On - What examples of freedom exist within the Arab world? - How can we support women's rights there? A Different Perspective The analysis may overlook regional variations and progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Arab world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arab-world/) [Black women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-women/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Illusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illusion/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Relief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relief/) [Routine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/routine/) [Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery/) [Suppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suppression/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Treatment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/treatment/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I have not broken any promises, but I have full freedom to say or write about what others have said to me during my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjaya-baru/i-have-not-broken-any-promises-but-i-have-full-freedom-to-say-or/) [Sanjaya Baru](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjaya-baru/) > [I think the Arab awakening has changed everything and I think a lot will depend on what people there ask of us, may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-friedman/i-think-the-arab-awakening-has-changed-everything-and-i-think-a-lot/) [Thomas Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-friedman/) > [Just as the 99% of Soviet citizens who supported the Soviet regime in 1985 was no indication of what the people inside the USSR…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natan-sharansky/just-as-the-99-of-soviet-citizens-who-supported-the-soviet-regime-in/) [Natan Sharansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natan-sharansky/) > [I don't think there is only one Arab culture or a pure Arabness. We are very multiple, especially our generation, which is very multilayered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmine-hamdan/i-don-t-think-there-is-only-one-arab-culture-or-a-pure-arabness-we/) [Yasmine Hamdan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmine-hamdan/) > [What a revolting contrast exists in England between the slavery of women and the intellectual superiority of women writers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flora-tristan/what-a-revolting-contrast-exists-in-england-between-the-slavery-of/) [Flora Tristan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flora-tristan/) > [Slavery it is that makes slavery; freedom, freedom. The slavery of women happened when the men were slaves of kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/slavery-it-is-that-makes-slavery-freedom-freedom-the-slavery-of-women/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“feminist Sheila Cronan wrote, “Since marriage constitutes slavery for women . . . Freedom for women cannot be won without the abolition of marriage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-traister/feminist-sheila-cronan-wrote-since-marriage-constitutes-slavery-for/) [Rebecca Traister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-traister/) > [The prolonged slavery of women is the darkest page in human history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-prolonged-slavery-of-women-is-the-darkest-page-in-human-history/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [“...my mind was consumed with the idea of purdah. From behind it no call for help could be heard. An abandoned species was trapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tehmina-durrani/my-mind-was-consumed-with-the-idea-of-purdah-from-behind-it-no-call/) [Tehmina Durrani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tehmina-durrani/) > [“When we finally arrived, the chauffeur escorted my younger sister, Laila, and me up to my father’s suite. As usual, he was hiding behind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hana-ali/when-we-finally-arrived-the-chauffeur-escorted-my-younger-sister/) Hana Ali > [At a certain point the family moved to Jaipur, where no woman could avoid the doli or purdah. They kept her in the house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/at-a-certain-point-the-family-moved-to-jaipur-where-no-woman-could/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [We seem to be always on cusps. Women come out of the burkah, the niqab, purdah, the closet, then go back in again. Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-hong-kingston/we-seem-to-be-always-on-cusps-women-come-out-of-the-burkah-the-niqab/) [Maxine Hong Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-hong-kingston/) > [Muslim women had to go out in purdah, that heavy sheet that covers even the eyes. Hindu women had to go out in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/muslim-women-had-to-go-out-in-purdah-that-heavy-sheet-that-covers/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) ## More by Alice Walker > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Just be what it is that you are, and that is just fine. 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Once, she picked up a coconut and smashed it against my father's head. It taught me about women defending…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/my-mother-was-very-strong-once-she-picked-up-a-coconut-and-smashed-it/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Many readers fail to realize this, but 'The Color Purple' is a theological text. It is about the reclamation of one's original God: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/many-readers-fail-to-realize-this-but-the-color-purple-is-a/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [The good news may be that Nature is phasing out the white man, but the bad news is that's who She thinks we all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/the-good-news-may-be-that-nature-is-phasing-out-the-white-man-but-the/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Humans - whatever billions we are - we don't have the control. We are considered expendable, basically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/humans-whatever-billions-we-are-we-don-t-have-the-control-we-are/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [All my life I had to fight. I had to fight my daddy. I had to fight my uncles. I had to fight my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/all-my-life-i-had-to-fight-i-had-to-fight-my-daddy-i-had-to-fight-my/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) [Explore all 654 Alice Walker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) ## More Arab world quotes > [Al Jazeera is a representation of, you know, diversity in the Arab world. In our newsroom, we have every single nationality, we have every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wadah-khanfar/al-jazeera-is-a-representation-of-you-know-diversity-in-the-arab/) [Wadah Khanfar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wadah-khanfar/) > [I think this is really a defining moment for the Arab world. 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