In the case of Matthew Shepard, his killers were given multiple life sentences. It is sad and tragic that hate crimes like this occur anywhere. It is also pathetic that some anti-gay groups celebrated Shepard's death and picketed the trial. Christian wackos who pull sh__ like that, blow up abortion clinics, etc,, make me sick to my stomach.

My point is that U.S. laws do not offer the same or similar types of special circumstances, loopholes, and mitigating factors that Turkey does.

On the other hand, I'd be interested in knowing of any U.S. laws and/or U.S. judges that/who...

- Allow a man to greatly reduce or even eliminate a rape sentence if he marries his victim.
- Took a victim's virginity (or lack) into account when sentencing a rapist.
- Offers mitigating circumstances in an honor killing, if the accused can prove they were "provoked" into committing the crime.
- Fail to investigate "female suicides" when eyewitnesses report that an honor killing actually took place

Quite honestly, I do not understand how you can say, "since 1922 the legal position of women in Turkey has rivaled any Western country." There's nothing to support this. Turkey has a poor record on this issue, period. Their problems with domestic violence are known all over the world. I'm sure I don't need to remind you that you lived in Turkey as a male.

I completely forgot until this morning that I know a woman whose family moved from Istanbul to the U.S. a few years ago. I shared your statements with her, without identifying your name or the general source. Suffice it to say, she was not in agreement (and she herself has never been a victim).

I agree with one thing - it has taken the U.S. a very long time to live up to the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights. (And we still don't always live up to it). This country took far too long to recognize equal rights for blacks, women, etc.

However, I do NOT agree that Turkey has set the bar very high. This is precisely my point - their laws and their implementation are not framed in the same way - they are far more tainted by their religion and their culture than those in the U.S. To me, the "social cohesion" you're referring to, sounds more like apologist cultural relativism, and I really don't think you intended to convey that.