Women in Islam

As an American and a Muslim, I have really had my eyes opened to how ignorant and closed minded most Americans are. I must admit I am proud to no longer be a part of the majority. This country is so blind and closed minded. Americans cling to every word of the media and refuse to gain knowledge on their own. Because the truth is women are a very vital part of Islam, they should be loved and respected. And in most cases they are.
I want to discuss a few misconceptions Americans have on Islam. Many people think that Muslims put down and belittle women and they have no rights in Islam. Well let me say you are wrong. Sure there are some terrible examples of the way women are treated in Islam, but you can find many similar examples in christianity. As Americans we dont understand why women and men are separated so much. It is to minimize sexual immorality. Some countries have taken this to the extreme and force women to cover even their face. However the majority of the Muslim world does not require this. A point of fact is in many countries this is a choice for women to wear lose clothes and cover their hair. If they are going to be Muslims they should cover the hair and wear lose clothes. The same applies for men except covering of the hair. The Qur'an tells us women are our equals. They should be treated the same as men, they have a extremely vital role not only in this world but our religion. Sadly a small number of people have made poor examples for us Muslims. And Americans only get to see the bad side of Islam because this is all the news shows. Well let me tell you brothers, Open your eyes to the truth. Read, learn, expand your mind. If you take Islam at its roots, as the religion it was meant to be not what the news shows, you will see the truth. Islam is a peaceful, open, and kind religion. The typical man in Islam, cherishes his wife. He treats her with love and respect. He follows Gods law from the Qur'an, and women are treated very kind. Their role is vital for Islam. There is a quote I love; "Teach a woman to do something, and it is as if you have taught all of mankind." the Prophet Muhammad. This is a powerful quote from the first Muslim and it says it all about the way Muslims should treat women. I know many Muslim's who are angered by the way a few poor examples treat women. But as Americans we dont see that most women are treated well because the news doesn't show this side of Islam. Before you judge get the facts, dont base your opinions on the words of others. I dont care how smart you think you are, if you form an opinion before you gather facts for yourself you are an idiot. This is only one example of the misconceptions on Islam Americans have. If you dont know for yourself, Find out. Learn before you make a decission, and for the love of God, OPEN YOUR MIND.