YoYoMama:
I have done the research. The "cartillas" are not the same thing as the Malawi political cards. Can't compare the two situations.
I respectfully disagree.
Cartillas: Official Mexican Government document to show the proper Mexican authorities that Mexican men had fulfilled their military service obligation. Jehovah's Witnesses paid cash bribes to Mexican military officials to forge time on their "cartillas" so that it appeared as if they had served in the military and fulfilled their obligation as Mexican citizens.
Malawi Politcal Card: A document stating that one was a member of the official Malawi political party, the only party allowed by the Malawi government; essentially a national ID card. Malawians refused to obtain these cards, didn't bribe government officials to forge one for them and were killed, raped, imprisoned, and/or beaten for their refusal. This was occurring all the while Mexicans were bribing their government representatives for official documentation.
What this demonstrates is a double-standard. The Watchtower organization required citizens of Malawi to suffer and/or die by refusing a political party card for the only official political party or in other words the party of the government, and as I said, essentially a national ID. At the same time Mexican citizens were bribing their military officials, paying money to the representatives fo the military, to forge their service cards (cartillas). In one country Witness citizens die for refusing government documents while around the globe other Witness citizens in another country pay bribes to government officials for another government document. True, they aren't the exact same government document, but both political and military association are prohibited by the Watchtower organization. I can clearly see how the two situations can be compared and the double-standard employed by the Watchtower that cost the lives of I don't know how many citizens in Malawi for refusing to participate in that which is prohibited by their religion, while permiting Mexican citizens another standard by which to avoid any price/punishment for their refusal of that prohibited by that very same religion.
Respectfully,
CPiolo
