Dear Sandedande, Islam is not "oppressive" against it's women followers. I mean to make no judgement on you, and with all respect I mention that studying Islam purely objectively (studying the Qur'an-- it's not difficult to do) will show you a light in which both men and women have equal laws. Perhaps you'll mention the hijab. See, Islam teaches that women should be modest. And, from purely an objective viewpoint, look at the common dress in the West and in the East. There is no arguing, women dress more modest in the East. Perhaps you'll say that women are forced to wear hijab. True, some individuals take a theology too far and begin to "innovate" Islam with their own ideas (which is against the teachings of Islam). However, if you give me that example, of women being forced to wear the hijab, I must make like Ingrid Mattson and tell you of women who, in the name of Islam take on the hijab (hijab isn't the only mode of being modest-- the hijab was, from what I hear, a social trend back in the day)

Muslims are taught that Islam will never be corrupt, however there will be transgressors who provide only lip service to Islam and try to seek power from it-- this is universal, not unique to Islam, but to every religion, theology, or political belief. In the article itself, the authors mention: "she's concerned about how the events of 9/11 have been exploited to cast suspicion on all Muslims. She points out that while some extremist groups claim justification for their acts in the tenets of Islam, "Muslims in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere who denounce those acts do so in the name of Islam as well". The human beings who flew airplanes into the WTC were anything BUT muslim. There is no such term as Islamic Extremism, only Extremism.
What Ingrid Mattson is doing is great. She's fighting conservative extremism.

The is what Islam needs in parts of the world where the true understanding of it's nature is prevented due to media portrayal. For example, I live in Washington D.C., every week on the news, there is rather sickening tale of what a boyfriend has done to his girlfriend, etc. However, this is hardly in the portrayal of America, as it should be. Why? Because this is not what America's true ideolgy is based on. Individuals who happen to be American can also become extreme, seeking power over another.

We should remain humble. God bless...