They're not violations of the law ...
 

... They're manifestations of different cultural practices and beliefs.

The jury didn't buy it. At least not on this occasion:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101208/...ltural_lawyers

The whole point of a legal system and citizenship is that it tempers culture. Our laws apply to everyone and suggest a certain culture itself that holds priority over cultural diversity. Not all cultures are equal and not all cultures deserve to be upheld or protected and our legal system is really the last place any culture should take a beating here in the US.