I'm curious. How can eliminate rape (especially in war) if we can't eliminate the rape that occurs in stable places (more stable than war zones or politically charged places, anyway)? Unless she's referring to enforcing rape as a crime against humanity...how could the U.N. do THAT when it's so prevalent and there'd be so many defendants?
Not that rape shouldn't be treated as a serious crime, especially in the war zone, where the incidence is even more frequent than usual. But is the goal of eliminating RAPE in war any more likely than eliminating militarized conflict itself?
I'm reading "Justice on the Grass" by Dina Temple-Raston about the Rawandan war crimes trial (it's excellent, I recommend it) I just finished a chapter entitled "The Rape Babies Arrived in the Spring." It breaks my heart.
I always think after each terrible attrocity, people will realize how much women are affected, particularly when rape is used as a weapon. I am really glad Secretary Clinton is making this a priority.
@eadubbs: Oooh. Is it about the international tribunals or the Gacaca courts? We screened "My Neighbor My Killer" at my place of employment recently and it was so interesting so I'm trying to read up more on Rwanda: its past and how it has moved on since the genocide.
until people stop seeing women as "the weaker/fairer sex," property, inherent victims, and start seeing them as human beings due basic dignities there will be no safe place for womankind anywhere. period.
"There are people who say, 'Well, women's issues is an important issue, but it doesn't rank up there with the Middle East or Iran's nuclear threat or Afghanistan and Pakistan.' I couldn't disagree more."
Thank you, Secretary Clinton for stating that so unequivocally.
@curiousgeorgiana: Few things make me as angry as the suggestion that the world's ills be somehow ranked, and that those which fall lower on some man's list be put off until those ranking higher are addressed first. As if it would be possible to address with finality something as multi-faceted and vague as "the Middle East." Would someone like to tell that young woman in the camp that until there's peace in Gaza, she'll just have to keep facing rape??
@JerseyGrrrl: And also, if we, as a nation want to call ourselves members of the U.N. than we need to actually uphold the values it stands for (World Peace, human rights) and not just when it's convenient for us to do so.
@youarewhatyoulove: It's true. Our government has shown, now as in the past, that it's willing to mortgage global women's rights in order to keep a dialogue with other nations. I understand the rationalization such as it is, but I hate it nonetheless.
@curiousgeorgiana: Security analysts (well, at least, the ones who know which way the wind is blowing) are paying more and more attention to "women's security" precisely because it is such an indicator of stability in a society. Safe women mean stable families, stable communities. And thank god we've got Hilary to say these things for us.
@nerdycellist: We'd then be splitting up families. Yes, it might be safer for men and women to be separated, but I'd then worry about disparities between their resources.
@inabook: Fair enough. But what I'm seeing in this article is that people working for these camps are doing the raping. So how about men don't get to work at these places? It's a shame that a couple of bad apples spoils the whole barrel, so to speak, but that's how it is.
Mia Farrow was one of the first and the few to call the Beijing Olympics what it was; a disgrace equal to Hitler's Olympics. I have so much admiration for her because the genocide is STILL happening, even though some have moved on to the next trendy topic. The wholesale rape of women continues, the ethnic cleansing continues and China's support of genocide continues while the world does nothing. Since it takes a movie star to get people to give a damn about anything these days, I say god bless Mia Farrow.
Me, I never belittle celebrities for drawing attention to political causes. Wouldn't we all be harshing on them if they had all that fame and attention and yet DIDN'T speak out on the issues?
I'm not the only person who thought that Withnail and I is about a couple of gay dudes, am I? I mean, yes they're friends too, but it's not an "eccentric friendship" story.
@lisas: I got that vibe too, but the script made it pretty clear that they were just too strung out on multitudes of drugs to be able to deal much with sexuality. Also, they had the flaming gay uncle to offset them. However, I'm not completely disagreeing with you.
I'm getting a little tired of the Carrie Prejean lambasting, and here's why: Not that I'm ever sorry to see an idiot get their comeuppance, but because it's not going to change any minds.
There exist bigots who want to refuse grown-ass adults the right to love each other and have the same legal rights as opposite marriage. Those bigots aren't going to look at Prejean and say, "Man, she talks like one of us, but she happens to be a complete idiot. I better change my mind on this whole bigotry thing!" People who have decided to discriminate in the name of their ever-precious morally-pure "opposite marriage" are just going to listen to slightly more intelligent bigots, insofar as they exist.
Those of us who support gay marriage can revel in the schadenfreude, sure, but at what point is it just preaching to the choir? Yes, she's an idiot, but will the Prejean coverage change any minds?
Ah, Kiefer, who hasn't gotten too drunk and then accidentally-on-purpose head-butted a famous designer at a ball because they may or may not have knocked over that lady who used to let nothing come between her and her Calvins? Jeesh, that's what we call Saturday around these parts.
@hatepaperdoll: You were probably just dizzy from looking at her dress.
I once punched out Tommy Hilfiger AND Axl in one night. Axl was just for Chinese Deomcracy, but Hilfiger had it coming after he knocked over Cindy Crawford.
Is anyone else saddened and sort of horrified at the idea of Michael Jackson performing again? I mean. Just looking at him is enough to make you sad. He just looks so broken and brittle and sick. I'm thinking that these concert plans may be scrapped in short order, and i'm thinking that'd probably be the best thing.
Madonna is probably wearing her sunglasses at night in the rain for the same reason I wear mine in the rain on my walks to and from work: protect the mascara so you don't arrive at your destination looking like you just came off the set of Montel.
09/30/09
Not that rape shouldn't be treated as a serious crime, especially in the war zone, where the incidence is even more frequent than usual. But is the goal of eliminating RAPE in war any more likely than eliminating militarized conflict itself?
09/30/09
I always think after each terrible attrocity, people will realize how much women are affected, particularly when rape is used as a weapon. I am really glad Secretary Clinton is making this a priority.
09/30/09
09/30/09
09/30/09
Thank you, Secretary Clinton for stating that so unequivocally.
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There exist bigots who want to refuse grown-ass adults the right to love each other and have the same legal rights as opposite marriage. Those bigots aren't going to look at Prejean and say, "Man, she talks like one of us, but she happens to be a complete idiot. I better change my mind on this whole bigotry thing!" People who have decided to discriminate in the name of their ever-precious morally-pure "opposite marriage" are just going to listen to slightly more intelligent bigots, insofar as they exist.
Those of us who support gay marriage can revel in the schadenfreude, sure, but at what point is it just preaching to the choir? Yes, she's an idiot, but will the Prejean coverage change any minds?
05/06/09
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I once punched out Tommy Hilfiger AND Axl in one night. Axl was just for Chinese Deomcracy, but Hilfiger had it coming after he knocked over Cindy Crawford.
05/06/09
Didn't even break a nail.
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Keep track of the visions in my eyes?