Let's hope stabilization and development continue, and that women in Iraq can enjoy greater freedom of expression, through fashion choice or not, as time goes on. I just feel like we've fucked up so much for these people.
On a purely anecdotal note, I have a friend who is a refugee from Iraq. She wears hijab and is a pretty strict Muslim but does salon-type services for women here, like brazilian waxes, eyebrow threading, etc. She always says that just because she chooses to live a certain lifestyle and express that through modest style and dress, she doesn't think other women have to do that. I think it's awesome, and she always says that that is how she was raised - that everyone has freedom of choice and should be respected for it.
Hey I was wondering something the other day and was wondering if some of you military types (Ginmar, Adah) could clue me in either way. Hopefully this isn't too much of a digression.
Did the soldiers in Iraq ever try to organize sports for the local kids as part of a "hearts and minds" kind of thing, or is that too Disney? And would something like girls' soccer or field hockey or basketball ever take off? Do you think it would have any sort of positive ripple effect?
@BearDownCBears: I don't know if there was an organized program, but several of my friends (Marines) that were stationed there talked about playing pick-up games all the time with kids in the streets. Basically they didn't go anywhere without a soccer ball. They said it really helped diffuse tension in some neighborhoods, especially since the kids were better players than they were.
I think Operation Give even started collecting soccer ball donations to send to Iraq.
@ElleL: I think so, too--really, I think this HAS to be the case. Not that he's a font of reliable info, but Levi said that she was not that interested in being the governor, she took early days, etc., and the fact that she left early bears that out. Additionally, she really seems to be in love with being on TV, far moreso than Obama, Biden or McCain.
Which isn't to say the idea of her being an Oprah/Beck/O'Reilly level media star isn't distasteful. It just seems so far out of the realm of possibility that she'd run for president.
Shatner is at peace with the self-mockery thing - if he read excerpts from his own autobiography, he'd probably make a joke out of it.
I haven't read it, but I imagine much of it is written tongue-in-cheek.All hail the Shatnerator!
@Apple Tartlet: Yeah I'm pretty sure most of the time he just says the most insane shit he can think of (accusing George Takei of "deep psychosis" during an interview comes to mind.)
@pesematology: He's loopy - didn't know about the George Takei comment, though, which seems dangerously out of the 'insane' region of comments and into the 'outright offensive' zone.
I rarely even think of William Shatner in conjunction with Star Trek anymore. I heard one of his albums once, and that has taken over everything else I ever knew about him.
@Apple Tartlet: It's insane because it was his attempt to explain why he didn't get invited to Takei's wedding... when actually Takei says he sent him an invite anyway.
Which album was it? Some of his music is completely nuts and some is still completely nuts but in a way I really like. He does "Common People" bizarrely well.
@pesematology: That does put the comment squarely back into insane territory.
I can't remember which album - but Common People is the song I first heard and remember best! It is genius.
@morninggloria: Woah, America has collective labia? I hope she's not on our individual labia. Or America Fererra's labia, although that would be pretty interesting.
12/17/09
On a purely anecdotal note, I have a friend who is a refugee from Iraq. She wears hijab and is a pretty strict Muslim but does salon-type services for women here, like brazilian waxes, eyebrow threading, etc. She always says that just because she chooses to live a certain lifestyle and express that through modest style and dress, she doesn't think other women have to do that. I think it's awesome, and she always says that that is how she was raised - that everyone has freedom of choice and should be respected for it.
12/17/09
Did the soldiers in Iraq ever try to organize sports for the local kids as part of a "hearts and minds" kind of thing, or is that too Disney? And would something like girls' soccer or field hockey or basketball ever take off? Do you think it would have any sort of positive ripple effect?
12/17/09
I think Operation Give even started collecting soccer ball donations to send to Iraq.
12/12/09
Someone running for President cannot. Or shouldn't, anyway.
12/12/09
She makes Shatner look good.
12/12/09
12/12/09
At least, this is what I have to tell myself every night to keep from pulling my hair out.
12/12/09
12/12/09
Which isn't to say the idea of her being an Oprah/Beck/O'Reilly level media star isn't distasteful. It just seems so far out of the realm of possibility that she'd run for president.
12/12/09
12/12/09
12/12/09
12/12/09
Shatner's reading was still better.
12/12/09
12/12/09
12/12/09
12/12/09
I haven't read it, but I imagine much of it is written tongue-in-cheek.All hail the Shatnerator!
12/12/09
12/12/09
12/12/09
I rarely even think of William Shatner in conjunction with Star Trek anymore. I heard one of his albums once, and that has taken over everything else I ever knew about him.
12/12/09
Which album was it? Some of his music is completely nuts and some is still completely nuts but in a way I really like. He does "Common People" bizarrely well.
12/12/09
I can't remember which album - but Common People is the song I first heard and remember best! It is genius.
12/12/09
12/12/09
12/07/09
Thank you for Agamben.