I usually leave my video love for the end of these posts, but it’s been a rough week for womankind. We could all use some some serious Awesome in our lives. Enter Sonya Renee at the 2006 Individual World Poetry Slam Finals:
Holy. Shit. I don’t get shaken easily, but watching this actually made my heart race. This woman must have been terrified:
October 22, tourism student Geisy Arruda showed up to class at Uniban, near Sao Paolo, wearing a pink minidress and “heavy makeup,” which apparently prompted her fellow students to go completely insane. Two hundred of them gathered outside her classroom to gawk at her, and when she left to go to the bathroom, men followed, physically fighting with her and trying to take cell phone pictures between her legs. A professor then tried to hide her in another classroom, but 700 students massed outside, shouting, “Let her out Professor, we want to rape her.” As she finally left, escorted by police, some students took videos, including the one above, where you can hear chants of “puta” or “whore.”
Arruda has since been expelled, since she’s obviously the one who asked for it.
That’s one of the top search engine phrases that’s been bringing people to this blog. That’s one of the questions I’ve not let pass through comment moderation.
What race was the Richmond rape victim? Really, people. Does it matter?
Do you feel a little more at ease at the thought of a poverty-stricken 15-year-old Latina getting gang raped by a bunch of Latino boys/men? Is that the kind of thing that’s a fact of life for those types of Latina girls?
Is it easier for you to cope with the situation at the thought of a 15-year-old black girl getting gang banged by boys at her school? Is that how all this would make more sense to you, the thought of a sexualized black teenager drinking and hanging out with older boys in the dark?
Do you feel like forking out more cash at the thought of a pretty, 15-year-old white girl getting ravaged by a gang of brown boys, some older than 18? Will donating to her recovery fund be your good deed for the month?
Because seriously, people. What does it matter what race she is?
Why do you want to know so badly? How will this piece of information influence your thoughts on the matter? What stereotypes are you bringing to the table when you ask this question?
A little girl was brutally assaulted. A little girl had her world turned upside down. A little girl has a long road to recovery ahead of her. It could have been your sister, your mother, your favorite cousin, your best friend. It could’ve been you.
The media has published reports about what kind of girl she is, what her interests are, what she’s like at school. I’m sure everyone at her school knows who she is. People in her community know who she is. Eventually, she’ll have to face these people who know all about The Bad Thing that happened to her.
Jesus Christ, what race is she? I hope I never find out.
WOMAN: It meant everything to me that I was able to put the person who attacked me [behind bars]. And what allowed me to do that was our judicial process. I showed up in court every day to make sure that happen
VITTER: And I’m absolutely supportive of any case like that being prosecuted criminally to the full extent of the law.
WOMAN: But there are rape victims who are being kept silent.
WOMAN: But how can you support [a law] that tells a rape victim that she does not have the right to defend herself?
VITTER: Ma’am The language in question did not say that in any way shape or form.
WOMAN: But it is unconstitutional to have a law that says a woman does not have a right to defend herself.
VITTER: You realize Mr. Obama was against that amendment that his administration was against that amendment
WOMAN: But I’m not asking Obama. I’m asking you.
VITTER: Do you think he’s in favor in rape?
WOMAN: I’m asking you Senator. What if it was your daughter who was raped? Would you tell her to be quiet and take it? Would you tell your daughter to be silent?
Yeahhhhh…I seem to add a new blog to my reader every other day, so my Weekend Link Loves are getting hella long. I’m gonna start doing this twice a week, m’kay? So tune in Wednesday for the second half.
I’ve been silent regarding the gang rape of the 15-year-old at her homecoming dance, mostly because I just don’t know what to say. I’m horrified. I’m devastated for the victim, and for the long recovery process she faces. I’m wary of the way race and socioeconomics are starting to play a factor in the reporting of the “story,” now that we know more background about the city this took place in, and how the majority of the rapist were minorities.
And I’m left with the unease of wondering how the men I know (and those I don’t know) would have reacted had they come across a similar situation. I don’t like the assumptions I’m coming to.
I’ve been wondering if any organization was collecting donations for the victim. Richmond High School is collecting cards and donations. Here’s the address:
1250 23rd St.
Richmond, CA 94804-1011
Make checks out to the Richmond High Student Fund.
Alexandria Brown talks about her personal experiences with a sex offender, and how Polanski’s supporters are promoting the message that any sex offender—not just wealthy, famous ones—can get away with their crime. Possible trigger warning.
Yesterday I posted the votes on the 2010 Franken Senate Defense Appropriations Amendment, which was created by Senator Al Franken largely in response to the legal issues Jamie Leigh Jones [trigger warning] faces after being gang raped by 7 employees at KBR.
Unsurprisingly, one of my senators was among the 30 older, white, Republican males to vote against the amendment. Here’s what I emailed him:
Dear Senator Cornyn,
I am a constituent and I am writing to express my disappointment over your vote on the 2010 Franken Senate Defense Appropriations Amendment. It speaks volumes about your opinion of rape victims when you vote in support of companies who will fire victims of rape if they try to speak out about their assault.
You do not have my vote in the upcoming election. I do not want a senator who is willing to give my tax dollars to companies who are more than happy to cover the tracks of rapists at the expense of the victim.
so far, i can highly recommend "an education" & "a serious man." i think i'll see "brief interviews with hideous men" tomorrow. yay austin! 12 hours ago
just got to austin, and about to head out to the alamo drafthouse to grab a drink and watch "a serious man." 1 day ago
