The war on women is real and it is being waged on many fronts.
The Invisible War is a documentary exposing the systemic coverup of the rape of U.S. military women by U.S. service members.
There is something very, very wrong with our military. I suspect it is related to being “all volunteer” when it is actually a military maintained by an economic draft that feeds off of the ever increasingly institutionalized socio-economic inequality in the United States.
We have never been a society of equals. We have always had an underclass that has not been allowed to have self-determination, be allowed to vote, have equal access to resources, and so on. Slaves, original peoples, women, immigrants, and so on have made up the underclasses. Only landed men originally had a say in the colonies. It has been less than 100 years that women have had the vote. Our country changes. How? Either by allowing change to happen or by attempting to influence the change that happens.
I suggest you watch this trailer:
What kind of a society allows and, by refusing to address it, sanctions rape? We create society. We can change it. Your tax dollars support this. Please do not ignore this atrocity. There is a Facebook Group, check that out to find out more.
And you definitely NEED to sign on to the call for action and investigation by House Member Congressman Michael Turner.
To find out a little bit more you might watch Retired Colonel Ann Wright’s talk from a couple years ago about how individuals totalling one-third of women in the military are raped and about some of the culture of abuse within the military. She is someone whom I have met many times and for whom I have very much respect. She never makes a situation seem less complex than it is, but neither does she give up on attempting to change what she knows of that is not right. Her book, Dissent: Voices of Conscience, is a damn good, but disturbing read if you don’t know the back stories of what really goes on in the ruling of our nation. Her talk does cover some of the things you can do to get involved in ending this horrific practice, but please do also click the sign on link above for Turner’s call for immediate action.. You cannot do too much.
Note: Updated 26 June 2012 with the Congressman Turner info! And for those of you in Tucson, Director KIRBY DICK will participate in The Loft’s post-film Q&A’s at the 7:00 p.m. shows on Friday, July 20th and Saturday, July 21st!
Isabel Celis, Earth Day, "Chimpanzee"
There is still no resolution to the little missing girl, Isabel Celis. She is 6. She lives on 12th Street just south of Broadway and just west of Park Mall with her family. That is in Tucson. There is a vigil tonight, but no reason for me to go. I don’t want to be a gawker, and I have no connection, other than a mother’s heart, to this little girl. I am praying for her and the family. I am cursing whoever took her, literally, I want them to suffer long and intensely and I am wishing it upon them.
I wanted to write a Happy Earth Day post, talk about the new airport wireless LAN, and tell you about a movie, but it all seems muted with the abduction of this beautiful little girl. First grade. I can’t get the news pictures out of my head. The family is not going public, and I don’t blame them. The police don’t seem to be focused on them. I think, somehow, that she was abducted by someone.
We went to breakfast for Earth Day at The Blue Willow. I love this place and for Earth Day it seemed like a good match. Although I always order one of three or four variations of the same items, I see reviews that do not like the menu, atmosphere, or gift shop. I love all three. The atmosphere is very granola, not quite hippie, but maybe once-upon-a-time hippie, grab lunch with your girl friends, or take your visiting Mom to breakfast. I always get the avocado, green chili, and jack omelet, raison toast, and beans for breakfast. Lunch is the apple, goat cheese and spiced pecan salad. Dinner varies but I most often opt for salmon. Deserts are great there, though I can’t eat them like I used to. The patio is nice, covered with netting, or a shade screen, or a rain tarp. Mists or heaters when needed. The gift shop is fun. Always something different, funky, cute. It really is a place you can find a gift for someone. We wore our home made tie dye and had a nice time. It is walking distance so that makes it a nice place too.
In the late afternoon we went to see Chimpanzee. It was documentary, kids documentary I am sure it will be called, but then, it is a Disney Nature film. That was just fine for me as I really did not need to see the details of troop on troop attack that left some chimps dead, nor did I need to see what wasn’t shown in the meat hunting expedition when the chimps went hunting for monkey meat. The forest is a jungle and that was not down-played but the actual violence was left on the cutting room floor. The movie is for kids, but I think adults can admire the cinematography (read an interview with the cinematographer here,) the work it took to be able to tell such an intimate story, and miraculous adoption of an orphan chimp by a high status male in the troop. The large screen adds a dimension to the film that is as thrilling as “3D” movies. The time lapse photography is amazing. I am always in awe of Mother Nature. I would expect this film to launch the interest of thousands of kids into photography, ethology, and conservation. Tool use, hunting strategy, learning/teaching, and social interaction; this film really was a great introduction to chimpanzee society, minus the sex and violence.
Oh, this was a “free write” day.