the quacking fiber addict

“Rape is a culturally fostered means of suppressing women. Legally we say we deplore it, but mythically we romanticize and perpetuate it, and privately we excuse and overlook it.”
~ Victoria Billings

I accept that the news and journalists in general cannot and will not cover every aspect of a story, for many reasons. Sometimes they don't have enough time or resources. Sometimes they are censored by their bosses or the FCC. And sometimes they're just too lazy or unwilling to cover a story, however important or shocking it might be.

I love reading the Huffington Post, because I usually get a wide variety of stories, opinions, and information that I wouldn't normally hear about (I'm not a pundit, I don't get paid to read every article in the NY Times). Of course, since the HP isn't really censored, one can come across links to stories like this.

It's funny, I don't remember any of these stories being covered on CNN, MSNBC, or even the BBC (my admitted fav). It may sound horrible, but I miss Saddam. At least when he was in power, women could work in the Iraqi government (hell, they were forced to) without being afraid for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Iraq is becoming more and more like the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and other militant, opressive Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia.

Wow, good job on us, right?

Other stories I found interesting today were (for better or worse):
Savage America,
Grace in Pennsylvania, and
Grace in Pennsylvania

Often, I want to do something, anything, to fix the problems women and children face internationally. Clearly, it's no wonder why I'm trying to get into the Peace Corps. But, once again, I'm sitting here wondering what in hell I can do to help women in Iraq. Petitions take time and rarely work. Writing your congressman is BS, and it all feels so pointless. I envy people who can think up grand schemes and carry them out.

There has to be something normal mortals can do, right?

I'm going to go and knit and ponder, maybe some great inspiration will hit me. And, even if it doesn't, at least I won't be quite so depressed afterwards. Maybe I'll even finish the body of my SKB today (small victories, right?).