hypatia ... a womon of note...

this weekend was the perfect time to hide away from the outside world - the way-too-many tourists and shoppers and all things jingly, bright, loud and constant - the general christmas cacophony in other words...

i'd brought home a selection of movies for my 'hibernation', and the herstorical content drew me to agora… “fourth century a.d. egypt under the roman empire… violent religious upheaval in the streets of alexandria spills over into the city’s famous library. Trapped inside its walls, the brilliant astronomer, Hypatia, and her disciples fight to save the wisdom of the ancient world… among them, the two men competing for her heart: the witty, privileged orestes and davus, hypatia’s young slave, who is torn between his secret love for her and the freedom he knows can be his if he chooses to join the unstoppable surge of the Christians” ... the container blurb...

as with all hollywood 'historical' depictions, a lot has to be taken with a 'modicum of disbelief' – ‘artistic licence’ is employed in their portrayal of people, places and events, which become 'blurred' in their endeavour to make a ‘blockbuster', so some reading inevitably has to follow… and what a treat i was in for in my search for hypatia...

all accounts recognize her as a teacher, philosopher, mathematician, astronomer… 

"Socrates Scholasticus wrote that "she far surpassed all the philosophers of her time,” and was greatly respected for her “extraordinary dignity and virtue.” [Ecclesiastical History] Hypatia's house was an important intellectual center in a city distinguished for its learning. Damasius described how she "used to put on her philosopher's cloak and walk through the middle of town" to give public lectures on philosophy. [Life of Isidore, in the Suda].

 

Admired by all Alexandria, Hypatia was one of the most politically powerful figures in the city. She was one of the few women who attended civic assemblies. Magistrates came to her for advice, including her close friend, the prefect Orestes. [Damasius, Socrates Scholasticus] In the midst of severe religious polarization, Hypatia was an influential force for tolerance and moderation. She accepted students, who came to her "from everywhere," without regard to religion" ... from suppressed histories

according to an article “Hypatia Silenced by Death” by bolder landry, “Even using material from sixteen different sources, I find it difficult to do justice to Hypatia, one of the forgotten heroines of civilization. Her birthplace, Alexandria, was three times the size of Athens and sparkled with marble- lined streets, colleges and a library of some 500,000 volumes containing all the known history of the time. Alexandria had been a gathering place for the best scholars, thinkers, scientists and historians. In the first century B.C. Egypt had become a thriving Roman province, but by the fifth century A.D. Alexandria's last glory was extinguished by the Christian bishops and monks (The Epic of Universal History).” 

and then this by mikelle mercer… "Along with her lectures, Hypatia also wrote several treatises. It is unknown how many she wrote because a lot of them were destroyed through the ages. Evidence does show, however, that she wrote commentaries on "The Conics of Apollonius" and "Amagest," which included Ptolemy's numerous observations of the stars, as well as an analysis of her father's edition of Euclid's "Elements." Most of the writings Hypatia completed were actually meant to be used as text books to help her students with difficult math concepts.

Hypatia's most famous pupil was Synesius of Cyrene, who later became the Bishop of Ptolemy. It is through some of his letter's that he wrote to Hypatia that researchers are able to learn more about her. In his letters Synesius credits Hypatia with creating an astrolabe and a planesphere, which were both devises for studying astronomy, as well as instruments for distilling water, for measuring the level of water, and for determining the specific gravity of liquids.”

so not only mathematician, philosopher, astronomer, but scientist and inventor too… 

but ohh, she was so much more – she was a believer in wisdom and reason... 

"Hypatia herself says, "Fables should be taught as fables, myths as myths, and miracles as poetic fancies. To teach superstitions as truths is a most terrible thing. The child-mind accepts and believes them, and only through great pain and perhaps tragedy can he be in after-years relieved of them. In fact, men will fight for a superstition quite as quickly as for a living truth - often more so, since a superstition is so intangible you can not get at it to refute it, but truth is a point of view, and so is changeable." from hypatia – a victim of bigotry

she was one strong, independent womon…

“Hypatia dressed in the clothing of a scholar or teacher, rather than in women's clothing. She moved about freely, driving her own chariot, contrary to the norm for women's public behavior. She exerted considerable political influence in the city… she was a woman who didn't know her place.” jone johnson lewis

it's not surprising this independent, highly respected, strong, wise womon was branded heretic, heathen, pagan... more from suppressed histories...

"She spoke out against dogmatism and superstition: “To rule by fettering the mind through fear of punishment in another world, is just as base as to use force.” Unquestionably, Hypatia's teaching represented a challenge to church doctrine. The apparent destruction of her philosophical books underlines the point. Her mathematical works survived and were popular into the next century." 

claims of witchcraft? you betchya...

"Realizing that he was losing on public relations, the bishop changed tactics. Now he attempted to turn the people against Hypatia as a powerful woman by accusing her of harmful sorcery. A later church chronicler, John of Nikiu, explained that "she beguiled many people through satanic wiles." It was Hypatia's “witchcraft” that kept the prefect Orestes away from church and made him corrupt the faith of other Christians. Further, she was involved in divination and astrology, "devoted at all times to magic, astrolabes and instruments of music ...

Hypatia was not targeted only as a pagan. Other pagans—men—continued to be active at the university of Alexandria for decades after her death. It is clear that Hypatia's femaleness made her a special target, vulnerable to the accusation of witchcraft. Her courage in opposing the escalating anti-Jewish violence and her moral stance against religious repression were factors as well. In defending the assault on the philosophical tradition of tolerance, Hypatia had everything to lose, yet she acted boldly."
 

hypatia of alexandria from alexandria cosmographica

the womon had to go… it appears hypatia may have been one of, if not the first womon killed as witch by the violent zealots of christianity…this from hypatia, a tragedy of lent ... 

"It was on the morning of the fifteenth of March, 415, — the fatal Ides, the anniversary of the murder of the greatest of the Caesars. Hypatia set out as usual in her chariot to drive to the lecture-room. She had not gone far when the mob stopped the way. On every side were men howling with all the ferocity of hungry wolves. She was forced out of the vehicle and dragged along the ground to the nearest church. This was the ancient Caesar's temple, which had been dedicated anew to the worship of the Christian Trinity. Here she had been denounced by Cyril and her doom determined by his servitors. Her dress was now torn in shreds by their ruffianly violence. She stood by the high altar, beneath the statue of Christ.

"She shook herself free from her tormentors, and, springing back, rose for one moment to her full height, naked, snow-white against the dusky mass around — shame and indignation in those wide, clear eyes, but not a stain of fear. With one hand she clasped her golden locks around her; the other long, white arm was stretched upward toward the great still Christ, appealing — and who dare say in vain? — from man to God. Her lips were open to speak; but the words that should have come from them reached God's ear alone; for in an instant Peter struck her down, the dark mass closed over her again, . . . and then wail on wail, long, wild, ear-piercing, rang along the vaulted roofs, and thrilled like the tram-pet of avenging angels through Philammon's ears."

While yet breathing, the assailants in a mad fury tore her body like tigers, limb from limb; and after that, bringing oyster-shells from the market, they scraped the flesh from the bones. Then gathering up the bleeding remains they ran with them through the streets to the place of burning, and having consumed them, threw the ashes into the sea."

Hypatia, by Charles William Mitchell (1885)

with its depiction of christian misogyny, domination and brutality - all supported by other accounts - what a fitting movie agora turned out to be for this christian celebratory time… a powerful reminder of the subjugation of womyn by all patriarchal religions... 

give me a solstice to celebrate any day…

 "there are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. there is only our natural world. 

religion is but myth and superstition that hardens hearts and enslaves minds" ... 

anne nicol gaylor, founder, freedom from religion foundation

why is it presumed everyone is christian - or that at the very least everybody celebrates christian festivals? there are many that aren't, and don't... we aren't, by constitution, or law, a christian country... we don't have a state religion... we are a nation encompassing many beliefs - and yet we only close down for christian 'observances' - whatever happened to separation of church and state?

like many i don't believe in the christian god or christ - hey, jesus i'll concede existed, a documented historical figure – but i believe, as do others, he was just an ordinary man fighting for reform within the judaic religion he followed - a man who could be considered a religious revolutionary - not son of any god… after his ‘martyrdom’ christianity and it's bible certainly became one hell of a fairytale - and one brutally intolerant doctrine...

i'm not wiccan, pagan, jewish, islamic or buddhist either - i don't follow any of the myriad spiritual or religious doctrines that make up our society... i consider myself an earthling, one of many sentient life forms inhabiting this earth… my belief lies firmly within nature - in the natural world and all it’s wonders, the equality & complementarity of all creatures of this planet, home to us all...

i have to ask though, if you are christian, do you follow the basic, important tenets of your christianity – the 10 commandments, the religion's 'rules'... the 6th commandment – though shalt not kill - is an interesting one... do you partake of the death industry? do you eat the product of someone else's 'kill'? do you wear someone else's skin? if so how does that fit within the christian ethic?

 

i hate the in-your-face crass commercialism and consumerism pushed heavily at this time of year, and i feel sickened at the 'saturation' of  repugnant advertisements exhorting  people to eat flesh - the dead, cooked carcasses of once living beings displayed with such morbid delight in the anticipation of the taste of suffering and death… the brutality and cruelty perpetrated by the death industry is horrendous…  

 

paul mccarney once said "if slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be vegetarian"… but I came across this graphic and couldn’t help but nod my head in agreement…

and there's still more life seen as commodity - the factory farming of our companion animals - more cruelty and abuse... and many from these deplorable facilities end up in shelters... please don't help this cruel industry continue to exist... 'animals are for life, not just for xmas'... if you are looking for a companion, please consider offering a forever home to a shelter animal desperately waiting for rescue, for the chance to know compassion and love...

 

ahhh yes, the summer solstice - far worthier of celebration... we are all dependent on the changing seasonal cycles, and the summer solstice in the southern hemisphere – where “the earth’s south pole is tilted towards the sun ... is, usually, the longest day of the year” – is due to occur on december 22 this year – far more crucial to the earth's well-being than xmas... happy summer solstice...

a new look...

as the saying goes "a change is as good as a holiday"... so, after a few years with the same colour scheme i decided it was time for a 'makeover'... 

rosie the riveter takes pride of place in my title banner, with beautiful australian dingoes in the background...

rosie started out as the 'star' of a us government campaign aimed at recruiting female workers for the munitions industry during world war 2, becoming the most iconic image of working womyn - and she has, over the years, been adopted  by many as a symbol of female strength, passion and 'attitude'...

i decided to go with a sepia colour tone for the moment, but don't be surprised if next time you come back the look has been altered a bit...

i hope you like it... i'm sure it will take me a few views to get used to it... i do like the transparent overlay with the static graphic... but it has taken a while to get it to this point though, so that's it for this post... almost...

i just received my latest oscar's law update with a timely reminder coming up to one of the most commercial times of the year... "The lead-up to Christmas is a critical time for puppy farmers who rely on impulse purchasing at pet shops in order to profit. We can stop the puppy trade by not buying puppies from pet shops and showing others why they should do the same."

why not become an oscar's law ambassador - find out more here

a karmic experience...

i read this article on the care2 causes site... i got a chuckle out of it...

"Dog Shoots Duck Hunter in Butt with Birdshot

You could call it payback, justice or even doggie karma.  A Utah man went duck hunting Sunday and was accidentally shot in his buttocks by his dog.

“One of the hunters was inside the boat with the dog, and the other hunter was in the water setting up decoys. The guy in the water had put his 12-gauge shotgun across the bow of their boat,” said Chief Deputy, Kevin Potter from Box Elder County.

“The dog got excited, was jumping around inside the boat and then it jumped on the gun. It went off, shooting the [decoy setter] in the buttocks,” as told in The Salt Lake Tribune.

The incident happened at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City, Utah.  Don’t be confused by the word “refuge.” It is a U.S. Fish and Wildlife facility, hence they allow hunting.

The unnamed 46-year-old victim of the float-by shooting was taken to a nearby hospital, treated and released.  He was lucky to have been wearing waders or the birdshot could have done more damage.

No one else – including the dog – was injured."

a true animal activist... saving ducks, one hunter at a time...

a 'tail' of freedom...

no words are necessary, the video 'says' it all... but you may shed a tear watching these rescued research beagles see sun and walk on grass for the first time...

the institution of marriage & the fight for equality...

marriage is a hot topic at the moment… marriage equality has been long sought after by many gay & lesbian people, and now perhaps their battle may soon be over, well, at least one more hurdle may be surmounted… “the ALP’s left faction is claiming the numbers to remove from the party’s policy platform a reference to the Marriage Act which defines the union as that between a man and a woman” ... read more from "left believes it has numbers to change policy on same-sex marriage" - this issue will be debated at the alp national conference this week so there’s definitely an interesting time ahead…

now i actually don’t believe in the institution itself - it has its roots firmly planted in patriarchal, judeo-christian history and has been a major ‘tool’ in the subjugation of womyn…

consequently i can’t get excited over an institution i find oppressive – obviously with that goes a lack of enthusiasm for the trappings of a wedding ceremony... oh, i declined my last wedding invitation for those reasons and my friends totally understood where i was 'coming from'...  

there are a number of weddings being planned at work at the moment so i try my hardest to avoid the discussions, especially the ones about 'the gown' - 'fashion' in general is of no interest to me - but after an 'interaction' i was involuntarily drawn into and which i really didn't want to be part of today, i so needed to talk to a friend this evening - he has similar views to me so his empathy and understanding of the situation and how i was feeling was invaluable - and his comments were far more full-on 'ra-ra-ra' political than my pathetic 'i'm not into that crap' response, rather than getting into a 'heavy' conversation when i felt 'backed into a corner' after already declining to participate in 'the gown' conversation - the choice is yours to marry, but equally the choice is mine not to be involved... i guess the assumption that because you're female you must be into all the - as my nan would have called it - 'frippery' - is a tad irksome too...  

back to the point here... while the institution of marriage exists, equality is a fundamental right and same sex partners should be accorded the same entitlements and choices as heterosexual partners… i'll stand up for marriage equality, but i'll maintain my view on the oppressive nature of the institution...

i read an interesting article by nori j. rost, minister of all souls unitarian universalist church in colorado springs, “a lesbian pastor with a predominantly gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered congregation in the center of Conservative Christianity”, entitled ‘marriage and patriarchy’ –  “In this paper I will address the Judeo-Christian historical contours of marriage and how those foundational patriarchal beliefs about marriage still shape public and social policy regarding marriage entitlements, explore the unconscious reasons that conservative politicians and religious leaders oppose same sex marriage, and finally, seek to answer the unasked question with a different ethic that, in the words of Dr. Mary Hunt, respected Catholic lesbian, feminist theologian spoken to a summer school class in July, 2004, seeks relational equality for all rather than legal privilege for a few.”...  it’s quite thought-provoking…

the absurdity of it all...

"Isn't man an amazing animal?

He kills wildlife by the millions in order to protect his domestic animals and their feed. 

Then he kills domestic animals by the billions and eats them. 

This in turn kills man by the millions, because eating all those animals leads to degenerative - and fatal - health conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer. 

So then man tortures and kills millions more animals to look for cures for these diseases. 

Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are being killed by hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten domestic animals. 

Meanwhile, some people are dying of sad laughter at the absurdity of man, who kills so easily and violently, and once a year sends out cards praying for "Peace on Earth." 

.. preface from Old MacDonald's Factory Farm, by C. David Coates

melissa magic...

she hasn't been to australia since 1996, and for one reason or another i missed her extremely rare performances when she was here - but not this time!! i've been wanting to see melissa etheridge for so long now... once i discovered she'd be touring australia in 2012 and tickets were available online now, i wasn't passing up an opportunity to see one of my all-time favourite singers!!!!! her visits have been few and far between and she may not get back here again - not while i can still enjoy a concert anyway!!!

mind you, the concert isn't until july next year though - i guess at least i've got the anticipation leading up to that sunday in july, the 15th, knowing i'll be having a wonderful time watching melissa, enjoying  the music (i'll be getting right into it!!) - and i'll be sharing the evening with a close friend who likes melissa (almost) as much as i do... yes, we'll be there!!!! we've got our tickets!!!! (sorry, just a bit of a brag - and in case you can't tell, i'm excited!!)

what a pick-me-up after a weekend feeling like utter crap - yet another 'lurgy' going around (or perhaps it's the same one that's just been 'lying dormant')... having worked both an early and then a late shift in a row, i made it to work on friday only to have to leave because i felt terrible, with a majorly sore throat, ear ache, pounding head, and by the time i reached home i was coughing and spluttering too... but i did struggle to work on saturday afternoon - they were already one short for the morning shift - the call had gone out during the week but with saturday mornings only paid at 'normal time' up until midday there had been no takers - so i couldn't make them down one for the afternoon too!! but once i got home shadow and i just spent the rest of the weekend as couch fixtures... 

i'm a wee bit concerned for me mother too... she's a tad depressed at the moment... her eyesight's degenerating rapidly now due to her chronic kidney disease, and she was told on friday that blindness was more likely a probability rather than a possibility - her anger at the incompetence that led to this prognosis is understandable, as is her depression, and her tears (i've shed a few of those for her too)...

to end this post how could i not include some melissa magic... enjoy, i always do...

are you over it?

i wasn't actually going to blog today, but then i read this article on the huffington post website and thought i'd share it...

it's by eve ensler, activist, actor and playwright (remember 'the vagina monologues'? she was the author) ... i'm reproducing the whole article because it needs to be read in its entirety... it's powerful, so i really couldn't just give a short excerpt and link - finding the 'right' excerpt was impossible, it's too important to break down to a small 'snippet' (but you're more than welcome to read it at it's source, here, if you prefer...)

 "Over it...

I am over rape.

I am over rape culture, rape mentality, rape pages on Facebook.

I am over the thousands of people who signed those pages with their real names without shame.

I am over people demanding their right to rape pages, and calling it freedom of speech or justifying it as a joke.

I am over people not understanding that rape is not a joke and I am over being told I don't have a sense of humor, and women don't have a sense of humor, when most women I know (and I know a lot) are really fucking funny. We just don't think that uninvited penises up our anus, or our vagina is a laugh riot.

I am over how long it seems to take anyone to ever respond to rape.

I am over Facebook taking weeks to take down rape pages.

I am over the hundreds of thousands of women in Congo still waiting for the rapes to end and the rapists to be held accountable.

I am over the thousands of women in Bosnia, Burma, Pakistan, South Africa, Guatemala, Sierra Leone, Haiti, Afghanistan, Libya, you name a place, still waiting for justice.

I am over rape happening in broad daylight.

I am over the 207 clinics in Ecuador supported by the government that are capturing, raping, and torturing lesbians to make them straight.

I am over one in three women in the U.S military getting raped by their so-called "comrades."

I am over the forces that deny women who have been raped the right to have an abortion.

I am over the fact that after four women came forward with allegations that Herman Cain groped them and grabbed them and humiliated them, he is still running for the President of the United States.

And I'm over CNBC debate host Maria Bartiromo getting booed when she asked him about it. She was booed, not Herman Cain.

Which reminds me, I am so over the students at Penn State who protested the justice system instead of the alleged rapist pedophile of at least 8 boys, or his boss Joe Paterno, who did nothing to protect those children after knowing what was happening to them.

I am over rape victims becoming re-raped when they go public.

I am over starving Somalian women being raped at the Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya, and I am over women getting raped at Occupy Wall Street and being quiet about it because they were protecting a movement which is fighting to end the pillaging and raping of the economy and the earth, as if the rape of their bodies was something separate.

I am over women still being silent about rape, because they are made to believe it's their fault or they did something to make it happen.

I am over violence against women not being a #1 international priority when one out of three women will be raped or beaten in her lifetime -- the destruction and muting and undermining of women is the destruction of life itself.

No women, no future, duh.

I am over this rape culture where the privileged with political and physical and economic might, take what and who they want, when they want it, as much as they want, any time they want it.

I am over the endless resurrection of the careers of rapists and sexual exploiters -- film directors, world leaders, corporate executives, movie stars, athletes -- while the lives of the women they violated are permanently destroyed, often forcing them to live in social and emotional exile.

I am over the passivity of good men. Where the hell are you? You live with us, make love with us, father us, befriend us, brother us, get nurtured and mothered and eternally supported by us, so why aren't you standing with us? Why aren't you driven to the point of madness and action by the rape and humiliation of us?

I am over years and years of being over rape. And thinking about rape every day of my life since I was 5-years-old. And getting sick from rape, and depressed from rape, and enraged by rape. And reading my insanely crowded inbox of rape horror stories every hour of every single day.

I am over being polite about rape. It's been too long now, we have been too understanding.

We need to OCCUPYRAPE in every school, park, radio, TV station, household, office, factory, refugee camp, military base, back room, night club, alleyway, courtroom, UN office. We need people to truly try and imagine -- once and for all -- what it feels like to have your body invaded, your mind splintered, your soul shattered. We need to let our rage and our compassion connect us so we can change the paradigm of global rape.

There are approximately one billion women on the planet who have been violated.

ONE BILLION WOMEN.

The time is now. Prepare for the escalation. Today it begins, moving toward February 14, 2013, when one billion women will rise to end rape.

Because we are over it."

you can read more about the billion womyn rising campaign here....

world vegan day...

november is world vegan month, and to celebrate world vegan day melbourne's event was held yesterday, sunday 6th, in the beautiful building and grounds of the magnificent abbotsford convent... and i finally made it this year!!!!

i'd asked a close friend, brann, to come along too so we were up early to 'hit the road'... well, you don't so much 'hit the road' when you're a public transport user in melbourne on a sunday... it's a slow, slow wait... that's if the transport mode arrives at all!!! how many times we watched the screens at southern cross station to see the train line we needed just disappear off the list without any announcement - it was frustrating to say the least... we gave up on the train after a while and found a tram that would get us close to the venue - i'm a tram person, why didn't we do that to start with? hmmm, that's what i get for believing someone who thinks train travel is quicker - might be, but the trains have to arrive first!!!!

it was heartening to see such a turnout... and interesting to see the number and diversity of animal activist groups - although sad on another level that so many exist due to so much cruelty...

i located the cruelty free shop stall where i found the munchie bars i've been wanting to try for ages... i bought vegan versions of bounty, snickers and mars bars, and some hard-to-come-by vegan marshmallows - those i intend making some vegan rocky road with this week - yummmmm....

a bit more wandering around, reading pamphlets and a few more purchases later and it was time to head towards the speakers area... i really wanted to hear philip wollen speak... 

 

and just who is philip wollen i can hear you ask.... the short answer is he's a man who turned his back on the privileges and lifestyle he experienced as a very, very wealthy merchant banker... he's been described as a 'humanitarian philanthropist' - but that description doesn't tell you of his commitment to animal welfare, of his activism, of his commitment to the earth... it doesn't tell you that at age 40 he decided a vegan lifestyle was the only compassionate way to live... this interview gives a wee insight into who he is and what he believes... 

he is a recipient of...

• the medal of the order of australia ""For service to international humanitarian relief and to animal welfare, particularly through the establishment of the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust”, 

• the australian humanitarian award - "The Australian Humanitarian Award  dismantles the narrow belief that humanitarianism is the exclusive domain of health care professionals,volunteers, carers and charities. The Australian Altruism Foundation sees humanitarianism as an inspiring and uniting value that we can all adopt and display in our every contact with other living beings."

• australian of the year victoria 2007 ... the following excerpt comes from the national australia day council... "Philip Wollen OAM, Philanthropic humanitarian. Through his kindness and generosity, Philip Wollen brings crucial help to many charitable causes and inspires others to share his humanitarian values and ideals. His achievements in the business world mark him as a man of action and he channels this energy into practical outcomes for the causes he champions through the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust. Philip promotes kindness towards all other living beings and strives to enshrine this as a recognisable trait in the Australian character and culture. The measure of his support can be seen in the extraordinary list of organisations the Winsome Constance Kindness Trust supports, benefiting children, animals, the ill, the environment and aspiring youth. Essentially a private man, he seeks no personal publicity but is not afraid to step into the limelight for a just cause..."

he is without a doubt one of the most fascinating, passionate, articulate people i have ever had the pleasure of listening to - a believer in the universal rights of other species, he made one statement yesterday which expressed a belief i've long held - "animal rights is the greatest moral issue facing humanity today"...

it was good to come away feeling less isolated and alone in my beliefs, that they had been validated, that there were others who thought like me, that my frustration and anger at humankind is shared - and justifiable... it was encouraging when brann said he'd go home and finally watch 'earthlings'-- i've been trying to encourage him (and others) to watch this for ages, but after listening to philip wollen he was possibly a little inspired by his very persuasive arguments...

i came across this article this morning while reading a bit more about the man - and his has definitely been an interesting journey and makes fascinating reading... "radical kindness: the banker who gave it all away" by katherine kizilos... you might also like to check out the winsome constance kindness trust - named for his mother and grandmother, it's an initiative founded by him, and actively supported by his life partner and political ally trix...

heading in the right direction...

this was one of the few 'good news', welcome articles in my inbox yesterday... 

"MASSIVE new fines, jail terms and unprecedented powers to shut down illegal puppy farms will be introduced in Victoria in a crackdown on animal cruelty. 

 

Premier Ted Baillieu will announce the toughest dog and cat laws in Australia today, with legislation to be introduced in State Parliament next week." from "baillieu government gets tough on illegal puppy farms"...

it's one step closer to achieving 'oscar's law', and one step closer to a more sane, compassionate society, and proof positive that people-power can have an impact...

and how could i not share this from debra tranter, the passionate, committed, brave, strong and determined womon who has fought to expose the brutality of this cruel industry for 2 decades...

"Today was a good day. I still cried like I do most days, but today were tears of relief. Relief that they are listening. Relief for my team who have stood by me for years even when I almost gave up. Relief for the hidden dogs that I am always with where ever I go. Relief for the staunch loyal kick arse supporters of Oscar’s Law who believed “The power is in our hands".

Almost 20 years ago I was a lone voice telling people we factory farm our pets. No one believed me, it couldn’t possibly be true. Today we have succeeded in exposing the industry and it is hidden no more. This is the first time in 20 years that any Government has made a first positive move and listened to the communities concerns.

People have jumped on the bandwagon and I think its great

As I remember back to that day in 1993 and look at the journey so far, so many times we could of walked away, so many times we were ridiculed, attacked, belittled, humiliated and threatened and we never gave up. I am proud of the people who have chosen to take the journey with me, proud that all they see are the dogs, in the sheds, in the cages, in the dirt pens. They don't seek out the kudos and the limelight, they simply stand beside me and get the job done. They are heroes.

It’s a step forward in this long battle.

So I will still cry every day, and my soul will still be torn apart, and we will at times feel like we are on the edge of our sanity, the battle continues and I will remain in those sheds until they are empty.

But today, just one day, I will celebrate this moment of greatness with Oscar, the dog that changed my life, showed me the way and resolved my commitment to never give up. The power is in our hands! I want Oscar’s Law ” ... from deb's blog prisoner's for profit

i wept tears of joy reading that last paragraph - you celebrate sister, enjoy this moment with oscar because you've fought hard for it... thank you for your courage and strength - you are an inspiration and a hero debra...

why don't YOU - yes YOU! - join the movement, because we can't become complacent... it is only a small 'gain', there is still a long way to go...  the fight to abolish puppy factories will continue until the industry is eradicated... oscar's law needs to be 'enshrined in law' to end all companion animal factory farming - at the very least...

"never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world... indeed, it is the only thing that ever has"... margaret mead

another altered meaning…

feminine… mid-14c., "of the female sex," from O.Fr. femenin (12c.) "feminine, female; with feminine qualities, effeminate," from L. femininus "feminine" (in the grammatical sense at first), from femina "woman, female," lit. "she who suckles," from base of felare "to suck, suckle" (see fecund). Sense of "woman-like, proper to or characteristic of women" is recorded from mid-15c. The interplay of meanings now represented in female, feminine, and effeminate, and the attempt to make them clear and separate, has led to many coinages: feminitude (1878); feminile “feminine” (1640s); feminility “womanliness” (1838); femality (17c., “effeminacy;” 1754 “female nature”). Also feminality (1640s, “quality or state of being female”), from rare adj. feminal (late 14c.), from O.Fr. feminal. And femineity “quality or state of being feminine,” from L. femineus “of a woman, pertaining to a woman.” ... from online etymology dictionary

definitely a female word - ‘of the female sex’ - therefore you would assume that no womon can fail to be feminine, no matter what she looks like, how she dresses or how she asserts herself…

so when did it become 'watered down' and interchangeable with ‘ladylike’ (a word i don't 'subscribe' to - you can read my post ‘this womon ain’t no lady’ here) – hmm, it appears to have started changing in the 15th century when we see the words "proper to .. women" creep into the definition... a time when womyn's worth and their roles were being redefined by a misogynistic, patriarchal culture to keep them subservient and silent - you know, seen but not heard… 

because if you were heard, that meant you had opinions of your own - you may just have been a strong womon... and strong womyn were to be feared...

yes, you may have picked up that the 'shift' in the meaning appears to coincide with the growing fervour of the european witch hunts and hatred of all things female, the gathering momentum with the publication of the malleus malificarum in 1487 and the spreading of fear into england...

and henry (yeah, that one - the 8th!!) 'fed the growing fear' when he accused anne boleyn of witchcraft, infidelity and incest - as adultery was considered treason for a queen it was also a very expedient way to dispose of a womon who'd only 'produced' a daughter - elizabeth - but no sons!... 6 years after her execution henry passed the witchcraft act of 1542 against 'conjurations and wichescraftes and sorcery and enchantmentes.'... the act was repealed in 1547 under edward's reign (but he was only 9 so the regency council was making all the decisions at this time!)

alas, repeal only lasted until the elizabethan witchcraft act was passed during elizabeth's reign in 1562 - sad considering her own mother had been accused of being a witch... but then lizzie had very powerful men with vested interests surrounding and advising her, and she inherited (and maintained) an extremely misogynistic 'kingdom'...  "during the Elizabethan era men were all-powerful. Women had few rights and were expected to obey men. Elizabethan women totally relied on the male members of the family. Society and the culture of England was changing. The convents had been closed. The number of poor was increasing and people were far less charitable. Old, poor, unprotected women needed to be supported - and this was resented by other Elizabethans."

so womyn were either witch - non-submissive, old, poor or without male support in a male dominant society - or submissive - totally downtrodden in a male dominant society - the new vision of feminine...

"the english language has been literally man made and it is still primarily under male control, this monopoly over language is one the means by which males have ensured their own primacy, and consequently have ensured the invisibility or 'other' nature of females, and this primacy is perpetuated while women continue to use, unchanged, the language we have inherited" ... excerpt from dale spender's 'man made language'

what's sad now is when I hear womyn labelling themselves with this diminished patriarchal sense of the word as though being a submissive ‘decoration’ is something to aspire to... and then there's the judgement of others - i'm sure you've all heard someone comment on the perceived feminine or unfeminine 'quality' of someone  - maybe you've heard something similar to "she's as rough as ..., so unfeminine" - or the seal of approval that goes along the lines of "doesn't she look feminine in that"?

perhaps next time you hear that you might think 'hey, she's female - she can't be anything but feminine!' - because to be feminine is to be female... to be female is to be feminine - and strong, and loud and proud - it's a womon-centred word... it's a word worth reclaiming...

 

the complicity of silence....

“Our culture, religion and tradition starts with oral history. Our belief in the superiority of humans is rooted in the darkness and superstition, passed on by word of mouth for centuries. It has become holy, writ large by human hands. If we taped an oral history of animal kingdom, the anguished screams would drown out the sound and fury of the Big Bang.” … philip wollen

sometimes i despair at being human  - i weep often and suffer incredible bouts of depression when i am constantly confronted with way too many horror stories of the abuse and  suffering of animals the world over….

my inbox is often ‘overflowing’ with cries for help from activists and organisations worldwide fighting to end the cruelty...

humans are responsible for all manner of horrors, from factory farming, to bear baiting and bile farming, animal experimentation to mass slaughter of wolves, whales, kangaroos and so many others... animal smuggling, the 'exotic pet' trade, poaching, and destruction of habitat placing many species in danger of extinction… then there's the live export shame, bullfighting, fur farming, the dogmeat trade, circuses, 'domestic' cruelty - the litany of  atrocities goes on and on…

“Animal cruelty has become big business. Billions of defenceless animals are killed each year for the mere taste of their flesh, look of their fur or skin, or vain hope that experimenting on them might tell us something about ourselves...

But it doesn’t have to be like this. Knowledge is power, and the power is in your hands to make a world of difference for animals!” ... unleashed australia

knowledge is power - and brave, caring and passionate people risk prosecution, sometimes physical harm, sometimes their lives - all risk their sanity - to discover the truth and then inform others... it’s this that gets me out of my despondency - their knowledge needs to be shared - i'll continue to weep but i have to keep reading, and keep writing... i'll keep pleading with politicians while filling up their inboxes, and i'll keep signing petitions and demonstrating - because silence only benefits the torturors and allows heinous practices to continue - silence makes us complicit in the horrors perpetrated against the innocent and voiceless…

"Animals cannot speak, but can you and I not speak for them and represent them? Let us all feel their silent cry of agony and let us all help that cry to be heard in the world."

... rukmini devi arundale

one thing that did brighten my world this weekend was discovering there is soon to be a vegan b&b in victoria - the first one in australia apparently - bed & broccoli - their official opening coincides with world vegan day on 6th november... and it's part of an animal sanctuary, how appropriate... hmmm, now that might be incentive enough to save for a weekend away...

who are you going to blame?

womyn, of course…

i was appalled to read about the so-called ‘witches camps’ in ghana over the weekend… these are essentially concentration camps for womyn accused of 'witchcraft'…

over 1000 womyn and 700 children are currently exiled and living in horrendous conditions in 6 camps in northern ghana - many are elderly women who have been accused of causing death, misfortune, or calamity to their families, neighbours or villages through sorcery, witchcraft, or juju…

belief in witchcraft and supernatural powers is common throughout ghana, and other african countries, and is often encouraged by pastors who preach in the nation’s many charismatic churches… according to the european research network on pentecostalism, "pentecostal, or charismatic, christian movements have been in africa for over 100 years and is one of the fastest growing and diverse forms of pentecostalism in the world"… a frightening fact indeed!!!

and a fact made more frightening because apparently some of these pastors take their 'responsibilities' seriously and take an active role in the torture of womyn – this from an article by claire mcdougall in the christian science monitor september 15, 2011 entitled ‘ghana aims to abolish witches’ camps’...

“the brutal murder of 72-year-old Ama Hemmah in the city of Tema in November of last year, allegedly by six people, among them a Pentecostal pastor and his neighbors who are accused of dousing her with kerosene and setting her alight, caused public outrage and made headlines across the world.

In Ghana, we know that when a calamity happens or something befalls a family or a community the question is not what caused it, but rather who caused it?” Anukun-Dabson said. “We are a people who do not take responsibility for our actions; rather we find scapegoats and women are the targets.”

the following is from ghana's southern sector youth & women's empowerment network (sosywen)

"Forced to flee their homes and loved ones following false witchcraft accusations, the women in this film face a life of misery, desperate poverty and deplorable living conditions. They won’t see their families again, probably not for the rest of their lives. Many have no idea how many years they’ve spent in the 'witches' camps. And it’s all because of some misfortune of a family member or neighbour, or a dream that someone’s had. The women are blamed for the misfortune, such as a death in the family, economic hardship, even the death of their own child. Once the finger has been pointed and the accusation made, the lynch mobs beat and abuse the accused woman who flees for her life to one of Ghana’s ‘witches’ camps where she believes she may find some protection. The women are stigmatised and outcasts from society.  

This SOSYWEN film shows the desperate poverty these women face, their daily struggles to fetch water and find enough food. They sleep on the bare floor, cold and uncomfortable, exposed to malarial mosquitoes. Some still suffer pains from the beatings they received many years ago. Children, mostly girls, sent to help these elderly women are stigmatised because they live in a ‘witches’ camp. They can’t go to school and they lose all hope for the future. Zenabu Sakibu, Coordinator of the Southern Sector Youth and Women’s Empowerment Network, Ghana, narrates the heart-rending story of these women and children, the abuse and beatings they suffered, why they ended up in the camps, and their daily struggles for survival."

What I used to know: the road to Ghana's 'witches' camps
from sosywen organisation on Vimeo.

outraged? then why not sign the care2 petition here...

misogyny - alive and well and still being 'masqueraded' as religious superstition by powerful men...

the power and the passion...

i was proud to be part of the oscar's law rally yesterday on the steps of parliament house... thousands of concerned, compassionate people (and almost as many canine companions - and a few ferrets) turned out to express their outrage at the cruelty of puppy factories - that they exist is shameful, that the law supports their existence is more shameful...

there were some inspirational speakers, none more so than debra tranter who's commitment and perseverence has forged this movement - oscar was there too!! - shatha hamade from the barristers animal welfare panel spoke with feeling, as did philanthropic humanitarian philip wollen, who also donated $20,000 on the spot...

not so inspirational was the green's representative who didn't quite seem to get the point - puppy factories are cruel whether 'legal' or 'illegal' - they need to be abolished, not 'regulated' - $30,000 maximum fines won't deter the greedy or lessen the profit they stand to make, or change the fact that puppy factories only exist to churn out puppies for profit ensuring animals are cruelly exploited as nothing more than money-making breeding machines - at least she was there i guess, unlike the other political parties who were conspicuous by their absence!!!! ohh, and nelli scarlet's rendition of somewhere over the rainbow was beautiful...

thank you debra - without your passion these 'chambers of horror' would still be kept secret... unfortunately many are still hidden away from scrutiny... this cruel industry needs to be closed down to save all the 'other oscars' languishing in appallingly sickening conditions - 'people power' can change this world so please, take a stand now and visit the oscar's law website to see how you can stand up for the voiceless...

 

"Oh, the power and the passion
Oh, the temper of the time
Oh, the power and the passion
Sometimes you've got to take the hardest line"

from "power and the passion" by midnight oil

my, time certainly flies...

hard to believe that my two weeks off are just about over – and i didn’t even blog during that time… hey, there were times i didn’t even turn on the computer for days at a time… guess i needed a break from technology too…

i did the 'dutiful daughter' thing though – yep, the mother was ill - she thought her kidneys were 'packing up' so we got into the hospital and then spent 7 hours in the emergency ward while they monitored lungs and kidneys - once they discovered neither had deteriorated significantly they sent her home – the next day was spent checking up on her and doing her shopping…

of course, when she wanted more shopping a couple of days later i wasn't so happy when she insisted on coming - she refuses to accept she can't do what she once did - consequently she needed to take a break from walking (it wears her out - and she can barely breath) so we decided on a sit-down and a coffee… she thought we should eat but she just couldn’t (or wouldn't) understand that there was nothing in the shop i could get that was vegan-friendly and anyway, all i wanted was coffee, but she could have food... her response was typical - why couldn’t i just 'stop being so damn difficult' – hmmm,  apparently i went vegan just to antagonise her!!!!

you could say we get very niggly after too long with each other - conversation sometimes can get a bit strained between us - the mother's become really conservative over the years so we disagree on a lot of issues… i try to just let things ‘wash over me’ but after a while ‘bad daughter’ comes to the fore and stands up for herself and her beliefs… my mother just doesn’t ‘get’ vegan – vegetarian she could (just) cope with, but vegan - now that's just tooooo weird... never has she asked why i chose to be vegan - of course, why would she, she already knows i did it to be difficult!! – these days it seems if it’s not her belief system, it's not worth learning about - it's not the status quo so we just won't talk about it… fuck there are times when i wished i lived on a remote country property far away from my mother (and, at times, humankind in general!) – see, bad, bad daughter….

enough of the mother/daughter shit... 

i haven’t gotten through anywhere near the amount of reading i had planned… and now i’ve gotten even more to read because two new books i bought a few weeks ago arrived… ‘the sexual politics of meat: a feminist-vegetarian critical theory’ by carol adams, and ‘sister species: women, animals and social justice’ ed. by lisa kemmerer… being mine rather than the library's though means i can read them anytime...

i did watch a couple of interesting movies – one, a documentary called “troubled minds - the lithium revolution” – in the 1940s an australian doctor, john cade, discovered the ‘benefits’ of lithium for treating manic depression (as it was called then – bi-polar now) – this in effect marked the beginning of psycho-pharmacology (the use of drugs to manage psychiatric conditions) – up until this discovery electric shock ‘therapy’ and lobotomies were the dominant treatments… it explains his search for chemical alternatives to these brutal forms of treatment and the lack of interest from drug companies because lithium is a naturally occurring element so couldn’t be exploited commercially – it was quite fascinating actually….

i also watched ‘ironclad’ – set in 13^th century england when john was king – this is the story of what john did after being forced to sign the magna carta – his rampage across the country and the violence he and his mercenary army perpetrated against all who signed the document and supported limiting a kings powers – that included mass slaughter of families and villagers - in his desire to regain total control… this was also very interesting, but very graphic - i found myself closing my eyes a lot – but they were violent times…

i caught up with a number of people too – usually dinner at my place because it’s just easier – i know exactly what’s gone into the food and nobody that comes to share has any problems with my vegan menu – consequently i cooked, ate and drank soooo much – and i did catch up with a vegan friend that i hadn’t seen for ages – it’s always lovely to speak to a full-on, ra-ra-ra vegan - ahh, another's passionate belief in the things i hold important – it makes the heart sing...

two causes i strongly believe in take ‘centre stage’ this week…

the first one is the oscar’s law rally i’m off to tomorrow -  a campaign to stop the factory farming of companion animals… the campaign is named for this wee little boy who was finally rescued after spending 5 years as a breeding machine for the greed of humans… the sheer neglect these babes suffer is heartbreaking… my old girl allie who died earlier this year spent her first 4 years of ‘life’ as a ‘brood bitch’ in a puppy factory and believe me there are psychological as well as physical scars from the deprivations they endure…

the second cause is palestine’s 'push' for UN recognition of statehood…  over 120 nations from the middle east, africa, asia, and latin america have already endorsed this initiative, but israel and the US are trying to block it... europe is still undecided - sadly it appears australia is undecided too… 44 years of occupation is just way too long - please sign the petition calling on the UN to recognise the state of palestine here…





i'll leave you with this video a friend sent me... 'freed' after decades as laboratory animals in a pharmaceutical research facility, this is the extremely touching vision of a group of chimpanzees seeing the outside world, feeling the sun on their faces and bodies, for the first time... their pleasure is apparent - palpable - and brings a tear to the eye and a smile to the lips... (the commentary isn't in english - but who needs commentary - a picture paints a thousand words)... you can read more here...