Of you want to know why I keep pounding away on this topic, Think Progress offers just a few sample statistics to explain why this is such a problem. And the message needs to be heard by MEN, because the vast majority of rapists are men. It goes well beyond the actual act. It is about respecting women as people as much as you respect other men. Too many of us don’t do that, even if they don’t go so far as sexual assault.
Learn. Continue reading
My thanks to a new follower of this blog for posting this cartoon on her own blog I do think it is important for young men and boys to stop destroying their own lives and futures by sexual assaulting another. But ultimately, they are making that choice, the victim is not, so it is not about their lives it’s about the lives they have damaged or even destroyed with their vicious act. I’ll add again, that is so whether it is a man or a woman, whether s/he is a sex worker, a gender bender, a “slut,” or any other person whom someone might think “deserves it.” This is is an inviolable right, and no one loses it for any reason. Is it really rocket science to understand that NO means NO?! Continue reading
It is absolutely shocking to me that the girl who was raped in Steubenville, Ohio is now being subjected to threats and harassment for coming forward, as is the blogger who helped shine a national spotlight on this appalling case. It is a sad comment on how far we still have to go regarding the treatment of women in our culture. It is also a sad comment on how freely rape permeates so much of the society around us. Continue reading
The United States is the only country where owning a gun is considered a God-given right. For some, perhaps, it is merely held to be a constitutional right (in this, it stands with only three other countries: Guatemala, Haiti and Mexico.) But whatever level of divinity is bestowed upon it, the gun is American culture’s Golden Calf. Continue reading
The latest breaking news story, as I write this, has at least a dozen children gunned down at a Connecticut elementary school, the latest example of the appalling trend in the United States of the abuse of guns. It should come as no surprise to anyone, and I, as someone who routinely writes about the devastating effects the so-called “pro-Israel” lobby has on peace, US policy and the future for both Israelis and Palestinians (the Lobby is anything but pro-Israel as its actions have demonstrably worked against the
The gun, an American icon almost as central as the flag
interests of the Israeli people and Jews the world over), appreciate only too well how the National Rifle Association (NRA) has warped the debate over guns in this country.
So here are a few points, and forgive any typos as weeping over dead children while I try to write is always difficult, no matter how practiced I have had to become at it. Continue reading
Wow. Chris Kluwe, punter for the Minnesota Vikings in a no-holds barred barrage on the weasely bigot and hater, Emmett C. Burns, who is sadly a delegate here in Maryland. The sort of thing that someone who has no desire to really get into politics can write, and bravo to him. This is the sort of thing that really lifts the spirits. I loathe the Vikings, but maybe that might change, at least for a while… Read and enjoy.
Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo has spoken out in favor of a Maryland ballot initiative that would legalize gay marriage. Yahoo has published a letter that Maryland state delegate Emmett C. Burns Jr. wrote last week to Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, urging him to “inhibit such expressions from your employee.” This is Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe’s response to Burns.
I’m an old-time DC Comics reader. As a kid, in the 1970’s, I only occasionally read a Marvel comic book. But when it comes to cinema, I can only thank the gods for Christopher Nolan and his Batman trilogy, without which DC would be almost completely shut out of the truly classic comic book movie group.
Marvel has been light years ahead of DC for quite a while, and DC’s horrifying attempt to catch up with last year’s disastrous Green Lantern, a film which disappointed me all the more since Green Lantern was one of my childhood favorites, only demonstrated how much better Marvel works with the big screen and big bucks.
The Avengers takes Marvel’s dominance to a whole new level. It can be fairly said that this is everything a superhero movie should be, and then some. Continue reading
Well, as the title suggests, I have no idea if anyone will be at all interested in reading this blog, but I wanted a place to write some thoughts that have nothing to do with Israel and Middle East related politics, or with sports.
On those subjects, you can find my writing at The Third Way: Finding Balance In Mideast Analysis and on the rare occasion I actually write about sports anymore, you can find that at Diamonds and Gridirons. Continue reading
High Crimes and Misdemeanors 