Near the Old Man of Storr, Scotland I took this in 2004

Friday, April 10, 2009

The G20 and all that jazz


"Rap is like a set up. A lot of games. A lot of suckers with colourful names. I'm so-and-so. I'm this and that. But they all just wick wick whack."
( K.R.S One, My Philosophy)

I'm not sure when it leap frogged from merely the G8 to a whopping 12 extras to quickly gain more allies against the clawing, angry unwashed, poor, anarchist masses?

Though, I must say here that I don't agree with the tactics of the 'protesters'; throwing shit through windows and burning plastic and doing all the things that they are rallying the leaders to not do. What I dig is the art that came out of it. The life-size monopoly board with people as the game pieces, among other photos I saw that were creative.

And just so we're all on board here, anarchy means "without rulers" not, as most people tend to think : without rules. There is a big distinction. It's funny how 1 letter can make the world of difference, really. Well, I've just finished writing a letter to a guy at a paper who did a "thing" , for lack of any thing decent to call it, on what the wives of the leaders of the world were wearing.

Just a random p.s. here, does Good Friday mean anything to you? Well it doesn't for the Huichols either, but they do recognize Jesus the Light or Christ (Greek: Chrystos) as a shaman and healer, and during Semana Santa, Holy Week, the week leading up to Easter, they involve his statues in processions. Pretty synchretic huh? Who knew?

I always knew them as very animistic, pagan, and deeply spiritual, versus religious people. Though, it isn't strange, because most, 'new world' cultures, (even to some extant the First Nations people here in North America) and religions are blends of Catholicism and much older, earth-based spiritulaities. We can also see evidence of this in other religions, like
Santeria or Condomble, and in RastafarIansim; the I and I consciousness ,which is also referred to as a "movement-culture".

"Jah free the people, over hills and vallies too..../Through this mystical communication within, we keep on getting together. I love to see brothers and sisters looking out for one another."

"Although mainly converted to Christianity, the Huicholes are polygamous and usually pray to deities of nature, such as the sun, fire, water and fertility. Their celebrations include the local change of headman around January 1st, Carnival, Holy Week and various festivals connected with the harvest. They are all linked by special rituals, including particular foods, drinks, music, dances, sacrifices, etc." ( from http://www.planetware.com/nayarit/huicholes-mex-nay-hch.htm)

Here it is, for your reading pleasure: Two things to note, before we begin reading. One, I used his first name on purpose, women are always being referred to simply by their first names.
___________________________________________________________
This letter is in response to the article from Friday April 3rd, 2009 in the Living section.

While the world is economic turmoil, and the G20 summit has allowed a flood gate of anarchy to reign with issues of environmental torture and capitalist oligarchies front and centre, you grace us with what the women were wearing.
Did you ever stop to think that if those same women were running the show in their full-on own right , perhaps the G20 , a big boys club if ever, and all it's ensuing riots wouldn't have been as bloody?
Naturally, you mention none of these heavy topics, because, one assumes , you are aiming your article, if it can even be called that, at women, am I right? And therefore in keeping with these assumptions, keep it "fun" must be your motto?
To that end, let me begin with saying how disgusted I am Derek, by your reduction of women to nothing more than mannequins. You begin the reductionist insults right off the bat in your title, wherein you use the word
Mrs., assuming that all the women in that group want to be recognized as belonging to a man,which is what Mrs. entails; there is no male equivalent Derek. These "wives-of" are professionals with degrees, thoughts, emotions and power, and yet you, like all men in patriarchal societies who have imbibed the misogyny hook and all, see women as nothing more than an appendage to someone or a clothes-horse. Because you write a pithy column about fashion, read: enslavement, you think your brand of sexism won't look as crass and degrading as a catcall, but it does. You feel it's your place to make sure that these women are seen and ogled as 'good' and 'dutiful' wives in order to keep up appearances, and therefore not to be heard. Won't it be interesting, Derek, to have the world run by women?
We
would parade you sorry lots around in tiny clothes, comment on your hair, bodies and teeth, and your only job would be to act as "arm candy".
It wouldn't matter how many doctorates you had, research papers written, court cases won, surgeries performed or lectures given, your gender would still be here to keep our houses clean, our food cooked and to receive low wages and no rights, sounds about right, doesn't it?
Oh, and if men were quiet and didn't make too much fuss, we might let you vote. Though, we wouldn't want you to concern your pretty, little heads with the big, scary world of politics, so maybe in a hundred years! These women, Derek, the partners of the men leaders, do not deserve to be displayed and commented on like Barbie Dolls. I suppose no one's taught you that a woman's worth is not, at all, based on appearance, though your club, patriarchy would have us believe otherwise. Derek, you need to step into 2009.

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