Rape Culture


Normally I would never post this video but our society is condoning rape. I pulled this off of YouTube and it sickened me. As I have said so many times, rape has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with power and control. The young men in this video are the basest of human beings. This is important to me because it speaks to The War Against Women and it happened here in Ohio, the state where I now live.

The boys came from middle class families and had good prospects for their futures. Because of the choice they made, they aren’t even descent enough human beings to pick up garbage. This is not an isolated crime, it happens all the time in all countries around the world. A woman is not a piece of property to be used and discarded. It is clear in the video that no one taught this concept to these boys. Why? Perhaps the parents feel women are to be owned. Perhaps there  is violence in their homes.

In this particular rape case are fragments of the thinking behind all of the rape cases here and around the world that it is just sex and not a crime. A woman isn’t raped because she is a whore. She is raped because, even in 2013, women are considered property. The fact that the town tried to protect the boys who committed this horrible crime is enough to make me throw up. There isn’t privilege  for the high school jocks, or professional sports figures. They don’t get to rape a woman without paying a heavy price. If a guy rapes a woman, his future needs to be and will be gone.

Women who are raped don’t just get up and go on with life. They feel degraded and dirty. Some shower over and over because they no longer feel clean. This is something I can understand. Women who are raped are victims and don’t need to be revictimized by the media, friends, the judicial system, or their own families. They need support and counseling.

It is vital that their names are not put into the media. This case violated this concept that we worked on in the 70’s and 80’s. Previous sexual experience is also not allowed into court testimony. If a woman has had consensual sex and later is raped, the previous experience does not mean she can be raped without consequence. We keep going in circles about women’s issues.  In 2013, we are once again in a war against women.

Now, The National Organization for Women.stopping abuse and rape.

Now, The National Organization for Women.
stopping abuse and rape.

There is only one reason for rape and it is a crime.

There is only one reason for rape and it is a crime.

Can we Disarm Domestic Violence


Disarm Domestic Violence

Disarm Domestic Violence

The people in Domestic Violence have put forth the logical thinking that abusers need to be not allowed to own guns by law. And guess who disagrees. The NRA. The National Rifle Association feels it is right and proper for an abuser to own guns. Even to own assault guns. I feel this is absurd and will increase the deaths of victims of Domestic Violence.

Enough victims have died due to their abuse. Why would we want to arm the abusers? The NRA has beaten back legislation to stop abusers from owning guns. This legislation would mandate that an abuser turn in all guns and not be able to buy more. Yes, I realize it is easy. Under current laws, you can buy guns at gun shows and other places.

Do we want to make it easier for the abuser to have a gun to further his/her power and control? They believe it is the constitutional right even of abusers. The NRA feels guns should not be confiscated unless someone is found guilty of a felony. They feel it “would be a nuisance”. I believe it could save lives.

At this point in time, Domestic Violence is a misdemeanor and includes a maximum sentence of 18 months. Even if it is a felony in your state, abusers need to lose the guns.

In Washington, current law gives judges issuing civil protection orders the discretion to require the surrender of firearms.They need to find a “serious and imminent threat” to public health. Records show that they seldom confiscate guns from an abuser. I guess if the imminent threat is ‘only’ about the women and children, that doesn’t count as public safety.

According to the New York Times, at least five women have been murdered in New York City by guns used by their abuser.This form of gun violence happens all the time even when the courts step in because the laws requiring the surrender of firearm under orders protection are not strong enough, subject to judicial lacity or are non-existent.

There are many individual stories that can freeze your blood. A woman’s abuser held a gun in her mouth and threatened to shoot her. He did not lose his guns until the cops stopped him from shooting her a second time. A woman filed for divorce and a restraining order. The cops refused to remove his collection of firearms. She went into hiding, with the assistance of the “Underground Railroad” that has been created by Domestic Violence shelters.  After a while she felt safe and she returned to her life. Her husband caught her in a parking lot and shot her and then killed himself.

The NRA needs to be stopped from encouraging the right to bear arms even if you are guilty of being an abuser. Male or female abuser, it is the same.If the NRA supports families as they like to brag about, then they should agree to the confiscation of all the guns of a person who assaults their spouse, significant other or children.  It is time to revisit the intention of the Second Amendment. The Founding Fathers did not intend for people to hide their crimes behind the Amendment.

If you are interested, there are previous blogs of mine dealing with gun control and Domestic Violence.

The War on Women

The War on Women

Quote from Abraham Lincoln

Quote from Abraham Lincoln

Don't turn away from uncomfortable truth. Stand up and stop the violence. Care what happens in families.

Don’t turn away from uncomfortable truth. Stand up and stop the violence. Care what happens in families.

The Experiment


Every time we are given an award, we are asked to tell a little bit about ourselves. I like this because we get to know each other better and form stronger bonds which will bring our hearts, souls, and minds into alignment. We will be able to accomplish more for the world when we can accept each other even if we don’t completely understand. So for this blog I am going to use pictures to show you more of myself. Call it an experienment. I wonder if people will enjoy this approach or just to have me say my favorite flowers are irises and roses. Please give me your opinion.

As I begin to love myself...

As I begin to love myself…

Believe in your dreams

Believe in your dreams

Children Learn Violence at Home

Children Learn Violence at Home

Love brings enlightment

Love brings enlightment

The death of the ego

The death of the ego

The essence of love

The essence of love

The five senses of the soul

The five senses of the soul

Don't carry the past with you

Don’t carry the past with you

Rumi

Hate leads to violence and hurts you more than the other people

Hate leads to violence and hurts you more than the other people

Audrey Hepburn

Audrey Hepburn

Everyday I let go again because I keep picking things up again.

Everyday I let go again because I keep picking things up again.

The equal rights ammendment must pass this year...2013

The equal rights ammendment must pass this year…2013

Maya Angelou

Maya Angelou

I try to create a new world every day

I try to create a new world every day

Imagine peace every day.

Dragon’s Loyalty


Thank you to Willowdot21 for nominating me for The Dragon’s Loyalty Award.

The rules are:

1- Display the Award Certificate on your website.

2-Announce your win with a post and link to whoever presented you with the award.

3-Present 15 awards to deserving bloggers.

4- Drop them a comment to tip them off after you have linked them in the post.

5-Post 7 interesting things about yourself.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I love the reflection of the moon on the water.

I believe that wild women don’t have the blues.

I believe in the unity of all religions. One Source, One God, One World.

I love my friends and my best friend and I have been friends for 36 years, Yes, it is hard to believe but very true.

I LOVE  art and making art with my photography, writing and  painting.

I love to garden(less than before) and to create container gardens for my porch each year.

I love all of my supporters here on WordPressa and am grateful to have met them.

Nominations:

CravesAdventure

The Eye-Dancers

Shianwrites

Clover58

Cyril

SilverPoet

Very Inspiring Blogger Award


Thank you to A Thursdays Child for nominating me for the Very Inspiring Blogger Award

Rules

1. Display the award logo on your blog.
2. Link back to the person who nominated you.
3. State 7 things about yourself.
4. Nominate 15 other bloggers for this award and link to them.
5. Notify those bloggers of the nomination and the award’s requirements.

Seven things about me

1. I love  the sound of my grands laughing and playing and there are nine of them.

2. I love  the sound of music, classical, ballet, opera, classic rock and roll, blues and jazz

3. I love the ocean and the mountains.

4. I love reading books and many are not one that everyone else is reading.

5. I love a gentle breeze on my face.

6. I love painting on the front porch on Sunday afternoons.

7. I love adventures of life.

Nominations:

CravesAdventure

HastyWords

Petchary

KenMcMurtrie

SnoringDogStudio

KarenWan

Award


I want to thank The Eye-Dancers for nominating me for the Versatile Blogger Award.

The rules for this award are as follows: Rules of the Versatile Blogger Award:

1. Display the award logo on your blog.

2. Thank and Link back to the person who nominated you.

3. State 7 things about yourself.

4. Nominate 15 bloggers for this award. (As this is my second round with this award, I’ve cut it down to 5)

5. Notify those bloggers of the nomination by linking to one of their specific posts so that they get notified by ping back.

Here are the seven things about myself! . . .

1. I love Chocolate ice cream

2. I love to read biographies and memoirs

3. I love to feed the birds

4. I love planning and executing my container garden

5. I love to go out to eat with friends and laugh and talk

6. I love to take photographs of everything and everyone

7. When I paint, the absolute best part, for me, is mixing colors.

New Nominations:

ClanMother

Stories by Williams

RoSy

Cyril

Lady Blue Rose

Who Heals the Creative Person


I am a child of the Universe

I am a child of the Universe

” Nature is the common, universal language, understood by all, meanings, moods, the whole scale of our inner experience, finds in nature the’ correspondences’ through which we many know our boundless selves.” —Kathleen Raine

Many people believe that as sentient beings, we are affected by the weather. The Weather Channel can affect my moods with their forecasts.I hate to admit that, but it is true. I think it is true for many and especially for the creative souls who respond emotionally to temperatures, sunlight, moonlight, wind, thunder and lightening. We are all creative in varying degrees and I know that Mother Nature can heal us if we allow it.

Here is a question for you, my readers. Does the sun heal our hearts and souls or do we make the sun smile because we are happy? There is a definite connection between mysticism and Mother Earth.

There is an old story about a woman whose heart had been bruised and maybe even broken. A friend took her on a trip. She shed the few tears she could. She was lost in pain. Halfway through the trip with her friend, a lovely blue sky began turning into a dark, grey, ominous one. Rumbles of thunder began to be heard by the two friends.

Then the bright light of lightning began to flash through the sky to accompany the thunder. Next, the Heavens open up and the rain was so very thick and when added to the dark sky, they found themselves in total pitch black darkness. Both friends were terrified and especially because they were out in the car.

The friend watched another bolt of lightning and a thought came to her as she tried to keep the car on the road despite the high winds. She declared, ” It is as if Mother Nature is angry about the way you have been hurt. And the angels are weeping for and with you. ”

The woman looked at her friend and realized that she was loved. She was loved by the Universe that made up her world and the friend who let her cry. The empathy she experienced through nature slowed her tears and gently brougnt them to a stop. As the skies cleared and the sun came out again, she realized that she had been the kind of love she needed at that moment.

The experience shows us that healing can come from many places through many experiences including nature.

Georgia O;Keefe painting.

Georgia O;Keefe painting.

Sunset on Lake Erie

The angels throw gold on the water to make us happy and content. Photography copyrighted by Barbara Mattio 2013