[Miscellany]

* Currently rather sick, in manner of throwing up a lot and limited to bed and tele watching but too sick and bothered to properly look for the remote. This means I'm stuck on whatever channel it is that has ready steady cook on it (no, changing channel by getting up is not really something I want to do when fear of bile rising up haunts me). It's rather unfair to be subjected to watching RSC when I can't actually eat anything at the moment. Also rather unfortunate that I'm missing all the parties I actually WANT to go to but am well for the ones that I would rather avoid. How in the hell does that work? Also rather shitty that have fallen sick at time when I have no sick "leave without doc certificates" left. This means I have to pay 60 odd bucks for a trip to the doctor if I want to get paid, better yet the doctor is booked up until after this blasted illness will have already ravaged me and shall be back to normal. I always find it's better not to ask for a medical certificate when you're nice and healthy. Oh ya, I really was sick Doc. Pluz give me two days off for last week!! I iz telling da truth, honest! It's either that scenario or get docked two days of pay. At this point I'm just too bothered to care and that maybe having less pay this week will stop me from splurging over the Christmas season. I knew that I was born under an unlucky sign. Stupid tummy bug.

* Last Sunday afternoon I decided quite suddenly to get Xmas shopping done in one day. Yes, you read right I didn't even get up early in the morning. I just turned up willy nilly mid afternoon thinking righto, now who do I need to buy for? Looking back probably not one of my better plans. Might have worked best if I had a list or ...well my wits about me. I forgot to buy about 5 presents and now I have to make time in-between spews to go back. I have spend a rather gargantuan sum of money all fueled by my philosophy of I'd rather buy this perfect present than spend the rest of the day looking for something similar but cheaper. On the whole I do think that if you get me for your Kris Kringle/Secret Santa gift you've hit a spot of good luck. If, however you happen to be me, you're in the shitter.

* Am absolutely appalled almost beyond words by this

Nine males who pleaded guilty last month to gang-raping a 10-year-old girl at the Aurukun Aboriginal community on Cape York have escaped a prison term, with the sentencing judge saying the child victim "probably agreed" to have sex with them.

Once again I'm just disgusted by the way that rape against women is handled in this country (I'm not even going to attempt to discuss 3rd and 2nd world atrocities against women). This is by far not the first time I've written about how overwhelming evidence was ignored in a rape trial on this journal and I can tell it won't be the last. Next we are going to be handing out medals to people who violently rape women. By the way Ms Judge (yes, it was a woman) a 10 year old can't agree to shit, no matter how much you rationalise it - yes even in QLD. For fucks sake. How can this still be happening? How can rapists still be getting off? Put your daughters in hiding, that's all I can say. :(

Labels: christmas, dirty femmo, gender stuff, money, rape, sick

posted by M at 9:17 pm 17 comments

Today I went to do my civic duty by voting I witnessed something so horrific that 4 hours later I'm still not sure I'm over it. There was NO sausage sizzle at the polling booth. Cake stall; yes. Sausage Sizzle; NO. How can they call themselves a polling booth if they don't offer a lovely burnt to perfection with a choice of tomato sauce with or without onions sausage sizzle? I don't understand how they sleep at night. I'm just disappointed and upset by the whole thing and feel it is all very unAustralian. Even if I personally am not partaking in the sausage fest then I like to know that others in my electorate have the option to chow down if they want. Cake stall: Who wants a flipping cake stall? There's no enjoyment in a fruitcake...not like a nice hot sausage between a slice of tip top bread dripping with sauce and creating a sense of community spirit when you all stand around and laugh at the cronies handing out the vote Liberal pamphlets.

I know that the school I work at is having a sausage sizzle because I had to paint the bloody sign informing the general public of the event, so it confuses me that my local isn't having one. Who are these barbarians?

So, yes - it's election day. We have a choice between an ear wax eater and a man who has never invited his own deputy over for tea in the last 10+ years of working together. Fuck all other policies - I mean the fact Howard is war mongering, semi-retired, cricket loving, upper middle class serving man who enjoys being sodomized by the US Prez has a lot to do with it too - but the dinner thing well, I think that's just disgraceful. Mrs Howard has come out and said that she and the hon. Johnny haven't invited Pete and wife over for tea because they don't ever have foursomes at their home for dinner parties. Yes, this was the official bullshit excuse. It's not like they have to be best friends or anything but I assumed that there would be some bond to speak of since they are running the country together. After all, if the Libs stay in power the reigns will be handed over to Pete in a minute. Good to know there's a lot of communication going on between them behind closed doors so a smooth transition happens. No thanks, I voted for ear wax guy instead. At least we know his ears are clean enough to listen...well, they are NOW.

EDIT - convo I had with my bro earlier.

bro - so hey, I think this girl thought I was stalking her.
me - um...whaaa?
bro - yeah, it was the other day when I was meeting you for dinner and I got off the bus at a different spot from where I usually do so I could walk to the restaurant.
me - okay...
bro - anyway, I think this girl thought I was following her.
me - *laughing* riiight, did she stare at you or something?
bro - yeah, she was looking over her shoulder at me while I was walking behind her. She was really freaked out.
me - no shit *laughing*.
bro - it's not funny! I don't want to be a stalker
me - *laughing even harder* whatever. So what happened?
bro - she ran.
me - RAN? Like....ran?
bro - yeah, the thing is I tried to walk slower so that it wouldn't freak her out and then I thought I'd cross the road so I was away from her but at the last second she crossed too - so it looked like I was following her across the road. She saw me do it and then she ran.
me - oh my god, that's tragic. You stalking bastard, you have fucked her shit up good.
bro - why does she have to be so paranoid?
me - are you fucking kidding me? You have no idea what it's like to be a girl walking down a deserted street alone? If I hear heavy footsteps behind me I always grab my keys and hold them between my fingers, ready to punch. I always walk faster. I can't believe you don't know this!
bro - yeah, but that's just you.
me - bullshit, you fuck.
bro - but I'm not a stalker! I'm not doing anything wrong.
me - duh, you're just there, that's enough. She doesn't know you. She doesn't care who you are. You're just some guy walking down a totally deserted street behind her. It's not like it was in the middle of Collins St or something. You're asking her to trust you to walk behind her when in the real world women walking alone down a deserted street might be rape victims. Especially around THAT area. Why would she trust YOU?
bro - I didn't ask her to trust me! I just don't want her to freak out.
me - yeah, well maybe in a society where men don't prey on women she could walk down the street without freaking out.
bro - yeah, I know that this is an issue but...
me - sure, you *know* it's an issue but it's not something you actually ever have to deal with. It's not part of your reality of walking alone. It's part of her reality. Okay, you will rarely see a woman actually RUN but they're probably thinking 'hm..this could be dodgy, or 'oh shit' somewhere in their heads. Just because women don't always show their fear doesn't mean they aren't scared. She might have had an experience with an attacker or maybe her friend did.
bro - yeah well, I'm just saying I'm not a stalker.
me - well stop stalking people then.
bro - you suck.
me - yeah, bring it up at the next meeting of the men's alliance when you're talking about ruling the world hahahaha.
bro - haha, you're an idiot. But seriously, now I have a problem
me - what's that?
bro - I take her bus everyday. So every day from now on I have to deal with her thinking that I'm stalking her.
me - hahaha, that rules. Are you going to be like "hey I noticed you thought I was stalking you the other day but I just wanted you to know that I'm really normal".
bro - haha, noooo
me - go on, it would be cool. See if she reports you.
bro - I can't believe I have to deal with this shit now. I did nothing wrong.
me - yeah yeah whatever, no sympathy for stalkers.

Labels: bro, conversations, disgust, election day, gender stuff, girls and women, petty, political musings, rape, sausage sizzle, yes I am taking politics, Yoko woman

posted by M at 12:55 pm 22 comments

Last year I wrote a post about how disgusted I was by the rape and subsequent posting of that FILMED ASSAULT of that young girl on YouTube and then the selling of that DVD to the local High Schools.

For those of you who didn't click on the link above let me outline this for you.

A young girl, with developmental delay was lured into a clearing by a group of boys where she was filmed being penetrated, urinated upon, SET ALIGHT, spat at and laughed at (ie: tortured).

The movie given a title Cunt: The Movie was then distributed and sold by those boys to students in local high schools for around $5 in the community where that girl lived.

That film was then posted on YouTube where it was viewed thousands of times.

This didn't happen in Iraq or Afghanistan by the way, it happened in Melbourne's western suburbs.

The boys were apprehended, after a search - some even dobbed in by their parents. The boys pleaded guilty.

Well, this week the verdict is in.

What do you think they deserve? They pleaded guilty. They are guilty. They are disgusting.

Hm?

Nothing. They get off. Well the ones who have already faced court have anyway.

Oh right, yes they need to attend a course which deals with how to treat women with respect but apart from that little is done by way of punishment. I'm sure handing them a shiny present like escaping punishment will really teach them a lesson.

I'm just at a loss for any real way to convey how horrified I am by the light hand being dealt these boys. PARIS HILTON WENT TO JAIL FOR DRIVING WHILE HIGH, these boys RAPED A GIRL, FILMED HER TORTURE and then SOLD IT. They PLEADED GUILTY and they are let off.

Should they be rotting in jail? Yes.

But why aren't they?

How can guilty men NOT be convicted justly in a court of law? A court of law which is set up supposedly to protect men as well as women. Not just men.

And I have to ask the real question - how can women EVER trust in our system of law (and law enforcement) to keep us safe from crimes such as rape and aggravated assault when it's evident that even the guilty don't get a conviction?

Already we are too scared to report these crimes in the first place. Statistics show that the number of rapes that are reported only indicate a VERY SMALL fraction of those rapes that actually DO OCCUR. Furthermore even when the crime is reported not many convictions seem to happen or if they do, they aren't ever long enough or harsh enough. After they get out, many rape again, and again. Indeed according to recent article in The Age

CONVICTION rates for rape in Victoria may have fallen below 1 per cent of all rapes committed, based on an examination of police records combined with government surveys and courts data.

Why is this happening?

Do women matter so little in this world that crimes committed TOWARDS us (as yes, I am personally affronted by this, and you should be too) are swept so carelessly under the carpet? This is something we need to address.

Is the case for women so hopeless that we've stopped fighting? No one says anything - are we scared or scarred? Furthermore, why aren't our fathers, brothers, husbands and people who love us, publicly up in arms about it? Why is it that of the few voices that speak out - almost all of them are those of women? Sorry to be overly cynical but if we're not being heard in the court room then certainly we're not being heard in the public arena. Obviously these are not just a women's issues anyway. These are issues that people should TALK about, both men and women - but sadly no one ever wants to.

This shit has gone on long enough - this is not a girl being overly emotional and hysterical here. We are being wronged.

Labels: dirty femmo, disgust, law, no musical monday today, questions, rape, why

posted by M at 9:23 pm 23 comments

When I heard about the Rape DVD I was horrified. When I read about what actually happened I cried my eyes out. There is never an excuse - underage or not. I don't actually share the 'lock 'em up and throw away the key' attiude that some people have for these kinds of offences. Everyone knows hardcore rapists are back out on the street within a year on good behaviour anyway. My punishment would be much, much harsher. The kind of retribution I would applaud when it comes to dealing with these kinds of men, goes waaay outside the dealings of the "law" (which let's face it is a JOKE). I do not think that the law is in any way adequate in dealing with crimes of sexual assault. I don't even think we're half way to treating victims like 'humans' when it comes to rape trials. I know you have to hear both sides of the story but if you think you can't defend the indefensible then when it comes to rape trials you're wrong. Truth of the matter though, I doubt there is any punishment that would ever fit the crime.

That is speaking generally - but basically what happened in this particular situation was this: After agreeing to meet someone off MSN a young girl with 'mild developmental delay' was set upon by a gang of boys who sexually assulted her, urinated on her, set her on fire, filmed it all and distributed the DVD. It was also shown on YouTube complete with lines like "What the f---, she's the ugliest thing I have ever seen."

I know some girls are absolute bitches. I know that there are girls who will kill, lie, cheat, steal, and abuse men. But this kind of shit described above sounds all too common to me on the part of actions from men on women. Tell me you haven't heard of another case like this one before? It's a dime a dozen and it's crap. Rape is a gendered crime - apart from the excpetions to the rule rape is a crime that happens to women perpetrated by men. I honestly don't want to hear about the arguments where women 'make shit up'. This is not what I'm talking about. I mean the real deal. How did we get to the stage where men think it's okay to do this? They thought it would be a good time to target a girl and sexually assault her. I can't imagine anyone not be horrified by this, but still it happened. It happens everyday. It's happening right now, somewhere. Why?

This makes me both sad and angry. We basically live in a culture that supports this kind of action. I'm not saying anyone condones it - I'm saying that the culture is RIPE for it. A DVD was made and it was distributed. I mean fuck.

Are we raising boys wrong?
How did it get to this stage?
Why?

Someone explain it to me because:
I
don't
understand.

Labels: dickheads, men, rant, rape, women

posted by M at 11:39 pm 24 comments