'honor' killing, and the media

[rivendellrose]

I hate being out of media connection. Not only do I get behind on my friends-list (sorry, everybody!), but I miss things like this. The whole thing.

I mean it. I seriously had not heard a word of this. Which wouldn't be so upsetting for if I didn't make a daily habit at the bookstore of reading headlines and a good number of articles online at the New York Times, Seattle Times, Seattle P.I., NPR, and BBC. And yet, somehow, it took me wading through backlog on the RSS feed of Whedonesque to hear about this. I'm gritting my teeth right now.

I've read more articles than I can count about a little British girl who disappeared while her family was on holiday on the continent. I've read no less than three articles about a man from my hometown who disappeared while hiking and then reappeared at his home after the search had been called off. I've read about the disaster in Lebanon, about Jimmy Carter retracting his bold condemnation of the current administrations in the US and UK, about the US military banning the use of YouTube for deployed soldiers, and about any number of interesting scientific discoveries, book reviews, local stories, and other trifling bits of what-have-you that apparently get front-page attention and post-facto commentary for much longer than a woman's last, horrific moments apparently being splattered all over the internet by the mob that murdered her. All I can think is that the media just doesn't consider this a big deal.

It is a big deal. I can understand the anthropological and cultural concepts behind all of this as much as I want, and I can agree that the Anglo-American west spends way too much of its time shaking its finger in the direction of other countries' cultural practices and the way women are treated, when we sure as hell aren't perfect. But this kind of thing should not be tolerated, anywhere, ever. Ever. And beyond that, I'm just going to shut up, because I'm not really saying anything useful, and I don't have a lot in my head right now other than that I feel angry, and sick, and hurt by the world. This leaves me feeling nothing but helpless and hopeless, and entirely sick of humanity, and I hate that feeling - as though nothing can be done, nothing will ever change. I don't know how the hell to make this kind of thing better. I just can't figure it out.

Comments

[reynard52.livejournal.com]

You are saying useful things. Sometimes sincere, livid rants are necessary and good for the rest of us to read or hear. And speaking of The Media sitting on it's hands, did you hear about this? No? Not surprised.
The Media (notice we don't call it 'news' any more) reports what's convinient or will sell.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

The trouble is that ranting from a distance doesn't do a lot. Alas.

I hadn't heard of that, although, to be fair, I'm kind of spaced out and sleepy tonight, so I also wasn't getting a lot out of it. Government-speak takes more mental capacity than I have to spare at the moment. :P

Oh yes. Hence my broad net of reading... I always hope that somebody will pick up on the stories that matter, if I read a bunch of different aggregates.

[narsilion.livejournal.com]

Ranting from a distance let people who don't always keep up on Joss' sight about the story. I hadn't heard a thing about it.
Thank you for the link. It really does help to let others know.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

The more people know about it the better, it just drives me crazy that there's not much else to do.

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

I totally understand the urge to rant. I blog about these sorts of incidents all the time, but no one seems to care much. But I keep at it because somebody has to. Emotionally, over time, you feel drained. There's always one more honour killing, one more girl gang raped by decree of the males in her clan, one more school set up to explode because it's a girls school.

Have you read Ayaan Hirsi Ali's book 'Infidel'? I've just started on it.

Sorry, didn't mean to emote all over your comments. Sometimes it all just gets to me.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Sorry, didn't mean to emote all over your comments.

Please do - it makes me feel less like a psycho for doing the same all over my journal. It's insane the kinds of things that can go on in the world without anyone seeming to notice or care.

I haven't, what's it about?

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Readers with an eye on European politics will recognize Ali as the Somali-born member of the Dutch parliament who faced death threats after collaborating on a film about domestic violence against Muslim women with controversial director Theo van Gogh (who was himself assassinated). Even before then, her attacks on Islamic culture as "brutal, bigoted, [and] fixated on controlling women" had generated much controversy. In this suspenseful account of her life and her internal struggle with her Muslim faith, she discusses how these views were shaped by her experiences amid the political chaos of Somalia and other African nations, where she was subjected to genital mutilation and later forced into an unwanted marriage. The rest of the review is here.

I've read several transcripts of speeches she has given, and followed her in the news, so am looking forward to reading her biography.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Hmmm. That does sound interesting, though I disagree with the idea of blaming the religion of Islam for what's happening. At its root (as in, the actual scriptures and doctrine) there's nothing any more sexist about Islam than there is in Christianity or Judaism. It's in the Hadith and in customary practice that it starts getting intensely problematic, and those parents aren't followed by all Muslims.

...Sorry for ranting at you. The residuals of an education in comparative religion - I can't resist occasionally soapboxing on this subject. ;)

[ithildyn.livejournal.com]

And meant to mention in my last comment that this issue is something you will find covered mostly in new media -- bloggers, online magazines, different organizations, etc. If you put 'honor killing' (or 'honour') into a search engine, you will get so many results it can sicken you.

Blogging, in a way, has been a godsend for me. In my own small way, I'm able to bring attention to the plight of these women and hope that more people will take an interest. Though after years of pounding away at the subject, it can be a little disheartening.

Okay, I'll shut up. I'm afraid I'm a little obsessive on this particular subject.

[beam-oflight.livejournal.com]

I only heard about this because someone on my F-list posted something about it. On the news here for the past 3 weeks, it has constantly been about that kid in Portugal. If it's not the first story it's the second one. Sure it's bad, but it really pisses me off when they do a story on how distraught the family are and put it on before a car bomb or something, something like this.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

I'm glad it's not just the outside perspective that makes it seem like the UK media has gone nuts over the whole Madeleine thing. It's terrible what happened, but I can't help feeling like the whole thing is getting out of control. Of course, they do the same around here...

(Incidentally. I realize this is a bit of victim-blaming that I really shouldn't even mention, particularly given the circumstances, but am I right in remembering that the parents left the little girl in their room/flat/whatever while they were out to dinner? Maybe this is just further proof that Americans are psychotic and paranoid, but I can't imagine doing that.)

[beam-oflight.livejournal.com]

No, I tought that too, she was 3 and she had a younger brother and sister in there too. Who leaves kids of that age alone all night?

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Exactly! Little kids choke, or chew on electric cords, or can't help themselves if there's a fire or something... anything!

[calesabre.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting this. It's so very important. I hadn't heard about it either, and the context you put it in is as important as Joss's take on it. I think that the fact that there has been virtually no media coverage--let alone condemnation of the videographers--proves Joss's point exactly. I don't know that anything can help, but I like the link he set up. And I'm damned glad there are men like him out there to help counterbalance the others.

[rivendellrose.livejournal.com]

Welcome. I found one other mention of it today... a link from the online magazine Slate's feminist column straight to Joss' commentary on the subject. I'm beginning to wonder if anyone else has so much as said a peep about it besides him.

I am, too. He may screw up other things (his mishandling of race is near legendary, by now, for instance), but I love the man and what he tries to do with his art.