A bigot is dead
William F. Buckley, that is. I’m on the same page as most of the commentors over at Making Light, and this comment particularly summed it all up: I’m baffled by the backhanded complements of, “well, at least he was an intellectual.” Bullshit. He was good at using fancy words to dazzle simpletons, nothing more. He [...]
Feminist motherhood: a definition
Feminist motherhood: the radical notion that children are people. [After reading this, and this.] Related posts: Mary Elizabeth Williams on the recent NYT motherhood click ‘n’ stoush bait Living as a feminist Redux: The 21st Century Motherhood Movement – book review A new definition of functional Is motherhood really that hard?
Another for the “beware delegating authority to thugs who like uniforms” file
A baby from Samoa who had been approved entry to the USA for heart surgery in Honolulu dies after being detained in the airport without an oxygen mask due to questions over his mother’s visa (the accompanying nurse and the baby were both US citizens, so there was no reason to detain them with the [...]
“Please don’t push me off my Segway.”
A couple of days ago, I talked about the harm done by busybodies and assholes who proceed on the assumption that everyone they meet must be able-bodied until proven otherwise. From the San Francisco Chronicle this weekend comes an article: “Segway helps disabled man more than wheelchair”. A man with a spinal injury found that [...]
I Can’t Believe You’re Disabled! Institutional Abuse and Vulnerability
More for the disabled-people-are-treated-lower-than-shit files: From Huffington Post, via disabled_rage: Police officer in Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office has been suspended – for dumping a man with quadriplegia out on his face. Brian Sterner was brought in on a warrant for a traffic vioaltion. Charlette Marshall-Jones, who didn’t believe he was a “real” quadriplegic, grabbed the [...]
Apology and Reparation: In Their Own Words
A roundup of some background and responses around Apology Day and reparations. ~~~ “For the pain, suffering and hurt of these stolen generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry. To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say [...]
Acknowledgement and Apology
This post is being continually updated with links to commentary on the Apology Today, for the first time, indigenous people performed a Welcome to Country ceremony at the Opening of the Parliament of Australia. Kevin Rudd’s hope is that this innovation of the 42nd Parliament will become a permanent Parliamentary tradition. I heard some of [...]
Another ex-fattie scolding those who haven’t managed the same
Charming title: Face it, fatty, your genes are innocent The Times columnist India Knight has, of course, co-authored a book (and related cookbook) about losing 5 stone a few years ago and has a website for weight-loss support which advertises the books. In an astounding example of unexamined attitudes, she also has this pull-quote from [...]
Torture couture from Galliano
Speechless. Via the SMH, the new men’s collection from John Galliano, inspired by Abu Ghraib, and complete with bleeding neck and chest wounds, black hoods, and nooses. Photos below the cut. Related posts: Torture was central to both the witch scares and the Inquisition United Nations: Elder’s heatstroke death in police van possible torture or [...]
Mitt Romney and his Black Best Friends
Oh my, this is embarrassing. Major cringe warning. Mormon Republican candidate Mitt Romney gathers with a group of African American teenagers at a Martin Luther King Day parade. He spontaneously bursts into a chorus of “Who Let The Dogs Out?” followed by a half-hearted “Who! Who!”, as he realises they’re all looking at him funny. [...]
Supporting an apology
Photo from GetUp! Here’s the text of the e-mail I just sent to my MP: I just wish to offer my support for the Labor government’s decision to take the hugely symbolic and just action of apologising on behalf of the national government for the policies of the past which led to the suffering of [...]
Gestation Anxiety: the othering of intentional single motherhood
“Maverick Mother” is playing on SBS tomorrow, Friday February 1, at 10 pm. (on XY Doc). [1] “Brave stuff”. “Controversial”. ABC’s Life Matters has this to say about Janet Merewether’s autodocumentary, “Maverick Mother”. Did Merewether climb Mt Everest? Take her kids cave-diving? Trek through a war zone with a baby on her back? Refuse chemotherapy [...]
The Rotting Cryptkeeper is at it again
Via a commentor at Larvatus Prodeo, I discovered that Fred Phelps, the leader of the Westboro Baptist Church hate group, is planning to picket the funeral of Heath Ledger as a “fag enabler”. As I’ve blogged before, the WBC’s funeral-picketing is largely a racket whereby the Phelps clan receives media attention that drives a trickle [...]
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