Exaggerations

[jennyaxe]

Sometimes when I bring up a topic in conversation, it gets silent. I've been told this is because when people express other views I get upset. I won't accept them; I keep exaggerating the bad parts of the world. I keep insisting that stuff doesn't just happen, that there are people who choose to make bad stuff happen, and that they're around, even in this enlightened time and place. (This is all paraphrases; I may have completely misunderstood the reasons behind the reactions.)

Anyhow. A poem. With links in it. And it may be triggering,
Why I'm a Feminist, Reason #564

It seems I exaggerate
Irrationally I harp on the negatives
There are many good men
It's not all a vast conspiracy
So why keep exaggerating the problem?

Then I read:
The judge said the victim
was provocatively dressed
so the sentence should be lenient
Ten years old, she was.

Then I read:
a woman with opinions
only needs to be raped
with a big black dildo
then she'll stop talking

Then I read:
The man, previously sentenced
for sexual abuse of his oldest daughter's friends
had sole custody of his son and younger daughter
He started abusing her when she was three.

Then I read:
The doctor raped the woman
while she was under anesthetic

Then I read:
The sentence for the three boys
fifteen years old, who had gang-raped
a thirteen year-old, was lowered
because they hadn't damaged her

I do not say all men are like this
I do not say the world is all bad
I acknowledge that these are individuals
making their own choices to hurt others

All I'm saying is,
I wish it it were exaggeration

Comments

[ailbhe]

Quite.

The British judge should be removed from his position

[mouseworks.livejournal.com]

He sounds like he's trying to provoke someone to shoot him, which should mean that anyone who shoots him should, of course, get a very mild sentence.

And a bike.

[megabitch.livejournal.com]

You can raise subjects with us.... you will mostly likely get violent agreement - we can have a hugely loud discussion where we agree with each other vehemently.

[mac-arthur-park.livejournal.com]

That's amazingly powerful, and unfortunately so, so true. Thanks for sharing.

[katlinel.livejournal.com]

I wish it were an exaggeration too. But it isn't.

I read last week that there are fewer Rape Crisis Centres in the UK now than there were in 1985, and about half of those may have to close.

"Nicole Westmarland, the chairwoman of Rape Crisis in England and Wales said the organisation “really is at crisis point now”. Only 32 centres remain compared with 84 in 1985, and there are just two small, local groups to serve the whole of London."

From http://www.thefword.org.uk/blog/2007/july#000999

[supermouse.livejournal.com]

I get the same reaction when I try to point out why the small, 'harmless' things matter.

Last minute dot com have an advertising campaign on the go atm, 'grab summer', suggesting 'she' is a 'tease' and needs to be 'grabbed', and 'pinned to the ground' to be 'cherished'. I'm horrified. I don't expect I could get many people I know to see what's so bad about it.

[rodluvan.livejournal.com]

Interesting to read your words about men and woman. This was a long time ago you wrote this.

Today I want to comment another thing.

I wish you a Happy Birthday!
The gift I want to give are some words.
I wish you happiness, health and a lot of nice hours with the horses.

Have a good day and take care of yourself!