Silent cries of acceptance

The whole issue of violence against women has panned out on a local and international level within the last year...we have experienced as a nation gruesome acts of violence against the female gender that has created a unsettling fear among all of us - from Lokeisha to the Tokyo beheading to Rihanna to the spate of raping.

And I question the foundation of this phenomenon...I say foundation because it seems to be an erroneous but basic element to so many female/male relations in our society. I was blessed never to see abuse in my home and even in my immediate surrounding neighbourhood but I know this is not the experience of many.

I will never forget having a discussion at the Community College (now A'Level) several years ago among my peers. A 'good' guy friend of mind firmly stated that "every now and then, you have to pelt some blows under a woman...so she could know who run things". I was appalled but I pursued the conversation simply because I was curious to find out how the hell could physically exerting superiority over another human being become an acceptable mind-set. The last I checked that thought process was applied to slavery, indentureship and chauvnism.

The discussion led up to rape and when does sex turn into rape or vice versa. A guy I will call E said, "Well sometimes, the girls like to tease and not give up the sex...so you force them until they go silent and stop fighting." That stopped me in my tracks. In my virgin naviete (at the time) I thought sex was supposed to be a mutual thing between two consenting and horny people and rape or "forcing until they become silent" as E called it was an act of someone suffering from a mental defect.

So, how acceptable is this behaviour and who thinks it to be the norm? I fear it is too many...

I sat in my car on Friday and saw a group of secondary school girls pass me...laughing and swaying with the joy of youth. For a moment, I reflected on those carefree days. That nostalgia abruptly ended when a young man approached the group from the opposite direction and literally pulled one girl into a neck hold that was straight out of a MMA fight, with a smirk on his face. The girl managed to get out of hold but the guy held onto her hand and dragged her with him several feet away from her friends until she pulled away...with a pissed look. Then she flicked her hair and ran to catch up with her friends....laughing and the young man just strolled on his way.

(1) No one stopped him...not her friends...a passerby...a vendor...not even me. Not one of us outwardly expressed concern as to how the girl was being treated.

(2) She laughed it off...it was acceptable to be 'man-handled' and I wonder if her struggle was really a struggle at all.

(3) The guy said nothing to her...whatever familiarity existed between them did not even warrant words...affection was equalled to a wrestling move.

And I am here left with a mirage of thoughts - am I being too judgmental; I have played rough house with my guy friends before and still get into a tustle now and then.

This is one entry that has left me more confused than when I started...no usual clarity of thought...sadly no epiphany.

8/7 or 9/6 OR it is over forever

It's over...it's not good now....move over....it's my turn now....it's over....the game's shut down...SORRY!

Well, I was in shock last night. I knew the yes vote would never meet the 67% but mi ass...almost 40%. I proud, shame and angry at the same time for the nation. An exercise in democracy...but was it tainted to some small degree?

But there is a part of me that is sad - I had the things that I wanted taken out and things I wanted added. Those range from issues that would have affected the wider populace for the better and those that conformed to my personal convictions. But I dare any opposer to say that their objections passed 10% of the changes/additions to the Consitution?

So, we have discarded many positives for a few negatives. It may well be that those negatives would have tainted the whole nation and eventually nullified the positives. It may also be that we have lost out on improving the standard of nationhood...not living, (as some gurus claimed it would not have done). I think of the Ombudsman (who the hell doesn't have a complaint against a Government officer)...the CCJ (nuff said on thatin a previous blog)...the list goes on.

What I think has to be realised by everyone is that the vote last night shows that unless there is a 8/7 or a 9/6 split in Parliament, Constitutional reform will not likely be successfully tackled by any of the country's present leaders. It is indeed something that will require a bi-partisan mandate.

Sad that it would have to forced...foisted upon them merely because the split demands it in order to get a 2/3 majority, just at the Parliament stage. I do not think any wise-thinking and strategically-minded politician would embark upon this process again without such numbers. To do otherwise would mean that we would be repeating the months between Sept. 3rd 2009 and Nov. 25th 2009 - and only positive history should be repeated and even then its echo should be improved upon.

Bill - a - board

Well, the pundits are on a roll with the bill-a-boards - between this week...they have sprung up all over the country...and I think the NDP won this battle...theirs' is so much more effective.

But forgive me for noticing the sloppy job on the Yes campaign/ULP bill-a-boards....the stuff looks like it is about to fall off...raised bumps in the centre, side, top and bottom of at least three that I have seen. Geesh....what happened to the concept that the race is not for the swift but those who endure til the end....or at the very least stick it on properly.

But that is a reflection of the way both sides have treated this Referendum...one was hasty, rushed, ...the other frantic and overwhelmed and both are misleading and power driven rather than being nationally-minded. So they erect some plywood all over the damn place and aim from a distance in an effort to get the message across....sorry you missed the bulls-eye.

I wonder when Ivan putting up his?

The conspiracy to maintain the masses

Is it too much to ask people to accept the existence of a differing opinion?

Forgive me if I temporarily shelve the controversial issues of race and religion...but my word...why does the voicing of another perspective immediately give rise to a raised eyebrow, a pursed mouth, a grunt of disapproval or even harsh verbal opposition.

My mental reasoning says to me that my views on life and its enigmas are based on my own individual experiences...a product of my past...my present and my hope of a future. Therefore, it would rationally mean that since no one in this world would have experienced the exact same life that I have, they are entitled to their own reasoning...rationale.

Or am I being an overly enthusiastic and naive human being? I am constantly awed by the swelling of intellectual flesh when I express a contrary position on a mere life issue...as if my words flay their tender bottoms. Alas, the person is offended... and those around act as if I am an affront to what was an amicable environment for conversation.

But I say to this......why the hell did I go to school? Why have I embarked on a career? Should my internal shelves of voracious reading gather dust?

Is this what we are encouraging a generation to do....be polite with your thought process and the articulation of the same...it may offend someone.

Aghast....it may yield more thinking, thought processes, a desire for knowledge, the attainment of wisdom and the cultivation of leaders and what shall we ever have....a people who THINK, DO and ACT beyond their greatest expectations...no longer content to be mere members of the malleable masses but to be effective citizens of SVG, our Caribbean Civilisation, a global community, the human race.

I SHALL NOT SILENCE MYSELF FOR FEAR OF THE CONFRONTATION OF THE MINDS.

I feel like squeeze a lime

I have spent the last several evenings tensely poised at my PC...waiting to click buttons on about three different websites...all before the damn red light make an unwelcome reappearance on my modem.

My internet has been infected with H1N1, I swear or...it is is like a griping child (I sat in front of one at an event some weeks ago...and I was itching to tell the mother to carry the child home). Always acting up...never reliable...and always interrupting something important. Like blogging...and God knows I have lost more than one inspirational thought just because the red light is very much there.

I feel like squeezing a LIME....a big juicy corporate one. And the squeeze will involve some possible caustic words...except they start training their customer service reps really well and my upbringing and adult consciousness will not allow me to verbally abuse someone so politely voiced.

But is not until after I hang up from reporting a fault, that I realise well I have been done for...it's like the American stereo-type of the blond chick...pleasant to look at to the point where the drivel coming forth can almost be savoury to the taste...until you see that blinking red light...again. And weeks pass and not a visit, call...not a thing....Oh wait...the monthly bill with full charges for ADSL....Asshole Deficiency System Log.

I have never been so tempted to use obscene language, oui...especially since I am one of hundreds of Vincentians pursuing distance education which REQUIRES the internet to access online resources.

I was tempted to start a tab on them...and hand it in at the end of the month and demand a discount. Except, I have a life and there are better things to do than sit and watch your money blink red..then green...then red...red...red...time to go to bed or watch cable.

Talking about that KARIB cable people...I need to find someone to give a review of their internet...maybe they have a good service or someone needs to bust a Chatoyer on them...

Wait, the red light gone, lemme submit this before my luck run out.