Pregnant on the Frontline

Journalist Elizabeth Rubin (pictured above) went to the Afghanistan's frontline to cover war - 4 months pregnant. She recently wrote about her experience -

"I never thought I'd write a personal story about being a war correspondent. It seemed so beside the point, so much less important than the story I was reporting. Some of my closest friends are photographers and writers who've worked in war zones, and whenever we'd get questions like "What's it like to be a woman and work in Afghanistan or Iraq?" we'd roll our eyes. It was an attitude, for sure, but one we were proud of...

How could a woman, particularly in the military, not understand why I would have kept my pregnancy to myself? Is it true that the toughest adversary for women is still other women? I may be extracting too much out of a simple anecdote, but it was enough to make me want to tell the story. One reason was visceral: I wanted to get even with her. The other is more complicated."

Read the full article here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/apr/11/afghanistan-pregnant-war-female-embedded

Any thoughts about this? Please leave your comments here!

Women at Arms

Before 2001, America’s military women had rarely seen ground combat. Their jobs kept them mostly away from enemy lines, as military policy dictates.
- Lizette Alvarez for The NY TIMES

It's official US military policy to not allow women in combat situations. Oddly enough, I am quite familiar with this policy. At the tender age of 15 I spent a summer arguing against such military policy, urging the Senate to pass a law reversing such policy (this was some nerd mock government stuff). Nevertheless, it's STILL an ongoing discussion, evoking emotion and passion (whether you are for or against).

The NY Times has recently published a great series entitled Women At Arms addressing women's roles in contemporary military situations. Highly recommend taking a few minutes to watch Lizette Alvarez's "Women At Arms: Beyond the Wire" and G.I. Jane Breaks the Combat Barrier to see what our lady troops are really experiencing and how they feel about this policy.

Trouble in Mind - DRC

Think you've got a lot to worry about? Try living in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where there's an all out war raging against women & children.

"The disturbing stories that have come out of the Congo defy imagination: women and young girls being raped by militia men in front of their families; rape victims ranging from as young as six months to as old as 83 years; women and girls faced with unwanted pregnancies and raped intentionally by men known to have AIDS. There is also a devastating epidemic of women and girls whose vaginas and reproductive organs have been completely destroyed from being violated with guns, bottles and sticks, often resulting in a condition called fistula, a rupture that results in the uncontrollable leakage of urine and feces. The traumatized rape victims are then further stigmatized and ostracized by their families and communities."

Via: Alternet

How can you help this dire situation? Here are some resources that can make a difference:

• V-Day
• Heal Africa
• Healing Arts Africa

Soldier, Soldier

More and more US soldiers returning from combat are committing suicide and MURDER at alarmingly high rates. Salon.com launched an investigative report uncovering the habitual mistreatment behind these preventable deaths. Obama wants to bring back a record number of soldiers, which does raise the question: how is the US government prepared to respond to their needs? Take a look at the article on Salon.com here.

Added bonus, English Punk/New Wave band Spizzenergi's 1979 single Soldier Soldier. Ignore the visuals, listen to the audio...

Countdown to 11/4 - #4 Your Vote is Your Voice

A few days ago I spoke with a friend who told me his father wasn't voting. When I asked why his father wasn't voting his response was "my dad isn't voting for anyone because neither candidate appeals to him." Also, his father cited the future of Israel as one reason he would not vote for Barack Obama. I found this to be somewhat perplexing and well, pretty prejudiced. So what if Obama was Muslim? He'd still be American; in his post he'd still have to put the country and its international relationships before his religion. How could his highly-educated, physician father make such a statement? Hadn't he read up on the issues and checked the facts?

Later, we got into a heated discussion about why people are voting in this election. Somehow my friend deduced that people who vote find one issue and stick to it. For most, voting is a complex issue; it's more than punching a hole, filling in a dot or flipping a lever based solely on one issue you care about.

I'm voting because:

• Every woman has the right to govern her own body.
• Unjust wars should not be fought on the taxpayer's dime; as corporations that deal in death profit off the blood of young men and women.
  
• All children deserve an education that is truly equal.
  
• Everyone deserves comprehensive health care.
• The country that spends the most on HIV/AIDS prevention in Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and the Third World should have its own official HIV/AIDS agenda.
• Our retirement accounts and social security must stop be raided by greedy traders and government officials.
  
• The only Maverick I care to know was played by Tom Cruise in Top Gun.
  

Why are you voting?


Illustration: Hutch

A Walk Around Washington Square Park

Walking past Judson Memorial Church across from Washington Square Park, I found the following signs up for public consumption.

The first sign, taken from a quote by Rabbi A.J. Heschel, reads: RACISM is the gravest threat to humanity, the maximum of hatred for the minimum of reason, the maximum of cruelty for a minimum of thinking.

Below that quote is the number of US soldiers killed (4,084), number of Iraqi civilian casualties (91,714) and number of wounded US soldiers (30,329) since the invasion of Iraq.



The second sign reads: The America I believe in would close Guatanamo Bay NOW!



Not only was I touched, but filled with hope that "idealistic" beliefs such as the positive advancement of humanity, social justice or ending war, have not been forgotten and most importantly, those who hold them are not alone. Keep standing tall.

What You Gonna Do? I Go AWOL!!!*

I heart Matthis Chiroux and so should you...

24-year old Matthis Chiroux is someone you should crush on soooo hard right now. Why? Because this soldier stood up to the man (literally) denounced the illegal and unconstitutional occupation of Iraq at Capitol Hill this week along with other members from non-profit Iraq Veterans Against the War. That's right, he's going AWOL! I think we just found our golden boy...

For a video and more in-depth info, click here. 

*special thanks to the Beastie Boys' Paul's Boutique for providing inspiration for this blog entry