Sunday, May 9, 2010
Going around in circles
It’s like a circle that can’t be broken. Every time you try breaking out of the circle, the edge stretches out a bit, but then the elasticity gives in and shoots you back into the middle, further in than you were to start off with. There are good parts of the circle, bad parts, and then the worse parts. When you’re travelling along the good part, it feels good (obviously) but you know that it’s not going to last long and that very soon you’ll be going through the bad part. The frustration and negativity and guilt you feel whilst in the bad part, make it even worse and before you know it you are hurtling through the worst part. And the worst part is always the longest part. It’s the part that feels like it’s never going to end. It seems like the elastic in this part of the circle is old and has become slack and stretched longer as a result: an endless meandering, a lostness, a confusion. If you’re lucky and hold on for long enough you might make it back to the good part. If you’re lucky.
Spiked
I woke up at about 5.30am on Saturday (1 May) morning (very unusually early for me), with an uneasiness sitting in my chest that I couldn’t shake off. By 6.30 I was just drifting back to sleep when my phone rang, twice. What was a Mountain Club person that I hardly know phoning me this early in the morning for? I didn’t answer. Luckily he smsed me after I didn’t answer: “Jason* is near Mullins, he says he’s been spiked. Have called CPU.” I don’t think I have ever jumped out of bed or pulled a hoodie and jeans on that fast in my life before. Jason is one of the people at Rhodes (and in the world) that I’m closest too. I jumped into my friends old, unreliable skadonk of a car and raced to Mullins and sure enough, there he was, lying in the grass and mud, a few worried Mountain club members surrounding him, not quite sure of what to do. Jason recognized me when I kneeled down next to him. He was upset and looked terrible, and he clung onto me like he’d never let go, thanking me for coming. I managed to get him into the car and wanted to take him to the hospital, but he refused to let me take him there. So I brought him to my place, got him into my bed and sat with him, trying to find out more about what happened. The tunnels sounded like fun: They had ridiculous conversations sitting around the fire, ran around fooling around with friends, and danced in the tunnel.
At some stage in the early hours of the morning Jason started feeling really strange, got scared and started walking towards town. His aim was to find someone, anyone who he could ask to get hold of me, so that I could help him. When he got near Mullins the Mountain Club guys were there getting equipment out the storeroom for a weekend climb and he managed to ask them for help and gave them my address. By some miracle, the guy who picked me up at my digs for the previous weekend’s hike, recognized the address as being mine and immediately tried to get hold of me.
Jason spent the day in my bed. In the morning I lay with him as he rolled around restlessly, my arm on his chest the whole time so that I could feel his heart, petrified that it would stop beating. As he fell asleep he was speaking, hardly making sense, it sounded like he was reciting his history essay, using words such as ‘therefore’ ‘subsequently’ and ‘thus.’ He encouraged me to avoid the alphabet and that I must use writing to warn people that the alphabet is bad. I couldn’t help giggling at the weirdness of it, even though I was still scared shitless. I kept checking on him throughout the day, the whole time wondering if I was doing the right thing by not taking him to the hospital or doctor to get professional help.
At some stage in the late morning Jason couldn’t move any of his muscles. He couldn’t lift his arms, he couldn’t roll over – I had to push him over, his lips felt strange and he couldn’t focus properly. He was scared and I was scared. I kept making him drink water, totally unsure of whether I was doing the right thing or not. By the afternoon, he was able to walk around for short periods of time on really shaky legs. By the evening, he was doing much better. He looked better and said that he felt better.
He suspected that while they were dancing in the tunnel, one of the bottles of water that was being passed around (he was drinking from anyone and everyone’s bottles of water) must have been spiked. Possibly with a muscle relaxant, judging by his reaction. The amount of alcohol he’d had to drink couldn’t have been a good combination either.
Jason’s fine now, thank goodness, but I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if something had happened to him because I didn’t take him to the hospital.
*Name changed to protect identity
At some stage in the early hours of the morning Jason started feeling really strange, got scared and started walking towards town. His aim was to find someone, anyone who he could ask to get hold of me, so that I could help him. When he got near Mullins the Mountain Club guys were there getting equipment out the storeroom for a weekend climb and he managed to ask them for help and gave them my address. By some miracle, the guy who picked me up at my digs for the previous weekend’s hike, recognized the address as being mine and immediately tried to get hold of me.
Jason spent the day in my bed. In the morning I lay with him as he rolled around restlessly, my arm on his chest the whole time so that I could feel his heart, petrified that it would stop beating. As he fell asleep he was speaking, hardly making sense, it sounded like he was reciting his history essay, using words such as ‘therefore’ ‘subsequently’ and ‘thus.’ He encouraged me to avoid the alphabet and that I must use writing to warn people that the alphabet is bad. I couldn’t help giggling at the weirdness of it, even though I was still scared shitless. I kept checking on him throughout the day, the whole time wondering if I was doing the right thing by not taking him to the hospital or doctor to get professional help.
At some stage in the late morning Jason couldn’t move any of his muscles. He couldn’t lift his arms, he couldn’t roll over – I had to push him over, his lips felt strange and he couldn’t focus properly. He was scared and I was scared. I kept making him drink water, totally unsure of whether I was doing the right thing or not. By the afternoon, he was able to walk around for short periods of time on really shaky legs. By the evening, he was doing much better. He looked better and said that he felt better.
He suspected that while they were dancing in the tunnel, one of the bottles of water that was being passed around (he was drinking from anyone and everyone’s bottles of water) must have been spiked. Possibly with a muscle relaxant, judging by his reaction. The amount of alcohol he’d had to drink couldn’t have been a good combination either.
Jason’s fine now, thank goodness, but I wouldn’t have been able to forgive myself if something had happened to him because I didn’t take him to the hospital.
*Name changed to protect identity
Placing demands on journalism schools
The blog post “Eight things that journalism students should demand from their journalism schools” by Robert Niles, on The Online Journalism Review (OJR) is an article about 8 things that journalism students should insist their journalism schools give them. I want to discuss some of the topics in the light of how Rhodes journalism department is handling them and also how I am (or am not) doing these things in my own personal capacity.
Niles states the journ students should demand “employment contacts” from their schools. I feel that in the Rhodes journ department, we are encouraged to forge our own employment contacts by being ‘forced’ to do vac work each year as part of our degrees. Not only does this allow us to gain some practical experience in various media organisations, but the sensible student, would foster the contacts that they meet during these vac work periods. I have worked at 702 radio station for the past two years and when I went back last year for my second stint, the reporters recognized me and gave me more responsibility and spent more time teaching me things than in the previous year.
I agree with Niles that students should gain “work experience” in a field other than journalism as well as gain a “deep knowledge of a field other than journalism.” Being a specialist in a certain field will make finding a job in journalism in that field easier. However, if one only has knowledge of that field, it could also be a limiting factor. Journalism students should have a wide general knowledge and knowledge of various fields in order to make them more employable. Being a specialist in a certain field could also be helpful, because in the rapidly changing world of journalism, where internet access allows people access to all kinds of information, expert knowledge would allow you to be a step ahead of all the other rubbish information that is available on the web. Rhodes University automatically ensures that journalism students are specialists in another field, because we have to major in two subjects – namely journalism and at least one other subject.
Niles suggests that journalism schools should make students start their own online publications to make them more employable. The Rhodes Journalism department is already doing this by encouraging first year journalism students to start blogs. The third year writing and TV students are also encouraged to keep blogs.
However, with most of the points that Niles makes, I don’t agree that student should be demanding these things from the journalism schools. Yes, the journalism schools should be suggesting these things to students to make them aware of opportunities and of ways to make starting their careers easier, but many of these things are things that students should be doing of their own accord and should not need to be spoon-fed by their school or university.
Niles states the journ students should demand “employment contacts” from their schools. I feel that in the Rhodes journ department, we are encouraged to forge our own employment contacts by being ‘forced’ to do vac work each year as part of our degrees. Not only does this allow us to gain some practical experience in various media organisations, but the sensible student, would foster the contacts that they meet during these vac work periods. I have worked at 702 radio station for the past two years and when I went back last year for my second stint, the reporters recognized me and gave me more responsibility and spent more time teaching me things than in the previous year.
I agree with Niles that students should gain “work experience” in a field other than journalism as well as gain a “deep knowledge of a field other than journalism.” Being a specialist in a certain field will make finding a job in journalism in that field easier. However, if one only has knowledge of that field, it could also be a limiting factor. Journalism students should have a wide general knowledge and knowledge of various fields in order to make them more employable. Being a specialist in a certain field could also be helpful, because in the rapidly changing world of journalism, where internet access allows people access to all kinds of information, expert knowledge would allow you to be a step ahead of all the other rubbish information that is available on the web. Rhodes University automatically ensures that journalism students are specialists in another field, because we have to major in two subjects – namely journalism and at least one other subject.
Niles suggests that journalism schools should make students start their own online publications to make them more employable. The Rhodes Journalism department is already doing this by encouraging first year journalism students to start blogs. The third year writing and TV students are also encouraged to keep blogs.
However, with most of the points that Niles makes, I don’t agree that student should be demanding these things from the journalism schools. Yes, the journalism schools should be suggesting these things to students to make them aware of opportunities and of ways to make starting their careers easier, but many of these things are things that students should be doing of their own accord and should not need to be spoon-fed by their school or university.
Grocott's reporting on Anti sex crimes week - a crime in itself?
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
Last week was anti sex crimes week and in today’s Grocott’s Mail (27 April 2010) they had a centre spread about the week’s events. I was disturbed by the reporting in some of the stories, namely the articles entitled “Skirting the Issue” and “Every Single rape is personal.” The “Skirting the Issue” article seemed to report in a manner that defied the entire point of the week. The symbolism of the short skirt protest was to show that women are not objects and no matter what they wear, it should not be an invitation for rape or any other form of unwanted attention. The writer of this story seems to have missed this point and spends almost the entire article talking about how “some exposed thigh can be quite nice.” She goes on to make jokes about people who notice other people’s bodies as being “bodyist” and “disgusting.” The writer also makes it seem like the short skirt protest was about protesting against people looking at other people’s bodies. She also claims that “the body should be irrelevant.” I’m sure that this is definitely not a point that the protesters were aiming to make. In fact, the opposite is true. The body, our bodies, are enormously relevant and that is what the anti sex crimes week was about: Fighting to protect our very relevant bodies, and protesting the violation of them. Of course, you can’t look at a person and not see their body. That would be impossible. But how you act towards their body is what is important. Everyone’s bodies should be treated with respect. They should be respected by the owner of the body as well as by others, not just in the way it is treated, but also in the way it is spoken about. I find it hard to understand how someone who took part in this protest could report in this manner, missing the point totally and painting a picture for the public which is an image that the anti sex crimes week is trying to break down. She definitely seems to be skirting the actual issue.
The column, “Every single rape is personal” is a confused and mixed account of rape in light of race, the media’s reporting of rape, a rape scene, a recent rape in Grahamstown and some weird metaphorical images of a being in bubble wrap. Firstly, the writer fails to make the intention of her column clear. It is a jumbled garble of the topics mentioned above. She starts the column with a shocking account of the way in which rape is related to race. I find it shocking and hard to believe that 16 years after the abolishment of apartheid, a highly educated young woman can still be perpetuating such grossly misleading stereotypes and although she attempts to say that rape isn’t about race (which indeed it isn’t), she has made it about race. She then goes on to talk about how the media dehumanises rape victims and makes the public immune to the issue. The writer seems to have a specific instance in mind, and in order to make her column clearer, maybe she should have made reference to an actual media article or incident where rape was reported as a racial incident. Otherwise, she should not have brought race up at all.
Rape can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. No matter what their race or relationship to one another is. This is what should have been made clear, not the fact that in her mind, it is uneducated black men who rape their family members. I’m quite certain that there are many highly educated white men who also rape. The fact is not that they are black or white, educated or uneducated. The fact is that they raped someone and that is the issue.
Yes, she is right in saying that we mustn’t let the media make us immune to these issues, but I think that rape definitely should stay in the headlines. It is something that people need to continuously be made aware of. Rather I think that the media needs to report on rape differently. We get taught that we need to report objectively and unemotionally. But how can you report objectively and unemotionally about something that is so subjective and emotional? If reporters wrote their stories in this way, readers/ audiences wouldn’t be as immune to the same boring, monotonous reporting of really serious issues. If audiences could be given a story written in a human way, in a way that makes them think “that could have been me” then maybe they would be more sympathetic towards this issue.
The writer then gives a rape scenario, focussing more on creating her imaginative, metaphorical little scene than anything else. After the scenario, towards the end of her article, she randomly squeezes in a two liner about the matric girl who was gang-raped in Grahamstown last week. The way she writes it confuses the reader as to whether the scenario relates to this girl’s rape or not. Shouldn’t this rape rather have been the main focus of her story? Focussing on a real young woman, who got raped on our doorsteps? She has successfully contributed to the dehumanising process of the media, that she complains about in her column.
Last week was anti sex crimes week and in today’s Grocott’s Mail (27 April 2010) they had a centre spread about the week’s events. I was disturbed by the reporting in some of the stories, namely the articles entitled “Skirting the Issue” and “Every Single rape is personal.” The “Skirting the Issue” article seemed to report in a manner that defied the entire point of the week. The symbolism of the short skirt protest was to show that women are not objects and no matter what they wear, it should not be an invitation for rape or any other form of unwanted attention. The writer of this story seems to have missed this point and spends almost the entire article talking about how “some exposed thigh can be quite nice.” She goes on to make jokes about people who notice other people’s bodies as being “bodyist” and “disgusting.” The writer also makes it seem like the short skirt protest was about protesting against people looking at other people’s bodies. She also claims that “the body should be irrelevant.” I’m sure that this is definitely not a point that the protesters were aiming to make. In fact, the opposite is true. The body, our bodies, are enormously relevant and that is what the anti sex crimes week was about: Fighting to protect our very relevant bodies, and protesting the violation of them. Of course, you can’t look at a person and not see their body. That would be impossible. But how you act towards their body is what is important. Everyone’s bodies should be treated with respect. They should be respected by the owner of the body as well as by others, not just in the way it is treated, but also in the way it is spoken about. I find it hard to understand how someone who took part in this protest could report in this manner, missing the point totally and painting a picture for the public which is an image that the anti sex crimes week is trying to break down. She definitely seems to be skirting the actual issue.
The column, “Every single rape is personal” is a confused and mixed account of rape in light of race, the media’s reporting of rape, a rape scene, a recent rape in Grahamstown and some weird metaphorical images of a being in bubble wrap. Firstly, the writer fails to make the intention of her column clear. It is a jumbled garble of the topics mentioned above. She starts the column with a shocking account of the way in which rape is related to race. I find it shocking and hard to believe that 16 years after the abolishment of apartheid, a highly educated young woman can still be perpetuating such grossly misleading stereotypes and although she attempts to say that rape isn’t about race (which indeed it isn’t), she has made it about race. She then goes on to talk about how the media dehumanises rape victims and makes the public immune to the issue. The writer seems to have a specific instance in mind, and in order to make her column clearer, maybe she should have made reference to an actual media article or incident where rape was reported as a racial incident. Otherwise, she should not have brought race up at all.
Rape can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. No matter what their race or relationship to one another is. This is what should have been made clear, not the fact that in her mind, it is uneducated black men who rape their family members. I’m quite certain that there are many highly educated white men who also rape. The fact is not that they are black or white, educated or uneducated. The fact is that they raped someone and that is the issue.
Yes, she is right in saying that we mustn’t let the media make us immune to these issues, but I think that rape definitely should stay in the headlines. It is something that people need to continuously be made aware of. Rather I think that the media needs to report on rape differently. We get taught that we need to report objectively and unemotionally. But how can you report objectively and unemotionally about something that is so subjective and emotional? If reporters wrote their stories in this way, readers/ audiences wouldn’t be as immune to the same boring, monotonous reporting of really serious issues. If audiences could be given a story written in a human way, in a way that makes them think “that could have been me” then maybe they would be more sympathetic towards this issue.
The writer then gives a rape scenario, focussing more on creating her imaginative, metaphorical little scene than anything else. After the scenario, towards the end of her article, she randomly squeezes in a two liner about the matric girl who was gang-raped in Grahamstown last week. The way she writes it confuses the reader as to whether the scenario relates to this girl’s rape or not. Shouldn’t this rape rather have been the main focus of her story? Focussing on a real young woman, who got raped on our doorsteps? She has successfully contributed to the dehumanising process of the media, that she complains about in her column.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Hiking in Hogsback
Sunday, 25 April 2010
I spent the weekend hiking in Hogsback and it was just what the doctor ordered. We left in the very, very , very early hours of Saturday morning and almost died on one of the passes on the way to Hogsback, because the driver took a corner too fast and went off the road. Luckily there was a dirt ‘pavement’ at that particular place, unlike on the rest of the pass where there was just a metal barrier and very steep drops.
It was freezing when we got to Hogsback and started the Zingcuka Loop, the forest we were hiking in was very wet, slippery and the ground was steep. It became clear very quickly that the one girl was not in a fit state to be doing the hike. She failed to tell Mark, the leader or myself (co-leader) that her knee dislocates very easily and as a result she was walking really slowly, to prevent that from happening. Both mark and I knew that we would never be able to complete the 19.7km that we had to do to reach the hut, by sunset. Luckily Mark’s done that hike before and knew that we would eventually be crossing a road, which we could then take instead of the path, which would make it shorter and easier to get to the hiking hut.
We landed up doing that, and I think it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me, because I am very unfit at the moment. It also meant that we got to the hut and had time to relax and get to know our fellow hikers before supper. There were eight of us doing the hike and five out of the eight were exchange students. Two American girls, a Dutch girl, an Australian girl and a German guy. The other two guys are South Africans whom I know from previous hikes. I got along so well with the exchange students, especially the Aussie girl. They all had a wonderful sense of humour and the jokes were flowing freely.
Apart from the good company, the hike itself was very beautiful. Even though we hiked mostly along the roads on the second day, we were still surrounded by forest and beautiful views. We also went to the stunning Madonna and Child waterfall, where we saw a really big snake. It was a bright orangey yellow colour, with black markings and looked suspiciously like a puff adder. Although I am really scared of snakes, I really like them and so I was in my element.
So all in all it was a very fulfilling and uplifting weekend and it was good for me to get back into nature, as I neglected that part of myself last term.
I spent the weekend hiking in Hogsback and it was just what the doctor ordered. We left in the very, very , very early hours of Saturday morning and almost died on one of the passes on the way to Hogsback, because the driver took a corner too fast and went off the road. Luckily there was a dirt ‘pavement’ at that particular place, unlike on the rest of the pass where there was just a metal barrier and very steep drops.
It was freezing when we got to Hogsback and started the Zingcuka Loop, the forest we were hiking in was very wet, slippery and the ground was steep. It became clear very quickly that the one girl was not in a fit state to be doing the hike. She failed to tell Mark, the leader or myself (co-leader) that her knee dislocates very easily and as a result she was walking really slowly, to prevent that from happening. Both mark and I knew that we would never be able to complete the 19.7km that we had to do to reach the hut, by sunset. Luckily Mark’s done that hike before and knew that we would eventually be crossing a road, which we could then take instead of the path, which would make it shorter and easier to get to the hiking hut.
We landed up doing that, and I think it turned out to be a blessing in disguise for me, because I am very unfit at the moment. It also meant that we got to the hut and had time to relax and get to know our fellow hikers before supper. There were eight of us doing the hike and five out of the eight were exchange students. Two American girls, a Dutch girl, an Australian girl and a German guy. The other two guys are South Africans whom I know from previous hikes. I got along so well with the exchange students, especially the Aussie girl. They all had a wonderful sense of humour and the jokes were flowing freely.
Apart from the good company, the hike itself was very beautiful. Even though we hiked mostly along the roads on the second day, we were still surrounded by forest and beautiful views. We also went to the stunning Madonna and Child waterfall, where we saw a really big snake. It was a bright orangey yellow colour, with black markings and looked suspiciously like a puff adder. Although I am really scared of snakes, I really like them and so I was in my element.
So all in all it was a very fulfilling and uplifting weekend and it was good for me to get back into nature, as I neglected that part of myself last term.
Sexual Violence = Silence
Sunday, 25 April 2010
Friday was the silent protest and one of my best friends (she’s my digs mate as well) partook by having her mouth taped closed for the whole day, in solidarity with rape survivors. The slogan for the day, which was printed across the front of the participants’ T-shirts was “Sexual Violence = Silence.” I was the first person my friend saw after the silence was broken by taking the tape was taken off, and she was extremely emotional. She cried for a long time before she could even start trying to explain the emotions that she experienced during the day as well as talking about what was said at the debriefing. She told me the stories about young women who stood up in a hall full of people and spoke about how they had been raped up to 10 times. Some were raped when they were as young as fourteen. One of the young women who stood up told them that she had also been raped and how this was the first time that she was telling anyone about it. The participants also spoke about how people treated them whilst their mouths were taped shut. Many of them received inappropriate comments from male students, such as “If I had to rape you now, you wouldn’t be able to scream.” It is shocking for me to think that an educated young man can say something this terrible and not realise what the implications are of his words. Some of the reactions towards the participants however, were very touching. One lady in town handed the 1 in 9 pamphlet back to the participant and wrote something along the lines of, “this has happened to me too, thank you for doing this” on the back of the piece of paper.
The rape statistics in South Africa are very scary. Only 1 in every 9 rapes are reported and 55 000 rapes are reported every year. That means that in actual fact approximately 495 000 rapes occur every year. Only four percent of the reported rapes are prosecuted. That means only 2200 prosecutions are made per year. The fact that 100 % of woman in South Africa will have been raped at least once by the time they are 55 year old is terrifying!
I think that the platform that was created for these students through the silent protest was something incredible. Although I was not part of it, it allowed woman to confide in one another and to be surrounded by the amazing empathy and love that women are capable of. It allowed students who had remained silent about being raped a chance to open up and talk about it, allowing the healing process to start for them. I think for everyone it was a highly emotional day and an experience that they are likely to never forget.
I do think however that many students, mainly non-participants do not realise the significance and symbolism involved in the silent protest and the short skirt protest. I think that the University fails in properly informing the Rhodes community about why exactly this is being done, what the tape and short skirts symbolise as well as looking at other gender issues. I’m not sure what the solution for this is. There is a general sense of apathy on campus and although there are debates and lectures presented during Anti-sex crimes week, they are not well attended. Maybe more should be written on studentzone, with a link to a forum where people can start an online discussion or debate. A compulsory course for all University students on gender and sex-related issues would also help.
Friday was the silent protest and one of my best friends (she’s my digs mate as well) partook by having her mouth taped closed for the whole day, in solidarity with rape survivors. The slogan for the day, which was printed across the front of the participants’ T-shirts was “Sexual Violence = Silence.” I was the first person my friend saw after the silence was broken by taking the tape was taken off, and she was extremely emotional. She cried for a long time before she could even start trying to explain the emotions that she experienced during the day as well as talking about what was said at the debriefing. She told me the stories about young women who stood up in a hall full of people and spoke about how they had been raped up to 10 times. Some were raped when they were as young as fourteen. One of the young women who stood up told them that she had also been raped and how this was the first time that she was telling anyone about it. The participants also spoke about how people treated them whilst their mouths were taped shut. Many of them received inappropriate comments from male students, such as “If I had to rape you now, you wouldn’t be able to scream.” It is shocking for me to think that an educated young man can say something this terrible and not realise what the implications are of his words. Some of the reactions towards the participants however, were very touching. One lady in town handed the 1 in 9 pamphlet back to the participant and wrote something along the lines of, “this has happened to me too, thank you for doing this” on the back of the piece of paper.
The rape statistics in South Africa are very scary. Only 1 in every 9 rapes are reported and 55 000 rapes are reported every year. That means that in actual fact approximately 495 000 rapes occur every year. Only four percent of the reported rapes are prosecuted. That means only 2200 prosecutions are made per year. The fact that 100 % of woman in South Africa will have been raped at least once by the time they are 55 year old is terrifying!
I think that the platform that was created for these students through the silent protest was something incredible. Although I was not part of it, it allowed woman to confide in one another and to be surrounded by the amazing empathy and love that women are capable of. It allowed students who had remained silent about being raped a chance to open up and talk about it, allowing the healing process to start for them. I think for everyone it was a highly emotional day and an experience that they are likely to never forget.
I do think however that many students, mainly non-participants do not realise the significance and symbolism involved in the silent protest and the short skirt protest. I think that the University fails in properly informing the Rhodes community about why exactly this is being done, what the tape and short skirts symbolise as well as looking at other gender issues. I’m not sure what the solution for this is. There is a general sense of apathy on campus and although there are debates and lectures presented during Anti-sex crimes week, they are not well attended. Maybe more should be written on studentzone, with a link to a forum where people can start an online discussion or debate. A compulsory course for all University students on gender and sex-related issues would also help.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
I may be freezing, but NO, you’re not invited
There’s an icy wind blowing in Grahamstown today, but I braved the cold and left my house in my short skirt and marched off to the library quad to get my “My short skirt is not an invitation” sign stapled to my skirt.
This week is anti sex crimes week at Rhodes University, and today’s event is the short skirt protest. The point of this protest is to show that by wearing a short skirt, women are not ‘looking’ for trouble or to be raped. No matter how much or how little a woman is wearing, there is no excuse for rape, and using what a woman is wearing as an excuse is in itself a pretty weak one.
So let’s unite and protest against these atrocious crimes. Let’s hope that the message is reaching the people who it needs to reach and that somehow they are softened and are able to realise their misconceptions.
This week is anti sex crimes week at Rhodes University, and today’s event is the short skirt protest. The point of this protest is to show that by wearing a short skirt, women are not ‘looking’ for trouble or to be raped. No matter how much or how little a woman is wearing, there is no excuse for rape, and using what a woman is wearing as an excuse is in itself a pretty weak one.
So let’s unite and protest against these atrocious crimes. Let’s hope that the message is reaching the people who it needs to reach and that somehow they are softened and are able to realise their misconceptions.
Environmental rights, right?
Human Rights Day serves to commemorate atrocities committed during the apartheid era and remind South Africans where we came from and what we have achieved as a nation since the start of our relatively new democracy.
Our constitution now has a bill of rights which includes things such as the rights to equality, freedom of expression and freedom of movement and residence. All of these rights are in place to help prevent another Sharpeville type massacre and similar discriminatory violence from occurring again.
Whilst all of the rights should be equally upheld, I feel that they are not and some rights are given preference to others. One of the rights that I feel very strongly about is number 24 in the South African constitution’s bill of rights: Environment. This right states that everyone has the right
a. to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and
b. to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that
i. prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
ii. promote conservation; and
iii.secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.
This right is not being suitably enforced by our government and by not doing so it automatically infringes on some of the other rights. Very little is being done to prevent pollution and ecological degradation or to promote conservation in our country. Previously protected areas are being plundered for the sake of mining and the people living in these very remote, rural areas are being forced to move. This infringes on the freedom of movement and residence right. Mines are also being set up next to important National heritage sites such as at Mapongupwe, with very little or even no regard to the environmental damage that it will cause the area, let alone the heritage site.
Although housing, health care and similar issues take (or are hopefully taking) priority in the government’s agenda, these should be dealt with in a manner which secures sustainable development, encourages environmental education (education is also one of the rights) and start to see the environment as something which without we are unable to live (life also being a constitutional right). Once our environment and natural resources has been destroyed it will undoubtedly lead to warfare and violence, infringing even further on a variety of other human rights. So, it is obvious that the environment section in the bill of rights is one which should be fiercely protected in order to protect the other rights which it has an effect on.
Our constitution now has a bill of rights which includes things such as the rights to equality, freedom of expression and freedom of movement and residence. All of these rights are in place to help prevent another Sharpeville type massacre and similar discriminatory violence from occurring again.
Whilst all of the rights should be equally upheld, I feel that they are not and some rights are given preference to others. One of the rights that I feel very strongly about is number 24 in the South African constitution’s bill of rights: Environment. This right states that everyone has the right
a. to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and
b. to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that
i. prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
ii. promote conservation; and
iii.secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.
This right is not being suitably enforced by our government and by not doing so it automatically infringes on some of the other rights. Very little is being done to prevent pollution and ecological degradation or to promote conservation in our country. Previously protected areas are being plundered for the sake of mining and the people living in these very remote, rural areas are being forced to move. This infringes on the freedom of movement and residence right. Mines are also being set up next to important National heritage sites such as at Mapongupwe, with very little or even no regard to the environmental damage that it will cause the area, let alone the heritage site.
Although housing, health care and similar issues take (or are hopefully taking) priority in the government’s agenda, these should be dealt with in a manner which secures sustainable development, encourages environmental education (education is also one of the rights) and start to see the environment as something which without we are unable to live (life also being a constitutional right). Once our environment and natural resources has been destroyed it will undoubtedly lead to warfare and violence, infringing even further on a variety of other human rights. So, it is obvious that the environment section in the bill of rights is one which should be fiercely protected in order to protect the other rights which it has an effect on.
Terre'Blanche the Terrible
Eugene Terre’Blanche was and in his death continues to be a man of contradictions. Contradictions within himself as well as surrounded by contradictory views of him. Denis Beckett’s article, “Eugene, the arch-ogre” highlights only too well these contradictions, despite being written 30 years prior to Terre’Blanche’s death. According to Beckett, Terre’Blanche was a man who, although he appeared to have the best interests of his “volk” and family at heart as well as deeply entrenched Christian morals, still believed in fighting and the use of violence and racism, even though he vehemently denied this.
Terre’Blanche was murdered on 3 April 2010 and the public and government’s reactions to his murder are distinctly mixed. Terre’Blanche was seen by the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweeging (AWB) supporters and his other supporters as a hero. He was regarded by them as some kind of god, who would fight for their plight, and according to Beckett, Terre’Blanche clearly thought this about himself too. But there are those who are rejoicing in the death of Terre’Blanche, calling him a murderer, a racist and questioning his ‘Christian’ motives.
It is ironic that Terre’Blanche was killed by two black farm workers, at a time when ANC youth League president, Julius Malema, has been singing and encouraging ‘freedom songs’ such as “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer.”
We will never know now whether Terre’Blanche’s ideas and motives were based on a truly moralistic and wish for a better country as a whole, or on racist and separatist ideals that would ultimately benefit only the white Afrikaner “volk.”
Terre’Blanche was murdered on 3 April 2010 and the public and government’s reactions to his murder are distinctly mixed. Terre’Blanche was seen by the Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweeging (AWB) supporters and his other supporters as a hero. He was regarded by them as some kind of god, who would fight for their plight, and according to Beckett, Terre’Blanche clearly thought this about himself too. But there are those who are rejoicing in the death of Terre’Blanche, calling him a murderer, a racist and questioning his ‘Christian’ motives.
It is ironic that Terre’Blanche was killed by two black farm workers, at a time when ANC youth League president, Julius Malema, has been singing and encouraging ‘freedom songs’ such as “Kill the Boer, kill the farmer.”
We will never know now whether Terre’Blanche’s ideas and motives were based on a truly moralistic and wish for a better country as a whole, or on racist and separatist ideals that would ultimately benefit only the white Afrikaner “volk.”
Monday, April 19, 2010
Donkey Talk
Thursday, 15 April 2010
For the past week there have been three donkeys hanging around in Market Street (where I live). At first I wasn’t too worried as we often see cows or donkeys in our street. But after a few days I started to get worried because the donkeys were in a bad condition and were eating all the rubbish that people had either left out or that had been strewn about by the municipal workers. This afternoon, on my way home, I saw one of these donkeys lying on the pavement in Donkin Street. Donkey’s to me are irresistible. I don’t know if it is because I have always had a soft spot for horses and I sort of see donkeys as an extension of horses, or because of that particular look they always seem to have on their faces. So I approached this donkey and he looked absolutely petrified of me. I made slow movements and eventually managed to sit down next to him, near his head. I gave up on trying to touch him because he just looked to scared. But I spent about 20 minutes talking to him. He looked dreadful, he was thin, his coat was all matted and holey and he had big sores on his back. My heart was breaking and I sat and talked to him about his life and about food and told him how incredibly beautiful he is and how awesome his super long ears are. I think everyone who drove or walked past thought I was an absolute nut case, and I’m not sure if the donkey understood what I was saying. He was definitely listening and moving his ears, and he moved his head closer to me, but still seemed scared. I get so upset at the neglect and cruel treatment of the donkey’s in Grahamstown. I was going to phone the donkey shelter (I needed to come back to campus though to find their number online) and by the time I got back to our neighbourhood the donkey’s were nowhere to be seen. I don’t know what has happened to them, but I hope that they have someone looking after them and feeding them, especially with the cold weather approaching.
For the past week there have been three donkeys hanging around in Market Street (where I live). At first I wasn’t too worried as we often see cows or donkeys in our street. But after a few days I started to get worried because the donkeys were in a bad condition and were eating all the rubbish that people had either left out or that had been strewn about by the municipal workers. This afternoon, on my way home, I saw one of these donkeys lying on the pavement in Donkin Street. Donkey’s to me are irresistible. I don’t know if it is because I have always had a soft spot for horses and I sort of see donkeys as an extension of horses, or because of that particular look they always seem to have on their faces. So I approached this donkey and he looked absolutely petrified of me. I made slow movements and eventually managed to sit down next to him, near his head. I gave up on trying to touch him because he just looked to scared. But I spent about 20 minutes talking to him. He looked dreadful, he was thin, his coat was all matted and holey and he had big sores on his back. My heart was breaking and I sat and talked to him about his life and about food and told him how incredibly beautiful he is and how awesome his super long ears are. I think everyone who drove or walked past thought I was an absolute nut case, and I’m not sure if the donkey understood what I was saying. He was definitely listening and moving his ears, and he moved his head closer to me, but still seemed scared. I get so upset at the neglect and cruel treatment of the donkey’s in Grahamstown. I was going to phone the donkey shelter (I needed to come back to campus though to find their number online) and by the time I got back to our neighbourhood the donkey’s were nowhere to be seen. I don’t know what has happened to them, but I hope that they have someone looking after them and feeding them, especially with the cold weather approaching.
Scooter troubles
Tuesday, 13 April 2010
So today I decided that I was going to be very hard core and overtake a snazzy red car driving way too slowly for my liking, up prince Alfred Street (this on my small bright yellow, uber cool vuka scooter.) So I overtook and was happily driving along in front of the offending red car, when my scooter cut out totally, just before the stop street in front of the journ department. Feeling like an absolute idiot, I was stuck in the middle of the road, with about 3 cars behind me, and nothing I did would make my scooter start again. I couldn’t push it to a safer place because it is too heavy for me to push uphill. Eventually one of the Steers delivery guys, who was driving down the hill on his scooter saw that I was stuck and at my beckoning, did a U-turn and came to help me. He pushed my scooter around the corner for me and then tried to kick start it (this to the hilarity and giggles from the growing group of onlookers on the pavement, and to my increasing embarrassment.) I eventually decided that there was nothing I could do, because I had a lecture to go to. But I called my boyfriend (whom I was actually on my way to) and he came down the hill and whilst I was walking with him, I picked up a stick and stuck it into my petrol tank and it was BONE DRY! So luckily all that had happened was that my petrol had run out (despite the fact that my petrol gauge said that my tank was full) and my star of a boyfriend offered to walk into town and buy petrol for me while I went to my lecture. So all turned out well in the end. Apart from the embarrassment, I think it’s hilarious and at least now I know not to trust the fuel gauge!
So today I decided that I was going to be very hard core and overtake a snazzy red car driving way too slowly for my liking, up prince Alfred Street (this on my small bright yellow, uber cool vuka scooter.) So I overtook and was happily driving along in front of the offending red car, when my scooter cut out totally, just before the stop street in front of the journ department. Feeling like an absolute idiot, I was stuck in the middle of the road, with about 3 cars behind me, and nothing I did would make my scooter start again. I couldn’t push it to a safer place because it is too heavy for me to push uphill. Eventually one of the Steers delivery guys, who was driving down the hill on his scooter saw that I was stuck and at my beckoning, did a U-turn and came to help me. He pushed my scooter around the corner for me and then tried to kick start it (this to the hilarity and giggles from the growing group of onlookers on the pavement, and to my increasing embarrassment.) I eventually decided that there was nothing I could do, because I had a lecture to go to. But I called my boyfriend (whom I was actually on my way to) and he came down the hill and whilst I was walking with him, I picked up a stick and stuck it into my petrol tank and it was BONE DRY! So luckily all that had happened was that my petrol had run out (despite the fact that my petrol gauge said that my tank was full) and my star of a boyfriend offered to walk into town and buy petrol for me while I went to my lecture. So all turned out well in the end. Apart from the embarrassment, I think it’s hilarious and at least now I know not to trust the fuel gauge!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Worms...
So the big question running through my mind at the moment is what to make for supper tonight. call me boring, but after having only eaten an apple, half a crunchie and some juice the entire day, my worms are clapping hands!
Feeling a little low on inspriation though... Thought of wandering around Pick 'n pay until something catches my eye, but otherwise, any ideas journ class in your wisdom and boredom???
Feeling a little low on inspriation though... Thought of wandering around Pick 'n pay until something catches my eye, but otherwise, any ideas journ class in your wisdom and boredom???
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