How low can they go?
Thanks, I think, to "fuzzy and blue" for this by Marjorie Cohn in Truthout today.
I couldn't believe it the first time through. I had to go back and read it again.
Ms. Cohn reports that our female soldiers are dying of dehydration. They avoid fluids for fear of rape on the way to the latrine at night. The link here is to the original truthout article but the "fuzzy and blue" post is worth reading as well. She expresses her outrage; at the moment I'm shaking with anger and speechless.
I couldn't believe it the first time through. I had to go back and read it again.
Ms. Cohn reports that our female soldiers are dying of dehydration. They avoid fluids for fear of rape on the way to the latrine at night. The link here is to the original truthout article but the "fuzzy and blue" post is worth reading as well. She expresses her outrage; at the moment I'm shaking with anger and speechless.
posted by Granny @ 1/31/2006 12:00:00 AM
4 Comments:
At Tuesday, January 31, 2006 12:45:00 AM ,
Tina said...
Thanks for the hat tip Granny. I am so unbelievably furious over this that words cannot even begin to express this. My migraine is making my head throb.
My big sister's oldest daughter has been talking about joining the reserves in the last few months since she has been checking out her financial aid prospects when she graduates from high school next yr--of course to the horror of my entire family, especially to my Marine daddy who served 2 tours in Vietnam. I emailed this from Truth Out to her tonight. That girl had better read this and seriously think hard... or I'm gonna sit her down and make her think hard about my ranting... which I know to a 16 yr old girl is the last thing she wants to listen to.
At Tuesday, January 31, 2006 7:25:00 AM ,
lindsaylobe said...
Hi Granny /Worried and Tina
I think wars of any sort result in some form of violence indicative of a complete disregard for human rights.
War is an anthema to reverence for life and I think it shows up our species to be the jerks we are at times!!
I think it’s a type of ecstasy in violence, driving folk to crave dominance over women expressed in rape and murder, even bofore the battlfield is encounted.
Very disturbing and even more so that it should be covered up by the top brass.
Rumsford was famous for the quote “You need to know what is known about was is unknown so you know what is unknown” It sounded clever to many but
I think he’s trying to discover what’s unknown before the horror stories become known. Bound to happen when you throw the rule book out the door and go it alone.
But even those folk who actually believe in using violence to settle matters must be appalled as to what’s happened.
Folk are giving up their lives for this cause and I would be just as concerned as Tina for her big sisters daughter joining up such an outfit.
The US wants to be taken seriously, but how can this happen when she is the one making up the new rules ....know whats unknown before it becomes known so you know what to cover up.
At Tuesday, January 31, 2006 1:48:00 PM ,
Granny said...
I just emailed Lindsay and had a thought.
Why are we so worried about gays corrupting the military?
These women are in fear of male, presumably heterosexual soldier.
At Tuesday, January 31, 2006 1:48:00 PM ,
Unknown said...
It seems that the prevailing attitude among many people is that "the women demanded equal opportunities in the military, wanted to be where the boys are, so it's their own fault; they asked for it" Which is utter hogwash. No woman asks for such violence and degradation. When they serve alongside male counterparts, they deserve to be treated as equals. Although there are instances of male/male rape, they are far less common than male/female rape. Male/male violence amongst a peer group is usually the testosterone driven combativeness of young men, or vicious hate crimes against known or suspected homosexuals.
Lindsey is correct. In any number of men, there are a certain percentage who are inclined to rape and violence against women. War seems to exacerbate the drive and is more commonly exercised against the women of the enemy. We see in the war crimes trials that rape of the opposition's women is considered an acceptible tactic, so tacit permission to rape is given. Under these circumstances, men who would not normally commit such acts are caught up in the "ecstasy in violence" and the warrior drive to dominate, to conquer, to force submission.
American soldiers against their own female comrades is inexcusable and cannot be rationalized. It is an opportunistic "seize the moment" for the evil in those men's hearts. Even though they may be but a small fraction of the whole, even one is too many to tolerate.
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