Slate on Iran
Something that doesn't get nearly enough respect? Slate. They are a small shop of very bright people (who, it is said, spend all available off hours applying for better jobs at the New York Times). I find they have a knack for asking the question "Wait a second. How did we get here?" and then telling me. Here they are doing it again on Iran. You'll notice that they don't lay the credit at the Altar of the God of Tweets. Rather:
"the truth is that the high turnout was the result of many years of organizational work carried out by small groups of civil rights activists and, above all, women's groups, working largely unnoticed and without much outside help."
This isn't a post about how great Slate is though. It's a post to bring attention to the Slate story that gives credit where it is due. No issue is more important than the totalitarian nightmare still lived by women in oppressive regimes all over the world. The bravery of these groups in Iran needs recognition and support. That isn't to say CNN is oblivious to the role played by women in this struggle. They report on it here. What's useful in the Slate article is that it explains that this isn't spontaneous. It's the product of years of work. Work that is eroding the power of theocracy and, in time, could be a turning point in the global struggle for women's rights.
A poster on one of the message boards I frequent, reddit.com, posted this little gem of a rant that I just had to keep for posterity. I don't agree with all of the vociferousness and language, but there's a certain hilarity to its whole "I'm mad as hell and not gonna take it anymore" sponteneity that I couldn't resist. Those easily offended by, oh whatever, might want to skip it.
Antihostile writes:
"Things I learned about Canada in the last little while:
You can be charged with drunk driving if you're drunk and near a car, the RCMP lie when they taser and kill people, the leader of the opposition is a milquetoast who can't make up his mind, the PM is a fascist, they're introducing mandatory minimum sentencing drug laws that have helped destroy the U.S., text-message fees are marked up 4900%, our health minister believes in non-nuclear isotopes, our Science Minister doesn't believe in evolution, the Federal Natural Resources Minister has a complete retard for an assistant, the Brampton MP abuses her household help and our MPs quietly and secretly decided that they will not reveal how they claim expenses just in case the scandal that brought down the Brit MPs causes the same fury here. WHAT A GREAT COUNTRY!"
Another poster then added:
"Also, our Mint lost $20 Million worth of gold. And the (recently re-elected) Premier of BC plead guilty to drunk driving while on vacation in Hawaii but the liberals called for the resignation of the NDP solicitor general for getting too many speeding tickets."
Fun.