Yup

Oh Afghanistan, how far you've come (baby)

Here's a BBC article about the progress of Afghanistan now that the US has cleared the country of those oppressive Taliban. Wait. Sorry. It's really about how a student, Sayed Pervez Kambaksh, has been punished to death for downloading an article about women and their role in Islam.



Probably his biggest mistake was for using the internet for something other than it's intended purpose; porn. I'm guessing if the mullahs had found "big boobies" on his search history instead of "what role does Islam give women" he would have been just fine.



You can sign a petition here. It will do all the good that protesting a war will.

Lila Schow
Because Responsible Citizens Clean Up After Their Government
http://goodusgov.org/

Women’s Equality Day

So August 26 was Women's Equality Day, something I did not know. Which is odd, because as you might have figured out, I’m a woman. You would think there would have been a memo or something.

But fear not! Afghanistan got the news! They celebrated Women’s Equality day by:

· Having US soldiers throw them a party!

· Having western media recognize a woman-run business based in Kandahar.

· Reminding them that they have political equality under Afghanistan’s new constitution.

· Yay, an art show! In India.

· And reading the wonderfully upbeat proclamation from Bush–oh wait, that was 4 years ago. But still, spot on mate!

· And what about when the pentagon reminded Afghanistan that sending our service women over there “demonstrates our nation's belief that women should be considered equal citizens in all societies” and then they set up voter registration … shit, that was back in 2004 too.

Damn, it’s like our government has just given up. I don’t really have to tell you that all this is bullshit, do I? I mean, no one seriously believes that the US has done any good in that country, right? Please tell me that my own citizens aren’t that stupid.

The men and women of Afghanistan are building a nation that is free, and proud, and fighting terror - and America is honored to be their friend. George W. Bush

Afghanistan, we don’t read about anymore, because it’s succeeded. –John McCain on Charlie Rose 10-31-2005

I would take issue with the characterization that there’s anything desperate about the situation in Afghanistan, anything urgent or precarious about the situation in Afghanistan. – Pentagon
spokesperson Geoff Morrell Aug 5, 2008

Riiiiight. Okay, that’s about what I expected. Hey, does anyone else want to know what happened on Women's Equality Day in Afghanistan?

· Afghan President Karzai pardoned men convicted of bayonet gang rape of a woman searching for her kidnapped her son

· Rawa reported that violence against women has increased 40% since 2007

· 100 women set fire to themselves in a six-month period in western Afghanistan.

· Weddings! Of old men to children. And then “wedding night” injuries that land these little girls in the hospital. (don’t like this whole child bride shit? Too bad, because it makes up 57% of all marriages in Afghanistan)

· Nice, roomy schools opened – with no furniture, teachers or female students.

· Afghan President Karzai’s wife is a gynecologist who can’t open her practice anywhere in the country

· Because of the impending famine, families who make $120 a year will now be able to spend $35 of that … on a bag of flour

· Women are free to wear the empowering and totally not oppressive burqas.

· Yeah, and there’s still a buttload of landmines littering the workplace

I guess I’m not the only one who missed Women’s Equality Day. Looks like the entire nation of Afghanistan missed it too. Except for those photo ops.

Lila Schow

Because Responsible Citizens Clean Up After Their Government

http://goodusgov.org/

Jiminy Cricket! Is their strategy just to wish?

Sitting back watching Sarah Palin join John McCain's campaign as his running mate, I can only think of one thing. This Mr. Deity skit.



In the end, Mr. Deity and Larry take a bet on whether anyone on earth will still believe in God if he allows Holocausts, Down Syndrom, Baby Torture and Natural Disasters (but hey, he did rule against people hurting others with just their thoughts, so that's nice).


Do the Republicans even have a chance with a VP nominee who:

~Believes in Intelligent Design/Creationism


~Hates cuddly little polar bears

~Supports the McCain Jedi Mind Trick view that "everything's okay in America, move along. Move along"

~As a woman running for one of the most powerful jobs in this nation, she introduces herself by telling us about her husband's snowmobiling?

I guess the Republicans are going with the good ol' boy/soccer mom strategy. Who am I to knock it? With a little help from Diebold, that strategy has been working for them! So while millions are tearing out their hair in glee/anguish shouting "Fools! They won't vote for you now!" all I can think about is Mr. Deity. It's a bet I'm not willing to take.


~Lila Schow
Because Responsible Citizens Clean Up After Their Government http://goodusgov.org/

lolfun!

Because I don't have time for anything else;

~Lila

Because Responsible Citizens Clean Up After Their Government http://goodusgov.org/