In the middle class world words are soooo much more important than deeds.
Jim D.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jim DeMaegt
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; Open List SDS-MDS ; [EMAIL PROTECTED] ; [EMAIL
PROTECTED]
Sent: Monday, April 16, 2007 7:50 PM
Subject: [NLC] Outrageous Words, Outrageous Deeds
Outrageous Words, Outrageous Deeds
by Ralph Nader
Published on Monday, April 16, 2007 by CommonDreams.org
http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/16/564/
Now that the Don Imus flameout has once again
demonstrated that vile words energize many activist
groups and many media more than do devastating deeds,
it is useful to revisit this strange dimension of
public furor.
The latest three word outburst in Mr. Imus' practice of
sexist and racist remarks may be compared with the
continuing sexist and racist behaviors that civic
opponents would argue should at the very least receive
equal time from those who become indignant over cruel,
bigoted language.
On March 18, the New York Times ran a lengthy cover
story in its heralded Sunday Magazine about widespread
sexual harassment and rape of female U.S. soldiers by
their male colleagues in Iraq. Written by a reporter,
Sarah Corbett, the article combined the available
official studies, and statements of specialists, with
poignant narratives by women soldiers whom she
interviewed intensively.
The evidence she amassed included a report in 2003,
funded by the Department of Defense (DOD), which
declared that nearly one-third of a nationwide sample
of female veterans seeking health care through the V.A.
said they experienced rape or attempted rape during
their service. Of that group, 37 percent said they were
raped multiple times, and 14 percent reported they were
gang-raped.
A change in DOD policy in 2005 allowing sexual assaults
to be reported confidentially in "restricted reports"
led to the number of reported assaults across the
military rising 40 percent.
There are still many reasons why female soldiers are
reluctant to report sexual violence, especially in
combat zones. Solidarity is survival. Complaining about
your superior or soldiers of comparable ranking
ruptures the working hierarchy and its military
mission. In addition, it is often the woman's word
against the man's word. As one sailor told Ms. Corbett,
"You just don't expect anything to be done about it
anyway, so why even try?" She said she was raped at a
naval base on Guam before being deployed to Iraq.
Female soldiers coming back from Iraq relate their
fears of even going to the latrines in the middle of
the night for the fear of being sexually assaulted.
Sexual violence is often dismissed as fabricated,
exaggerated or consensual. It is important not to
tarnish many upstanding and respectful male soldiers
and sailors with sweeping generalizations.
Abbie Pickett, who is a 24 year old combat-support
specialist with the Wisconsin Army Naitonal Guard, told
Ms. Corbett: "You're one of three things in the
military--a bitch, a whore or a dyke. As a female, you
get classified pretty quickly."
Particularly since the Tailhook episode in 1991 which
involved sexual violence against women at a naval
party, the Pentagon has become more concerned about
such assaults. There are far more women in areas of
combat now as well. Over 160,000 women have seen active
duty in Iraq and Afghanistan already.
Bottom line to all the reports--official and
individual--was summarized by the New York Times this
way: "Many have reported being sexually assaulted,
harassed and raped by fellow soldiers and officers."
(For more information see
http://www.democracyrising.us)
Assault and rape are crimes, deeds of devastating
impact on the lives of these young women. They are not
just vile words. Yet in the month since the New York
Times article was published, there has been almost no
public outrage and no demands for more investigation,
more corrective action, more law enforcement.
The members of Congress--women and men--have not
mobilized for action. The press did not follow up on
the article--"The Women's War" by Ms. Corbett. The
National Organization of Women (NOW) condemned Don Imus
in no uncertain terms. They have not yet demanded
multiple actions to be taken on this continuing
violence against women.
Aside from the indifference of the male legislators,
Congress is now graced by the largest number of women
lawmakers in its history. The Speaker of the House is a
woman--Nancy Pelosi. Sure, she has her hands full with
the Iraq war. But this is an internal war against many
women who need her leadership and her status to spark
remedial or preventative action.
Words inflaming more than deeds is also too often the
case when racial epithets are uttered by public
figures. All those groups and civil rights leaders who
conquered and ended the Don Imus media empire should
ask themselves what have they done in any sustained
manner, given their power and media access, about the
brutality of racism by commercial interests in the
urban ghettos. Deaths, injuries, disease and loss of
livelihood are a daily occurrence, apart from raw
street crime and drugs. Little children seriously
poisoned by lead, asbestos and other toxics. Whole
neighborhoods redlined without adequate corporate
police protection. Predatory lending, predatory
interest rates, marketing shoddy products and
contaminated food proliferate.
Where have been the cries of outrage, the demands for
removal of these conditions and prosecution of these
crooks and defrauders? The abysmal conditions are
daily, weekly, monthly. They have been occasionally
reported in gripping human interest terms and
statistics and maps.
If only the offenders used words, instead of committing
these awful deeds. Maybe there would have been action,
front page headlines and prime time television and
radio coverage. If only they used words!
_____________________________________________
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