Not Anonymous

There was a small conference about Sexual Harassment on Campus.

It's a subject that has been hitting the Israeli Blogosphere (both feminist and otherwise) over the past month or so because a very brave Master's student by the name of Ortal Ben-Dayan (אורטל בן דיין) published her experience as a BA student and the affair she had with her Sociology Professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.
Her biting and humour filled article can be read in Hebrew here.

Ms. Ben-Dayan breaks down her experience with this man and contextualizes it within the prism of Ashkenazi Academic Elite and her being a minority woman of colour (she is Mizrahi, specifically of Moroccan descent) and how that affected the unequal balance of power already present within the Professor-Student dynamic.

Ms. Ben-Dayan was one of the four speakers at this little conference and she spoke with dignity and without shame, though she admitted that speaking aloud about her experience is much more embarrassing than just writing about on a social commentary on-line magazine - Ha'Oketz.

All four speakers were excellent and touched on different issues concerning power, identity and the treatment sexual harassment receives in the public and how despite University campus' being considered the same as any other work place under the Sexual Harassment Law in Israel, almost no legal action is done to prevent it. There are no workshops for lecturers, students and campus workers in the subject, when there are supposed to be.
At this point getting a complaint to even be addressed is difficult - there is a hot-line students that have been sexually harassed (women only volunteers) can call, they give counseling and information on what can be done.

But it seems like such a drop in the ocean.

Another great thing about this panel was that three of the women were of colour; two of them Mizrahi Jewish women, one the aformentioned sociology MA student (Ortal Ben-Dayan) and a lawyer (Dr. Yifat Biton); the other (ha! pun) a Palestinian social worker (Ragjda Alnabulsi) and the fourth woman was a Lesbian Ashkenazi women (Dorit Abramovitch).

I was really impressed with what they had to say.

It also brought to my mind all the little sexual harassments I've experienced over the years. I've never been raped or sexually assaulted, but that's because I've been insanely lucky - no more, no less.

All women have been sexually harassed. It's an everyday thing. I've been stripped (by that special gaze) more times than I can count, I've been "accidentally" touched more times than I can remember while I've stood in a crowded bus, train or street. I've been deliberately groped once when I fell asleep on a train. I've been told to smile. I've been told, while working for my father, cleaning his windows, that I'd look really good cleaning your windows. During gym classes I was whistled at and told I had a great rack. After those gym classes my bra strap would be pulled and snapped - my breasts jiggled. I was called bitch, whore, cunt, dyke, etc. etc.
I could go on.
But these are everyday things.
There is no need for anyone to be held accounted for.
Right?

In October 2000 there was a lynch. It was all over the News. It isn't easily forgotten, especially not with images as iconic as this.

It took me no time to find these links.
The only link I could find of this disgusting story, beyond the blogosphere, was in Ha'aretz weekend supplement (printed edition) in Hebrew. Today I got an RSS feed of the story translated into English. Unlike the Hebrew article, which has markup errors and is thus basically unreadable on-line, the English edition doesn't have pictures and I have not been able to find any other photos of the lynching. A group of dozens Jewish boys between the ages of 15-18 from the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Pisgat Ze'ev assaulted and almost murdered two Palestinian teens from Shu'fat, which is just a stone throw away form that Jewish neighborhood.

The lynching took place on the 30th of April (yes, a month ago) and it was only brought to the media this past week.
What is even more disgusting is that the 30th of April this year was National Holocaust Memorial Day, obviously the date was not chosen for the hell of it, especially because Palestinians come to Pisgat Ze'ev Mall often enough for them to be familiar to Jewish population.

The article is a horrifying and illuminating read. I must be growing cynical in my old age as I was not surprised at all that something like this happened. The fact that I share with those "good Jewish boys" an iota of commonality is sickening.

Did I mention there was a book burning as well? Oh, and that Israel is the 4th largest arms dealer in the world.

I end this extremely depressing entry with the hope that someday lynches, burnings and profiteering through the suffering of others will be shocking and nauseating.

I am not shocked and nauseated that these things happen in the country in which I live.
That is the saddest thing of all.

I had this really good entry all thought out, with lots of examples and points and arguments. But all that has seeped out of my brain due to end-of-Semester stress.

See yesterday Army (most of them Air Force) officers traveled around schools all over the country in a joint project with the ministry of education. This project is part of the 60 years to Israel commemorations, celebrations and what not.
At one of the school in which some of these officers came to speak, a demo by New Profile in which they constructed a huge papier mache brain and proceeded to squirt at with soapy water. I thought it was really smart and funny.

I told about it to my brother and mother and was really blown away by their negative responses.
My brother said they were being stupid and my mother asked if the demonstrators don't ask themselves what they can do for Israel.

Ahem.

See, the officers were there to talk about values and meaning of Israeli citizenship and what it means to be a Jewish nation in Israel - according to what I read about the project wasn't about convincing hight school kids that it's better to serve that to evade (which has been, according to the media which is trying to ensue a moral panic, imo, on the rise for the past two years).
I personally think it's wrong for the army to be a presence in schools other to give an overview of the positions available in the IDF and for that to be in after school hours so that it doesn't take over academic times - but that's really optimistic.

I don't believe for a minute that all they spoke about yesterday were "the values of Israeli citizenship" - Army service since the conception of this country has been a formative part of Jewish Israeli Identity (Druze and Bedouin can volunteer for the draft, but it is not mandatory). I'm pretty convinced that they spoke about the fact that to be good citizens they should serve their country through the IDF, that in the IDF they will learn what it means to be a moral, ethical and good Israeli citizen.

I think it's been a long time since the IDF has participated in a War that was solely for the protection of its citizens. All the operations across the borders have been offensive since the 80's and all withdrawals have been unilateral, meaning no agreement was discussed with those whose territory we were leaving. Almost all the operations done on the civilian population in the West Bank (and once Gaza) are defended by saying it's in the name of security are excuses to control said population by fear and humiliation. The soldiers (boys and some girls of 18 and 19, commanded by 20-somethings) are scared and they have guns and they've been taught to hate that little girl in a hijab, or that teenage boy with hate for them in return.
Do I even need to mention the immorality of the collective punishment on Gaza?

A small aside about Gaza: I can talk about the fact that Hamas fires Qassams at innocent people in the West Negev and Sderot, but seeing as the government that is funding this oh so educational project gives less than a shit about those people being fired upon, the less said the better.

I was asked why I don't have sympathy for those soldiers who have to do those horrible things in the name of security. I do. I have a lot of sympathy towards them and the fact that they are serving in an Army that requires them to do such unethical things and that they are educated to view those who are not like them as less-than-human.
Those soldiers traumatize and in turn are traumatized as well.
I wrote about this phenomena not too long ago.
Those soldiers, my soldiers, are ordered to invade other peoples homes in the name of security. They sometimes take food and other electrical supplies from those homes.
Some of them remain silent about what they once they are discharged.
Some of them break through this silence.

I don't believe that the Army does what it is supposed to do and it is because of this that I criticize it, that I feel a reform within its system and the way we, as Israelis, view the function of the military in our lives.
The gun is never a sacred instrument... in Hebrew it is equivalent to male genitalia.
Maybe I'll give a feminist reading of the role of the IDF, it's been done before, but now I've said what I felt had to be said about how I feel about the Army entering schools and talking about civic "values" and "duties".

It's true you know.
I mean, there should be a "duh" factor here, but it's not a really a fact that one can take for granted.

I remember not too long ago (May 2007) the whole world was outraged at the murder of Dua Khalil, which I also wrote about at the time.
Yes, it was disgusting.
What's more disgusting is that since then very little has been done to stop these murders, which are more common than not.

In Israel it too happens much more often than people suspect, or more to the point, care.

What frustrates me more than anything; more than the lackadaisical police work in matters of this kind; more than the attitude of appeasement certain factions of the liberal/radical left have towards extremists, simply because they aren't Western, is that this attitude is nothing more than well concealed racism and sexism.

Yeah, I hears the gasp. How, do I hear you ask?

It is racism because this kind of "custom" would never be tolerated in "civilized" society. It is racism because if a white woman or girl were to be murdered in the name of "honour" the authorities would call it a heinous crime.
It is sexism because it ignores the fact that women are not merchandise to be procured and then discarded and thrown away if she doesn't work the way she "should". It is sexism because women are people.
It is inhuman.
Period.

To say that this sort of treatment towards women is a "cultural" thing is pretty insulting to the people of that culture don't you think? What, only Western women have the right, excuse me, the privilege to stand up and leave and create a different, new life for herself.
Even if it is a "custom" this "honour before life" crap, the woman, girl, who has brought shame onto the family has the right to live her own life! For fuck's sake, most of the girls and women murdered in the name of honour are virgins (as though that makes a difference), those who aren't were most likely raped and those that weren't raped and chose to sleep with someone are allowed that choice as human beings.
Because women are people, no more and no less than any other man.

The whole world said "this is wrong" when Dua Khalil died, because like in the old days it was made public, so public the entire world tuned in to see a young 17 year old be murdered for being seen with a man not her kin and religion.
The whole world said "this is wrong" when the Qatif Girl was sentenced to 200 lashes for being found in the company of a man not her kin after she and her boyfriend had been raped.

If we're already on the subject of people speaking their minds: I hear people criticize Ayaan Hirsi-Ali, Nonie Darwish, Wafa Sultan and other Muslims (or former Muslims) whom immigrated from Arab and Muslim nations, for selling themselves to a right wing agenda, or for being overly critical of the countries from where they came and I'm angered by that.
While I have issues with the political views of some of the people I mention above, I wouldn't ignore what they have to say about extremist Islamistic regimes, they know where they come from.

Hello friends!

I know some of you are computer programmers and/or know mechanical stuff to do with computers and laptops.

I have a conundrum.
Frida's battery - my Lenovo 3000 N100 - has decided to stop charging, making my laptop a very small, light table top.
When plugged in everything works without any problems but without it being plugged in the electricity it won't work.

Other than taking it to a lab, what do you suggest I do.

Thanks in advance.

Those of you who have been paying attention know that the Senior Lecturers of our Universities have been on strike (we are now in week six of the strike). In an act of raising awareness to the issues for which the strike is happening (legitimate, though aggravating it may be), I will be joining my fellow students, junior and senior lecturers in locking the University gates for the day and continue with a rally later this week and next.

I hate this strike.
Really I do.

And while I know this little stand will do little to move things along, it's too important to not make a stand for the crumbling education system (both Higher and Lower) in this farkukt country!

With my luck it will probably rain.
But it'll be worth it and after all, sit-ins are fun!

( And a meme )

ETA: Oh, and a Happy 1st Light of Hannukah to all the Jew Grrlz and Boiz who read this and to everyone else have a Good Week!

I am a deeply flawed person.
I have weaknesses and traits I'm not particularly proud of.
I am, however, human and these flaws, weaknesses and less-than-positive traits make up the whole person that I am.

At the end of the day, I think I'm a decent person; I don't steal, I straight talk as much as I can, I try to be as honest as I possibly can at all times, I spend time with my family, my friends and by myself, I'm polite and try to improve my character, and so on.

The most important thing we have in this life is our integrity, our wholeness of being.

Alan Moore wrote one of the best speeches about integrity, here's a small bit if it:

"...My mother said I broke her heart. But it was my integrity that was important. Is that so selfish? It sells for so little, but it's all we have left in this place.
It is the very last inch of us.
But in that inch we are free."

-Valerie, V for Vendetta p. 156, by Alan Moore

A bit dramatic, but what would Alan Moore be if not dramatic.

The point is, in order to be free and true and honest with ourselves we will most likely hurt other people, because who we are doesn't always live up to the expectations of other people, in order to do that we'd have to pretend to be something we are not and in the end that causes only more pain.
Putting myself ahead of other people, doesn't make me a bad person, though if that's the moniker that would be given me for my integrity and the decision not to compromise for the sake of something that wasn't doing anyone any good.

So be it.

I know exactly who I am and what I'm worth.

I'm insanely joyful to any other who possesses that knowledge. Gaining that knowledge can be difficult and is often painful and one is likely to lose people over it, but in the end... it is more important to be honest and whole, than give a piece of yourself away one inch at a time.

In addition, the genocide in Darfur must be stopped.

וכמו כן, צריך לעצור את רצח העם בדרפור.

I am obviously truly back home when I find websites to link to.
This one is important.
Most of you know that various British Institutions (universities) and Organizations (the journalists) have been calling to boycott Israel because of Human Rights Issues.
My regular readers know what I think, so it's really silly for me to repeat myself ad infinitum about the subject of the Occupation, War, Peace and Ideals.

There is a call to boycott Israel, but not China. There is a massive media attention towards the Occupied Territories, but in Sudan, Darfur has been "somewhat" ignored since 2003.

Fight the Boycott and find out what issues you really care about.

In addition, the genocide in Darfur must be stopped.

וכמו כן, צריך לעצור את רצח העם בדרפור.

The link is to an eight and a half minute film depicting a scene of destruction which happened on the 20th of May this year in the village of Ertas in the West Bank.

The Occupation isn't soldiers firing rubber bullets or tear gas.

It's this.

And my heart hurts.

Don't ignore this, it won't go away if you do.

Ertas 20.05.07



In addition, the genocide in Darfur must be stopped.

וכמו כן, צריך לעצור את רצח העם בדרפור.