de-ale romanticizarii si exotizarii prea des intilnite

“Ce misto e viata de tigan” la un beso

[…] Si ma tot gandesc, ca intr-o tara in care “Inima de tigan” bate toate ratingurile, “tiganca imputita” e atat de acceptat….

Si ca tot scriam aici de minoritati, un articol interesant pe tema romi si vizunea romantic-idioata asupra lor (si nu numai) de g.m.tamas.

referinte recomandate de asemenea:

“Sexy-minoritati” @ un beso

“Hei, ţigane!” de G.M. Tamás in Observator Cultural

[…] Cînd cei care se află sus le recunosc celor de jos meritele care n-au de-a face cu Raţiunea, atunci este vorba întotdeauna de subjugare.

Nu a fost oare lăudată timp de milenii frumuseţea femeilor, disponibilitatea lor amoroasă, cuvioşia, smerenia lor, dragostea de mamă, în timp ce li se negau capacităţile raţionale şi chiar sufletul uman? Oare nu e ilustrată şi astăzi, în revistele onorabile, orice temă despre femei cu imagini seminude ale unor fete frumoase? Oare nu apreciază orice idiot homofob meritele designerilor de interior, ale creatorilor de modă, coaforilor sau cîntăreţilor de operă homosexuali? (Care sînt conotaţiile? Senzual, alunecos, frivol, fapt divers, secundar.)

Nu sînt oare emoţionaţi adepţii romantici şi conservatori ai ierarhiei şi ai sistemului de caste de truda agricultorului, care lucrează din zori pînă la apus? Ei sînt de fapt emoţionaţi de hărnicia lor simplă, de „frăţia cu natura“, de umilinţa lor superstiţioasă şi de supunerea faţă de preoţi şi stăpîni. Oare nu se înduioşează şi jurnalismul burghez de disciplina şi rezistenţa celui ce lucrează din greu?

Poporul este, precum ştim, o adunătură de fraieri de bună credinţă, atîta timp cît agitatori nemiloşi, pe ungureşte lelketlen izgatók („subversivi fără suflet“ – expresie minunată de pe vremea monarhiei cezaro-crăieşti), nu îi îndeamnă la grevă.

De minte, raţiune şi de aripile imaginaţiei conceptuale cei asupriţi şi prigoniţi nu au parte. (Critica intimă nazistă a „hiper-raţionalităţii“ evreilor nu este nici ea altceva decît mirarea că cei condamnaţi îşi permit să gîndescă – chiar mai mult, îşi permit să gîndească conceptual.)

Susţinătorii romilor văd foarte des în aceştia (la fel ca în indienii americani sau în eschimoşi) o enclavă premodernă, precapitalistă, şi astfel găsesc în ei pretextul pentru exprimarea antimodernismului şi a anticapitalismul lor romantic. Evident, după părerea lor, acest lucru nu e valabil în privinţa noastră, a albilor. Albii sînt, desigur, moderni şi raţionali. Ce putem asculta la întruniri antirasiste? Muzică ţigănească, folclor. Ce iubesc la romi cei care pretind că îi iubesc? Obiceiurile poetice, credinţa, legendele, melodiile, muzicalitatea religioasă. Inima, nu mintea. Romul (precum şi femeia, indigenul sau cel cu pielea colorată) este ori infantil, ori de o „sălbăticie nobilă“. Este nestricat, nereglementat, spontan, needucat, instinctiv. Într-un cuvînt, iraţional.

Convieţuirea cu romii (a se înţelege: siguranţa albilor alături de romi) trebuie să fie un compromis între indivizii raţionali (cei care respectă regulile juridice şi sociale) şi protejaţii lor iraţionali şi infantili. Evident, conform „elitei“ albe. Conflictul milenar dintre sedentari şi nomazi colorează acest lucru. Limba străină, predominarea oralităţii, portul tradiţional, călăritul – lucruri cunoscute din mitul nobilului beduin şi din povestea despre ultimul mohican, precum şi din dulcea şi nostalgica complezenţă a westernului în privinţa genocidului. […]

o resursa: Dosta! / Is this a stereotype?, Stereotye n° 10: Women

not cruelty but compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness

apropos de istorie:
——
“To be hopeful in bad times is not just foolishly romantic. It is based on the fact that human history is a history not only of cruelty, but also of compassion, sacrifice, courage, kindness. What we choose to emphasize in this complex history will determine our lives. If we see only the worst, it destroys our capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places–and there are so many–where people have behaved magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, and at least the possibility of sending this spinning top of a world in a different direction. And if we do act, in however small a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand utopian future. The future is an infinite succession of presents, and to live now as we think human beings should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvelous victory.”–Howard Zinn, from “The Optimism of Uncertainty” (2004)

A-ti pastra speranta in timpuri grele nu este doar romantic si nesabuit. Se bazeaza pe faptul ca istoria omenirii nu este doar o istorie a cruzimilor, ci si o istorie a compasiunii, sacrificiilor, curajului, bunatatii. Ceea ce alegem noi sa scoatem in evidenta din aceasta istorie complexa ne va determina vietile. Daca vedem numai ce e mai rau, asta ne distruge orice capacitate de a face ceva. Daca ne amintim acele situatii si locuri – si sunt atat de multe – cand oamenii s-au comportat magnific, aceasta ne da energia sa actionam, sau cel putin posibilitatea sa trimitem acest titirez care e Pamantul intr-o directie diferita. Si daca actionam cumva, chiar intr-o mica masura, nu trebuie sa mai asteptam un mare viitor utopic. Viitorul este o succesiune infinita de prezenturi, si a trai acum asa cum consideram ca ar trebui sa traiasca oamenii, sfidand ceea ce e rau in jurul nostru, este in sine o minunata victorie.”

For more on Zinn’s life, see his obituary from the Boston Globe
——
via ak press

Myriam Merlet


Haitian Feminist Leader Myriam Merlet (1953-2010)
… the passing of Haitian political activist Myriam Merlet. She died under the rubble of her home after it collapsed on her last week. Myriam Merlet was the Chief of Staff of the Haitian Ministry of Women and an outspoken feminist who helped draw international attention to the use of rape as a political weapon. We speak with playwright and activist Eve Ensler, who knew Myriam very well, and air video of Myriam speaking in 2008 at V-Day. [includes rush transcript]

The Mongoose Chronicles: Myriam Merlet; more about her

Comunicat de presa: În 2015, 56 de milioane de copii nu vor merge la şcoală

Bucureşti, 21 ianuarie 2009 – În cadrul Campaniei Globale pentru Educaţie, a fost lansat Raportul Global de Monitorizare a Obiectivelor Educaţiei pentru Toţi 2010, cu titlul „Reaching the marginalized”.

Raportul analizează motivele pentru care atât de mulţi copii continuă să nu aibă acces la educaţie şi modul în care inegalităţile sociale – precum sărăcia, apartenenţa etnică, conflictele armate, poziţionarea geografică, limba vorbită şi sexul – joacă un rol esenţial, deseori în dezavantajul copiilor. Raportul concluzionează că prioritatea în politicile guvernamentale trebuie acordată combaterii excluziunii sociale.

Preşedintele Campaniei Globale pentru Educaţie, Kailash Satyarthi, a declarat pe marginea acestui document: „Raportul arată că cei mai săraci copii din lume sunt şi cei care suferă cel mai mult din cauza crizei financiare globale. Aceşti copii lucrează în fabrici, trăiesc în zone rurale sau în zone afectate de dezastre, au dizabilităţi – nu au avut niciun rol în declanşarea crizei economice – şi este scandalos ca viitorul lor să fie acum expus celui mai mare pericol”.

Raportul atrage atenţia că progresele realizate la nivel global pentru îndeplinirea obiectivului de a oferi acces la educaţie obligatorie şi gratuită pentru toţi copiii sunt lente. În 2007, în lume se înregistrau 72 de milioane de copii neşcolarizaţi iar dacă lucrurile continuă în acelaşi ritm, în 2015 – anul limită pentru îndeplinirea obiectivelor Educaţie pentru Toţi – vor mai exista încă 56 de milioane de copii care nu vor merge la şcoală.

Raportul estimează că pentru îndeplinirea acestor obiective este nevoie de 17 miliarde dolari US, ceea ce reprezintă doar 2% din fondurile cheltuite pentru salvarea de la faliment a 4 mari bănci din Marea Britanie şi S.U.A.

În ceea ce priveşte România, raportul evidenţiază problema şcolarizării copiilor cu dizabilităţi, a căror rată de includere în învăţământ este de doar 58%, comparativ cu cea de peste 90% înregistrată în rândul copiilor cu vârste între 7 şi 15 ani. Documentul mai prezintă faptul că 30% dintre copiii romi din ţara noastră urmează mai puţin de patru clase, subliniind că rata sărăciei în rândul acestei etnii este de aproape trei ori mai mare decât media naţională.
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“european person of the year 2010”: iana matei

“‘Europeanul Anului 2010’ este o hunedoreancă născută în municipiul Orăştie”

Iana Matei a fost recompensată de o revistă de talie mondială pentru lupta sa împotriva prostituţiei juvenile, dar şi pentru salvarea victimelor traficului de carne vie.
De la o adresă secretă din Piteşti, voluntarii organizaţiei „Reaching Out” salvează vieţile copiilor care cad victime traficanţilor de fiinţe umane. În fruntea lor este Iana Matei de 50 de ani, preşedinta şi fondatoarea organizaţiei, care şi-a dedicat şi chiar riscat viaţa pentru salvarea acestor copii.

(via c.)

“Europeanul Anului 2010 este romanca Iana Matei”

“‘Européenne de l’année 2010’: Iana Matei, l’ange des persécutés”

“‘Europäerin des Jahres 2010’: Iana Matei, der Engel der Verschleppten”

“Romanian named European Person of the Year 2010”

The 19-strong jury of the Reader’s Digest magazine, offered the title of ‘European Person of the Year’ to a Romanian, a first in the 15-year history of this award, a hero who has dedicated and risked her life to save the girls who fell victim to traffickers in persons.

It’s been 11 years since Iana Matei, aged 50, founder and executive director of ‘Reaching Out’, has been using her organization as a weapon against this most cruel form of modern slavery.

Reaching out, a shelter for trafficked girls

“the haiti that we knew no longer exists”

Via Democracy Now! comes this report about how many right wing think tanks are already speculating on the best way to “take advantage” of the disaster in Haiti.


Naomi Klein Issues Haiti Disaster Capitalism Alert: Stop Them Before They Shock Again
Journalist and author Naomi Klein spoke in New York last night and addressed the crisis in Haiti: “We have to be absolutely clear that this tragedy—which is part natural, part unnatural—must, under no circumstances, be used to, one, further indebt Haiti and, two, to push through unpopular corporatist policies in the interest of our corporations. This is not conspiracy theory. They have done it again and again.” [includes rush transcript]

via vivirlatino, via flip flopping joy

 
more democracy now! commentary and on-the-ground coverage:

US Policy in Haiti Over Decades “Lays the Foundation for Why Impact of Natural Disaster Is So Severe”

Report from Haiti: Desperate Call for Aid with Rescue Equipment, Medicine, Food & Water in Short Supply

“The Sound of Screaming Is Constant”–Haiti Devastated by Massive Earthquake, Desperate Search for Survivors Continues

Earthquake Survivors Dying as Aid Struggles to Reach Haiti

fw: Roma women urge European governments to respect their human rights

(2nd International meeting of Roma women)

Athens, 12.01.2010 – The increased and alarming human rights violations against Romani women and ways of ensuring full enjoyment of their rights topped the agenda of a two-day conference of Roma women, which ended today in Athens.

In a final declaration of the conference, the participants unanimously called on European governments to uphold their obligations and ensure that Romani women enjoy their fundamental rights, to put an end to a climate of impunity around atrocious abuses of their rights, to take unequivocal measures to punish perpetrators and compensate Romani women victims.

Romani women also urged the governments of European countries, where forced sterilisation is an ongoing practice, to take active measures to compensate the victims, sanction perpetrators and initiate state medical reform in the area of patients’ rights.

The conference’s conclusions stressed the need to prevent de facto segregation in housing and education, while promoting the principles of equality and integration.

Participants also encouraged Roma activists and human rights communities to actively engage with Roma communities to raise awareness on their human rights and facilitate access to public services and law enforcement mechanisms.
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fw: European Feminist Forum publishes “A Herstory”

Over the past several years, feminist women and men throughout Europe came together to meet as part of the European Feminist Forum. In the European Feminist Forum, they exchanged ideas about issues that face women in Europe today, with the goal of creating a new European feminist agenda. The discussions are now collected in the book “A Herstory (2004-208)”. Download the book (PDF)

The new Europe

Women in Europe still often do not enjoy the same opportunities as men. And the newly expanded Europe brings with it entirely new challenges – a new dynamic in the area of economic migration, for example, and also an increase in the trafficking of women from Eastern Europe.

Time for a new feminist agenda
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“Is human life less precious than this belief?! … doesn’t need a complicated answer.”

“Reclaiming the lucidity of our hearts” by Sass Rogando Sasot

[…] The root of our oppression is the belief that there is only one and only one way to be male or female. And this starts from our birth. Upon a quick look on our genitals, we are assigned into either male or female. This declaration is more than just a statement of what’s between our legs. It is a prescription of how we should and must live our lives. It is a dictation of what we should think about ourselves, the roles we should play, the clothes we should wear, the way we should move, and the people with whom we should have romantic or erotic relationships. But the existence of people whose identities, bodies, and experiences do not conform to gender norms is a proof that this belief is wrong.

Nonetheless, even though the truth of human diversity is so evident and clear to us, we choose to hang on to our current beliefs about gender, a belief that rejects reality and forces people to live a lie. This is the belief that leads to attacks on our physical and mental integrity, to different forms of discrimination against us, and to our social marginalization. This is the belief that led to Joan of Arc to be burned at stake because she was cross-dressing. This is the belief that motivated the rape and murder of Brandon Teena on December 31, 1993. This is the belief that led to the stabbing to death of Ebru Soykan, a prominent transgender human rights activist in Turkey, on March 10, 2009. This is the belief that led to the arrest of 67 Filipino workers in Saudi Arabia for cross-dressing in June this year. This is the belief that keeps the list of transgender people being harassed, killed, and violated growing year after year. And it is very unfortunate that our legal systems, religions, and cultures are being used to justify, glorify, and sanctify the violent expressions of this belief.

So we question: Is human life less precious than this belief? Is our right to life, to dignified existence, to liberty, and pursuit of happiness subservient to gender norms? This doesn’t need a complicated answer. You want to be born, to live, and die with dignity – so do we! You want the freedom to express the uniqueness of the life force within you – so do we! You want to live with authenticity – so do we!

Now is the time that we realize that diversity does not diminish our humanity; that respecting diversity does not make us less human; that understanding and accepting our differences do not make us cruel. And in fact, history has shown us that denying and rejecting human variability is the one that has lead us to inflict indignity upon indignity towards each other. […]

One amazing speech, and one amazing woman!

women’s stories and climate change

Climate change is already having a disproportionate impact on women, as witnessed in her homeland Bangladesh, says Anushay Hossain. But where are women’s voices and outrage in response to this growing concern?

[…] The scenario in Bangladesh reveals that climate change is real and is already impacting populations and ecosystems around the world. But the case of Bangladesh shows us something more: It’s the world’s poor who will feel the impact of this change the hardest. And women make up approximately 65 percent of the world’s poorest populations, according to the International Labor Organization.

Climate change is already having a disproportionate impact on women, concluded a report released yesterday by The United Nations Population Fund. “The State of World Population 2009,” which focuses on women, population and climate change, also says that women have been largely overlooked in the debate on how to address climate change-related problems, and that success in combating this concern is more likely if policies, programs and treaties consider women’s rights and needs.

This report is more evidence that though the gender angle of climate change will not be part of the agenda at upcoming U.N. Climate Change Conference, which takes place in Copenhagen from Dec. 7-18, it should be. Negotiations leading up to the conference, at which it is hoped an international agreement will be adopted for curbing greenhouse gas emissions, have already hit a wall as developing and developed nations disagree on how to fight climate change. […]

“Feminist Voices Missing in Climate Change Debate”

On “State of World Population 2009”:
State of World Population 2009 – Facing a changing world: women, population and climate

How do population dynamics affect greenhouse gases and climate change? Will urbanization and an ageing population help or hinder efforts to adapt to a warming world? And could better reproductive health care and improved relations between women and men make a difference in the fight against climate change? Find the answers in the State of World Population 2009.

The whole world has been talking about carbon credits, carbon trading and emissions targets. But not enough has been said about the people whose activities contribute to those emissions or about those who will be most affected by climate change, especially women.

The climate-change debate needs to be reframed, putting people at the centre. Unless climate policies take people into account, they will fail to mitigate climate change or to shield vulnerable populations from the potentially disastrous impacts.

From Worldwatch Institute:

[…] One major finding of the report is that cultural, legal, and other barriers, such as poverty, keep women from having a say in the decisions that affect their environments, their families, and their livelihoods—in other words, their lives.
Who is telling the stories of women who are thriving despite the daily challenges they face? On-the-ground, first-person research is what tends to be missing in a lot of publications and news sources these days. […] Worldwatch is placing staff in the field to find out what is really working in agriculture—from policies designed to empower women and communities to innovative ways to produce nutritious food for vulnerable populations.
Nourishing the Planet: Evaluating Environmentally Sustainable Solutions to Reduce Global Hunger and Rural Poverty

More on the report at RH Reality Check