04:09 p.m., Friday, October 12, 2001
There's a few posts at my livejournal for this week if you've not looked recently. Also two new journal entries.
Off home now, finally. Have a great weekend. See you Monday.
[by Beth]
03:55 p.m., Friday, October 12, 2001
I wonder who they're asking. I really don't like Blair. And I wish the bombing would stop.
Actually, I think most people I know are in favour of it, but only because I don't know anyone who's yet come up with a viable alternative.
[by Beth]
03:47 p.m., Friday, October 12, 2001
Scary stuff. And again.
[by Beth]
03:42 p.m., Friday, October 12, 2001
You think Clinton was bad? Be glad you're not French.
[by Beth]
03:39 p.m., Friday, October 12, 2001
Did you hear about the Russian airliner that crashed last week? It might have been accidentally shot down by the Ukraine. Tragic.
[by Beth]
03:36 p.m., Friday, October 12, 2001
It looks like the campaign will go on for a long time. Bush has also said that if the Taleban give up Bin Laden, the US will reconsider what is going on. Oh, marvellous. I don't agree with military action, but I bet that would mean all other methods of reaching out stopped too. And the Talenban stay in power, and the people of Afghanistan stay oppressed. Brilliant.
[by Beth]
03:00 p.m., Thursday, October 11, 2001
Don't forget to update your links to the Feminist Media Watch....
[by Beth]
02:48 p.m., Thursday, October 11, 2001
Worried about whether the US is going to take on Iraq when it's finished with Afghanistan? You should be.
'John Negroponte, the US ambassador to the United Nations, issued a formal notification this week that George Bush's global campaign will not end with the destruction of Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network.'Investigations into the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington were continuing, Mr Negroponte wrote. "We may find that our self-defence requires further actions with respect to other organisations and states."'
'The measures that the US appears to be contemplating include diplomatic, financial, counter-terrorist, and law enforcement actions. But unlimited military measures are on the list, too. And although organisations such as Hizbullah or Islamic Jihad, in Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, might be targets, there is no doubt that Iraq is currently the most likely focus of any "second phase" US operation.'
Read the full article. It's unnerving.
[by Beth]
12:37 p.m., Thursday, October 11, 2001
Ever wondered what a Taleban officer is really like? This article is very good. Read it.
[stolen from brooke]
[by Beth]
10:11 a.m., Thursday, October 11, 2001
I wonder why, when they let Yvonne Ridley go, did they arrest at least one more reporter on the same day? I can't believe it's anything to do with her being female, unless it's just an acknowledgement of how squeamish the rest of the world is about women and the death penalty.
I also wonder about this story... yes, Afghanistan needs some kind of broad-based government that represents all the people of Afghanistan, but will it really survive if it's something the Western world takes control of putting in place? Wouldn't it be better to help the people of Afghanistan come up with something fair and help them to put their own government into place? Because this smacks of us taking control because we know what's best. Never a good plan.
[by Beth]
09:19 a.m., Thursday, October 11, 2001
I just don't know what I think about this case.
[by Beth]
10:37 a.m., Wednesday, October 10, 2001
Read this, just in case anyone ever tells you you need your appendix out. And ask questions if you ever do. Don't assume that your doctors know best.
[by Beth]
10:26 a.m., Wednesday, October 10, 2001
The role of female journalists.
She makes a couple of good points about Yvonne Ridley, and about the fact that it's hypocritical to criticise her for being in Afghanistan when she has a young daughter but not to ask similar questions about men. The only thing I would say is that her hunger strike for not being allowed to make a telephone call seems a little excessive - although I can understand her fear of disappearing.
[by Beth]
10:18 a.m., Wednesday, October 10, 2001
I think that this article on anthrax is meant to be reassuring on some level, but it didn't really reassure me.
[by Beth]
04:50 p.m., Tuesday, October 9, 2001
War cabinet. Scary words. Still, at least we're admitting it's a war this time.
[by Beth]
04:45 p.m., Tuesday, October 9, 2001
I'd almost forgotten how insular the Bush administration had been before the attacks happened. I still don't like him, wish he wasn't in charge of the US, but at least, as the article says, he's discovered a use for the rest of the world.
[by Beth]
04:41 p.m., Tuesday, October 9, 2001
I thought this was interesting about the spread of rumours and false information over the internet about the attacks in America and their aftermath.
[by Beth]
04:11 p.m., Tuesday, October 9, 2001
The idea that the recent cases of anthrax in Florida could be terrorist related scares the shit out of me, but doesn't surprise me in the slightest.
[by Beth]
04:01 p.m., Tuesday, October 9, 2001
Four UN workers have been killed. They were Afghans, working for a mine-clearing organisation. And I know I only just posted that I was going to keep my mouth shut - but already?
People are going to see this as only a tiny fraction of the disaster that befell New York and Washington, but to their families, this is just as bad.
The Taliban say that now 35 people have been killed. I can't help but wonder if that figure includes any women. Have women been killed, but not included? Or included only to make the US look worse? Because the Taliban aren't known for treating women like people.
Of course, it's an unconfirmed figure. But still.
[by Beth]
03:56 p.m., Tuesday, October 9, 2001
So. We're bombing. My country's involved too.
I've been putting off posting about it. Because I am against this. I don't think that it's right. But I haven't yet come up with any viable alternatives, so I'm just going to shut up for the minute. Erin reminded me of this truth the other day...
"Blind faith is a breeding ground for ignorance and intolerance. If the acts of terrorism the United States of America faced on September 1, 2001 didn't prove this point, I don't know what will. Pro-war or anti-war, pro-choice or pro-life, for the death penalty or against the death penalty, Christian or Muslim--whatever your BELIEFS are, whatever your OPINION is, however noble or righteous the cause, question it. Question it until you are sure it is the best answer and then question it again. Never stop listening to opposing arguments or refuse to accept the possibility that you could be WRONG."
[by Beth]
03:22 p.m., Tuesday, October 9, 2001
I can't remember if I ever got round to posting anything about this case, but you should all go and check out this website.
"Today is 9 October 2001. Ian Stillman has been unjustly imprisoned in North India for 405 days.
"Ian has been a world-renowned aid pioneer among the deaf in India for 25 years. He himself is completely deaf. His right leg was amputated after a road accident.
"In August 2000 Ian was a passenger in a taxi in which police claimed to find drugs. After a short trial he was sentenced to ten years for trafficking. Ian denies any knowledge of drugs.
"At his trial there was no credible evidence. He was refused a translator or sign-language interpreter. Until recently he has been in cramped, insanitory conditions without medical care. The Kullu police have attacked him in the Indian press."
Maybe with everything that's going on in the world right now this shouldn't be a priority. But I don't think that we should let these people be forgotten about because there are worse things going on. He still needs to know that he is remembered.
[by Beth]
12:19 a.m., Monday, October 8, 2001
Early update for a Monday, innit?
I've got some pictures scanned and uploaded. Firstly I've finally got a picture on my livejournal. Raar. And secondly I've updated the visual section on my site with piccies of me and Loria in London earlier this year, and me and Paul, the blokey. Go to about / beth / visual.
[by Beth]
