DAILY NEWS - May 27th, 2011

DAILY NEWS - May 27th, 2011

DATELINE: VISITING HEAD-UP-YER-ASS TOWN, WHERE JUDGE’S LIVE – In a truly astounding ruling, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled that… wait for this… you will want to be sitting down… a woman cannot give consent to have sexual intercourse while she is unconscious. Holy crap! These guys are fucking rocket scientists! I have to admit, they earned their pay with this one! That this even got to the Supreme Court is what is totally fucking flabbergasting. Yes, I know the case in question involved a couple who had a rather adventurous consensual sex life, and yes, she agreed to be choked for the thrill of it… that makes her kinky, bordering on stupid… but it does not mean that the guy then has free reign to do what he wants with her, and it would be legal because she didn’t use the ‘safe word’ or scream STOP at him. That this had to go through all levels of the judicial system, that it encountered some rulings saying no crime had been committed, and then ended up in a split vote at the Supreme court passes the point of being just plain fucking stupid and takes a bounding leap into the world of outright disgusting. I can hardly wait for even more bullshit from them, once Comrade Harper is finished stacking the bench with his peons and clones.

DATELINE: LOOKING FOR CELEBRITY, SOMEWHERE BETWEEN CATASTROPHE AND CONCEIT – Major media are hinting that there might be the off-chance that Sarah Palin will be *gasp* running for President in 2012! *faints* You think she MIGHT be? What the fuck planet are you guys on? She has a new bus and is planning a tour. She bought a new house in, yes, Arizona,(remember the whole ‘blood-;libel’ thing when her iddy biddy feelings were hurt when… oh yeah… a gunman opened up and killed a bunch of people on a Sunday morning and it was suggested that Palin might want to tone down her six-shooter rifle in every hand rhetoric for a while). My favorite of her subtle little hints, though… the release of her own movie, The Undefeated, to be opening in Iowa soon. (News Bulletin, Sarah hon… you WERE defeated in 2008, so already your movie is off to one hell of a great fucking start). This movie, which she originally went to the producer prepared to pitch and fund, is about the real Saint Sarah, the politician who cleaned up Alaska, who solved their economic woes, who is really a spy, watching Vladimir Putin when he comes out of the shower (she can see him from her kitchen window). One should be hoping there are a lot of popcorn buckets around, because people will need something to puke in. This movie has all the things necessary to knock Barry Linden of its throne as the most boring piece of shit movie ever. She might be running? Oh for fuck sake. The only thing more stupid than celebrities is the media that covers them.

DATELINE: SPEAKING OF CELEBRITIES AND DISASTERS AND THE MEDIA COVERING THEM – It’s been a tough spring… towns literally wiped out by raging wild fires, floods, and now tornadoes. Amidst the destruction, as people start the endless, huge task of rebuilding their lives, their homes, and coping with staggering grief, they should breathe easier, because help is on the way. Why, just the other day they broke into the news with the bulletin that Justin Bieber had just tweeted that he was praying for the people of Joplin. Well, shit, that has to make everything better, right? He tweeted. Whoop-de-fucking-doo. This is news? Sorry, no, it’s bullshit. If a person was to sit back and calculate the amount of money made by actors, singers and sports stars, there would be more than enough there to rebuild every one of those towns lost and then some. There would be enough money there to rebuild fucking Haiti, and to see these people touring around, offering glib support and handshakes before climbing back into their personal planes to go home to their multi-million dollar mansions has to burn some fucking asses. It would certainly piss me off. Yes, there are some who do go to help, who offer real support, who get their hands dirty, but they are the vast minority. There are some who donate a couple hours to sing a song or attend a concert, but come on… there could be a lot more done, and there are fewer people every day with the ability to help as more and more struggle just to make ends meet. Of course, even the photo-op starved celebrities are a set up from the bank execs, who are making millions in bonuses, and whose spirits are sitting hunched over right there in a nearby tree, surveying the damage and waiting to see what bones they can pick over.

FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT - MAY 26th, 2011

DATELINE: ASKING GOD TO PLEASE BLESS THE CHILD – As yet another ‘private special education treatment facility’ is under investigation for abuse of the children in its care and can take its place among the residential treatment centers to come under scrutiny, one has to ask when something will be done to protect the childre, when will someone start to listen to their little voices. If even one of the many allegations are true, the doors should be slammed shut and the owners of the facility locked away for life. That, however, seems unlikely… these are crimes that no one ever seems to be held to account for. How the hell does that happen? I build a fucking doghouse without the proper building permits and I am in a shitload of trouble, yet rampant abuse of children happens on a daily basis and everyone is suddenly blind?

Case in point: The Kingsclear Training School in Fredericton, NB, where it is alleged that Karl Toft, who ran the joint, sexually abused upwards of 700 boys in his care. Admittedly this was not a voluntary program for the boys there, and it was nothing more than a government-sponsored Youth Detention Center, but the same standards should apply, and the same outrage should be heard) He did finally face trial and was found guilty of 34 counts of sexual assault, indecent acts, buggery … he is in a halfway house and is allowed to roam without supervision. He is one of the most heinous pedophiles in Canadian history, but he had help, in the form of the local RCMP. Yes, the boys would run away, would try to escape, and when they were found, S/Sgt Clifford McCann would have his turn at them, then return them back to the school for more from Toft. If they told their parents, the police and Toft would deny anything, saying it was part of the child’s attempts to act out. The facility is closed, but there was no escape for the boys there, and there has been no justice for the vast majority of them. My personal disappointment in the integrity of those of the highest offices of the RCMP where this could have been corrected is immeasurable. McCann has never been held to account for his part in this tragedy.

Case in point: The Elan School in Poland, Maine. This was a private educational facility where parents paid huge amounts of money to get their children ‘help’ for additions, for behavior issues, for learning issues. Thankfully Elan School is now closed, though that victory for the victims of the school was not easily won. The abuse, the humiliation, the hell that children were exposed to behind those doors can never be undone. The only hope now is that lessons can be learned, and learned quickly.

The list is huge, and I won’t even start on the educational facilities run by church groups *glares at that fucking asshole in Rome* because that would just get my blood pressure to high. The truly sad thing is there ARE good places out there to get help for your children. That’s what every parent wants – the best chance and the best help for their children. How the hell are they supposed to know what to do now? How do we know which facility is genuinely there for the benefit and wellbeing of the child, to help provide them with a better chance in the future? They look just the same on the outside as the other ones, they offer the same promises and tout all sorts of certifications and qualifications, but how the hell can any of their claims be confirmed?

It is long overdue that a proper system is set up for these fly-by-night assholes to be caught. They are sick, disgusting predators who have found a way to access an endless supply of victims. Proper monitoring, from agencies outside the community are an absolute necessity. Mechanisms have to be in place for the child to seek help when help is needed while inside the walls. These kids have already got enough to deal with, they have challenges and nightmares and baggage most of us cannot even begin to imagine, and they are vulnerable even before they enter into one of these facilities. They also have the added burden of being children with issues, and are therefore not credible, not to their parents, not to the police, not the a judge, so the disease runs rampant, and hundreds of children are abused. Yes, the majority of these are privately funded, yes, the parents pay many many dollars to have their children there… parents will do damned near anything if they believe their child’s life hangs in the balance. These bastards know that, play on that, and use that fear to get even more money, even more control, even more opportunity to abuse their authority. Absolute transparency with regards to the qualifications of the people within the institute is required. Absolute transparency about the programs, how they are run, what is done within the walls, is an absolute requirement in order to protect both the children AND the care-givers. Why is this not happening? Money? How much does it cost to have all these children, when they are finally free, needing medical, emotional, psychological and abuse treatment or worse, incarceration or commitment as an adult? The cost of proper measures within the facilities is nothing but a drop in the bucket. Privacy issues, you argue? Fuck that bullshit. Security? Yeah, you already know my answer to that as well. It can, it should, and it must be done to protect the children.

For the children involved in this shit, the least we can do is offer justice and a promise that it won't happen ever again. God bless each and every one of you for what you have endured at the hands of people in positions of extreme trust and authority. For the parents of these children, my heart goes out to you, because there is no burden greater than the belief that your actions caused your own child to suffer. Sadly, for the parents of children with special needs, with behavioral issues, with learning and social challenges, the nightmare that this could happen to your child still exists and will exist until someone steps up to the plate and demands definitive structure, regulation and accountability on all levels.

VIEW FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT - MAY 25th, 2011

DATELINE: ON THE FRONT LINES, FIGHTING THE WRONG FUCKING ENEMY -- They stand proud, putting their lives on the line without hesitation to protect those who cannot protect themselves. They daily put on a uniform to fight tyranny and hatred, defend the rights of the individuals, and work tirelessly because they believe in the strength, the moral fiber of their country, and the American dream. They do that and more, and thank God they do.

Sadly, for a woman who serves, this commitment is not enough. She takes the same training, makes the same promise to serve, and will offer her life for her country. She is also in more danger of being attacked by the men she works with, the people that she is to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with and take orders from, than by the enemy they collectively face in battle. In Washington this week, hopefully some people will pull their heads out of their asses and effect some change, because it’s more than clear that those within the military who can effect change obviously don’t give a shit, or don’t want to.. This is change that has to come from the top. This is a change that has to be a complete cultural acceptance of women within their ranks, something that has been handled well with in other militaries in other countries; it is something that is apparently beyond the capabilities of the people calling the shots in the Pentagon, for absolutely no viable reason other than the lack of will and desire, or perhaps lack of respect for the women who wear the uniform.

First, some numbers… in 2008, over 3000 women serving in the US military were sexually assaulted. That was an increase of 9% from the year before. In 2010, 3,158 cases of sexual assault within the military were reported. Women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan face a 25% higher risk of being assaulted by men wearing the same damned uniform – not by the enemy they are ordered to fight. Only 8% of reported cases of sexual assault are investigated and prosecuted. Of those very few that are prosecuted, 80%... yes, that was 80%... of the men found guilty of the crime still receive an honorable discharge. It doesn’t take a fucking genius to see the problem here, or how to fix it; hold the suckers accountable for their actions.

In 2005, the military offered a new option for women who were attacked… they could file a ‘confidential or ‘restricted’ report that would allow them to get medical assistance for the injuries received from the attack while not making a formal complaint. There were 882 restricted reports of rape in 2010. Of the total number of claims for assistance because of PTSD resulting from sexual trauma, 66% of them are denied, most of these because there is no evidence, rape kits, statements or reports left on file; they are destroyed after only one year from the date the crime was reported. When the full results of the attack come to light, which often takes some time, it is too late for the victim to get help… there is no way she can go after legal compensation, and there is no way she can file for medical compensation or a pension or any other sort of assistance… and this is from a society that prides itself on being progressive and proactive? Morally bound and tolerant?

When a woman is assaulted in the military, should she become pregnant from that attack, she is not entitled to an abortion as part of her standard health care. There is no other group of people who receive government-funded health care who are not entitled to this, other than the women who serve in the Peace Corps. For the victim who serves, her records are not kept confidential; she is ostracized, her career in the military is essentially over the minute she says anything – again because no one is held accountable by the Brass. She is not entitled to the same rights as ANYONE else in US society or in the US military, and that by itself is criminal and it is disgusting.

We get outraged at the treatment of women in the Middle East, how the Taliban keeps them from going to school or working, throws acid on them, throws bombs in their rooms, kills them for looking at a man. We demand something be done to guarantee people have equal rights around the world, the right to vote if they want it, and yes, there are women soldiers and marines who are fighting for these rights along with their male counterparts, so why the hell is she not entitled to the same rights, the same respect as the men in the US military? These women, like the men, worked their asses off in order to meet the same standards, they performed the same tasks to get to where they are, except they had to fight the rampant discrimination that their male counterparts have never had to endure. So what the fuck are the Brass… those rear-echelon motherfuckers… thinking in sitting back and letting this go on, unchallenged. Why turn a blind eye to this? Would they do the same if their own daughters happened to be the ones in uniform who were sexually assaulted? Not fucking likely. Within the pentagon, within the ranks, the men talk the talk, but that’s about it… and the time has come to say that these women deserve one hell of a lot better than they are getting.

This week, in the US House of Representatives, Representatives. Niki Tsongas, (D-Mass.) and Michael Turner, (R-Ohio) have introduced a bill that would force the military to keep these records and to make them available to the victims. That they have to is sickening, but God bless them for doing so. Yesterday, Representatives Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Robert D. Andrews (D-N.J.), Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), Loretta Sanchez (D-Calif.) and Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) submitted an amendment to the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act that would allow rape survivors serving in the military full health coverage for abortion care. Thank God someone realizes this is NOT about a religious issue regarding the sanctity of life; this is an issue of absolute gross discrimination and a culture of degradation towards a person who did not ask to be in the situation she is in and who needs help because of a situation that was allowed by her employer. The condoning of abuse of women comes right from the top, and is present in every level down the chain. It is time for the doors to be slammed on this old-boys’ club… if they want that sort of shit as a way of life, I am sure there is some very affordable property in Iran and a leader who shares the same opinion regarding the place of women in the world.

VIEW FROM THE DRIVER'S SEAT -- MAY 24th, 2011

Hiatus is over, I guess ;)

DATELINE: IN THE HOLY HUBRIS HALLS OF THE BIBLE BELT – Every once in a while there is a special sort of piece of shit that makes a person have to sit back and say ‘Holy crap! Is this guy for fuckin real?’ Well, sadly, yes he is. I am proud to declare Kansas State Representative Pete DeGraaf to be ‘Asshole of the Week’. This is not a title easily given out… oft reserved for the likes of Arnold Schwarzenegger, not to be confused with ‘Idiot of the Week’ like Harold Camping, that fucking rocket scientist who predicted the end of the world. News bulletin Harold: you were reading it wrong… qu’elle fucking surprise!!

Pete DeGraaf… that people can even be this monumentally fucked up is a slap in the face to all those proponents of Darwin’s theory of natural selection; anything this stupid should have died off long ago, but alas, that doesn’t appear to be the case. So, why is this dick-head up my nose this morning? Well, because he had the fucking audacity to compare a rape-caused pregnancy to having a spare tire in your trunk… it’s about being prepared. What the fuck is wrong with this asshole?

My rage is on two levels… first, that he would minimalize something so absolutely horrendous and devastating. I suppose the fact that it is something that men don’t have to worry about decreases its importance in the world… how fucking nice for him. To state that women should prepare for this though, goes far beyond the parameters of ignorant and lands squarely in the middle of sexist, misogynistic discrimination. Me thinks perhaps he must have issues with his teeny tiny pecker to be having this kind of hatred towards women. This man is supposedly a leader of his church and a leader of a state in the USA. Well done, people. Lemme guess: he was the least offensive of a whole slate of idiots and dickwads running for office, so he was the obvious choice. Nothing like having a pulpit AND a soap box to stand on to deliver this sort of sick-ass hatred of half of the population.

The second level is that, once again, the woman is not to be considered a victim, but rather deserving of whatever happens to her. The court system, the press and society already STILL work against the woman who is a victim of rape. Yes, there are those despicable creatures who claim they were attacked for reasons other than the reporting the truth, and they should feel the full force of the law because they add to the already impossible circumstances the rest of women have to tolerate when they are sexually assaulted, but they are very few and far between. The incidents of this don’t compare to the statistics regarding sexual assault. Listen up, Dickhead DeGraaf... let me educate you, if that is even possible. Every two minutes of every day in the United States, someone is sexually assaulted. That is about 250,000 every year. It should be noted that this number does NOT include those under the age of 12. BUT bear in mind, asshole, that 60% of rapes and sexual attacks are NOT reported because the women are afraid, are threatened, and know that they will be the ones put on trial, that they will be accused of ‘asking’ for it, dressing to instigate an attack, being in the wrong part of the city, with the wrong person, wearing the wrong perfume… none of which should matter a tinker’s damn. They also know that only 6% of rapists will ever see the inside of a prison.

1 of every 6 women living in the US has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape… that works out to 17.7 million. 90% of rape victims are female. Victims of sexual assault are 3 times more likely to suffer from depression, 6 times more likely to suffer from PTSD, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol, 26 times more likely to abuse drugs, and 4 times more likely to contemplate suicide. There are no statistics on the socio/personal effects regarding marriage survival after sexual assault. This is a crime that destroys every aspect of a woman’s life, that is based on nothing but hatred and a need to control. If a woman becomes pregnant in one of these attacks, the burden is increased by untold amounts, as now she faces the decision of having a baby that was the result of some fucking asshole attacking and violating her, and the moral decision of aborting a child – there is no ‘win’ in this situation for her… but let’s have assholes like Pete Degraaf again add to the hell she is already living. Please bear in mind as well that 15 percent of sexual assault victims are under age 12, 29% are 12-17 years old, 44% are under the age of 18 – all of them should of course buy extra ‘abortion insurance’ for when they have to walk to school every day or when they are coming home from babysitting at the house three doors down.

But why the hell do we want to hold men accountable for this shit, or to help the victim when she finds herself in the absolutely worst conflagration of violation and the consequences thereof. Let’s just keep letting the likes of DeGraaf think with his own pecker as he sets the moral bar for his congregation and his constituents. People of Kansas who voted for this piece of shit: Shame on You. People of the Faith Community Church: perhaps it’s time you held your associate pastor accountable for the completely unchristian hatred that spews from his lips. This asshole is the poster boy argument for retroactive birth control.


*statistics from US Department of Justice, US Bureau of Justice Statistics, World Health Organization, National Institute of Justice & Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.


DATELINE: ON THE NEW YORK TIME BEST SELLER LIST – or perhaps that is the Best Smeller List? Okay, not quite there yet but we all know it’s just a matter of time before Dashiel Waitflaker: Deer Hunter is there, in all its fucking glory. Please check out the books at www.writersamuseme.com , available in digital and print format. Be warned, though… there is more of this shit on the way!