Five days ago, I was content and comfortable. Now, I am anxious and on edge, and will be until I can find another place to live…. Yep, that’s right, I got the ol’ 30 day notice a few days ago, and must find another lodging, as this one is being foreclosed by the lien-holder, no doubt some fat cat banker who doesn’t care that 6 people now must rearrange their entire existence in the space of one month. Just another typical tale of the 21st century here in America, as the economy continues its self-destruction right before our eyes….

It may be a product of my youth, but I hate to move. When my dad was in the Army, before I was 10, we moved every few years, to wherever the Army sent him, in their commonly capricious manner. By the age of 10, I had lived in California (two army bases, and two towns), Washington (Fort Lewis), and Japan for seven months. My older siblings had, prior to my birth, also lived in Georgia and, I believe, Texas. It is an adventure, to be sure, to move a family of four to seven people and all their belongings, from one end of California to another, or, just as likely, from one coast to another. An adventure that I, and my siblings, found to be a major pain, after the initial rush of excitement.

Ah, the hell with it, I’m going diving. Want to come along? Let’s go find some pearls, and create today’s Pearl……
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On Monday, when the sun is hot,
I wonder to myself a lot;
‘Now is it true, or is it not,
‘That what is which and which is what?’

“On Tuesday, when it hails and snows,
The feeling on me grows and grows
That hardly anybody knows
If those are these or these are those.”

“On Wednesday, when the sky is blue,
And I have nothing else to do,
I sometimes wonder if it’s true
That who is what and what is who.”

– A.A. Milne, Winnie The Pooh

“The advocates of the pornography victims compensation bill seem to think that if we stop showing rape in movies people will stop committing it in real life. Anthropologists call this ‘magical thinking’. It’s the same impulse that makes people stick pins in voodoo dolls, hoping to cripple an enemy.  It feels logical, but it does not work.” — New York Times Article

This is propaganda, in its worst form…… First, it is presented as a legitimate article with the attached charismatic factor of being published in (gasp!) the New York Times. If it’s in there, it must be true, right?…. Bullshit. The Times gets it wrong just as often as the National Enquirer; remember a few years back when one of their most popular reporters was busted for making up all his stories, for years? One would do well to always remember to believe only about 25% of what is read, and only then if you know of corroborating information…. otherwise, you are bound to eventually be disappointed in your trust…..

Second, it makes an assertion that is completely false, in order to ridicule the supporters of the legislation they are  opposing. I have no doubt this was written by a male, and that he very likely misogynistic. He first accuses the supporters of the pornography victims compensation bill of sloppy, wishful thinking, which he claims is called ‘magical thinking’ by (gasp!) Anthropologists (whom we all know to be the Final Authority when it comes to labeling the parts of society…) According to the author of the article, “it feels logical, but it does not work.”  Hmph. I suppose he has already tried it himself. And, of course, we can consider him an expert on what is logical, because, by golly, he said so….

This is typical propaganda, written to pull the unwary into feeling a kinship with the author. The author makes statements, and claims, that sound pretty bad, in a way that says to the readers, “hey, look, you and me, we’re different than this poor fool!”, and calls on experts, who in reality are, a) not experts and b) didn’t, and wouldn’t, necessarily say what they are claimed to have said….. In reality, Anthropologists would probably agree that movies DO have an effect on societal behavior, and CAN help stop this kind of issue, because it ceases to glorify, and make acceptable, actions that are evil and completely derogatory to women.

If it is made illegal to ban showing rape in movies, it WILL help stop such behavior in society. How can it be considered wrong to rape, when movies glorify it, often showing it as a natural result of the WOMAN’s actions, that inflamed the man beyond his ability to control, thus making her responsible for being raped? How can it be illegal to rape, and yet be legal to show rape in movies? THAT is what doesn’t make sense, unless one accepts the lie that movies don’t affect behavior.

Banning the filming of rape, or any other sexual crime, (of which there are more than enough examples in real life), is NOT THE SAME as “magical thinking”. Nor is it the same as “voodoo” believers’ beliefs in unprovable principles. Rape is NOT a subject for films, especially when they glorify it, as being something natural. It is only natural to misogynists and sexual predators; normal men do not feel like watching a rape for entertainment purposes.

Next time you read some article supporting the sex trade, remember that for every ONE woman who voluntarily enters the business of selling themselves for sex, there are, easily, a MILLION women who are not given any choice in the matter, who suffer daily beatings and rapes, and who are treated as if they are cattle, with no rights and no hope of change….

But then, the American public is pretty good at accepting lies, aren’t they?……
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And, finally, we will use some Art to disguise this last Pearl…. these three photos, all found on Facebook, shall act as this morning’s political commentary…. enjoy!
    I think that will serve to make my point…. if not, well, just think on it a while, and it will come to you….
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And so we come to the end of another day’s effort…. So be it. I’m not even going to go back and edit, beyond checking for typos…. So, y’all take care out there, and May the Metaphorse be with you….