"Antiques Roadshow" Fails at Images of Women

Hello all -

Bless you tomeshew; your encouragement is greatly appreciated. I do hope to hear from more readers --- don't be shy!!!

Anyway, this came up this week.  On Monday, I was watching Antiques Roadshow on PBS as I often do.  But I was so horrified at one of the appraisals that I had to stop watching the show until that particular appraisal was over. 

What was it that made me react that way?  It was a poster - of a man roughing up a woman.  The woman's look was sheer cringing fear; the man just just oozed meanness and cruelty.  I have no idea if it was for a movie or for some pulp magazine,or whatever.  I couldn't even tell you now the gender of its owner.  I did get that the appraiser was Alsadair Nichol.  If you didn't see it and/or just have to see this for yourself (it's not too far into the hour), you can - here 

I thought it was really awful and not something I'd want to see anywhere, let alone on Antiques Roadshow.  What kind of sick psychology does such imagery feed into?  This is definitely NOT the way I'd ever want to see a woman - or man, either, be treated, even in 'mere' imagery.  It makes me wonder why in the world someone would want to own such a thing.  Creative freedom aside, I feel we should reject such images.  I've looked for some references as to the harm they may cause; however most centered on video games or film.  But I did find one article fairly on target.  You can read it at this link.

From the article:  "Whether the violence is real, reenacted based on real events, or fiction, when you witness cruelty and empathize with the victim, you experience the trauma vicariously."  I think Dr. Davis has good points here.  Also, her discussion of mirror neurons is enlightening.


I just totally failed to understand why this item was chosen for an on-air spot. I was so outraged about it that I e-mailed WGBH which produces AR for PBS.  I actually got a form reply from a lady in Audience and Member Services.  She did greet me by my name, though (and managed to misspell that!).  I also wrote to Liberty Mutual Insurance who is a sponsor of AR.  To date, I have had no response from them.  I will faithfully update this post if I do get a reply.

Conclusion: we need to be aware of the images we're surrounding ourselves with and presenting to others.  We need to be mindful of the effects they can have, positive and negative.  I hope we start creating and choosing to disseminate images that will enhance us positively.

 

Why?

I am STILL waiting for SOMEONE, ANYONE, to give me a word of encouragement here.  Still, I felt I HAD to post about this:

A thirteen year old was killed in a drone strike in Yemen.  The Guardian had interviewed him a few months ago.  Glenn Greenwald also has an excellent piece about this at The Intercept.

My reaction:

...As the years spent fighting terror
Leave their ink on history's pages
The legacy's not cause for celebrations
For it seems the gentle butterflies 
That once floated harmlessly
Have turned into bomber drones
Above the nations

We are turning wheels of violence
And we're in need of revival
And we've got to get ourselves off this carousel

----With apologies to songwriter J.  Mitchell, and of course CSN & Y who did the classic version (oh, and Matthew's Southern Comfort did a great version, too)

Anyone Home?

I've been debating whether to write this, but I've come to the conclusion I must.

Is anyone reading my blog(s)?  Are the posts of any value to anyone?

I ask because I have gotten so few comments over the years and now over 200 posts here at TVFH (and I think just over 40 at D and D).  I do thank and bless those who have left comments.

I need to know whether this is still worth doing, or if I am just wasting my time.  I do put some effort into the posts, and if no one cares, why should I keep it up?

Please, if this blog has any value to you, consider leaving a comment, just once in a while.  Consider subscribing by e-mail.  Consider passing the link(s) on to others.  I can hardly say how demoralizing it is getting so little feedback. So please let me know if the blog(s) are still worthwhile.

200th Blog Post - Vienna Waltz

Well, do you believe it?  This is the 200th post for TVFH, which began as Cinnamonblue's Blog.  Started during the Bush II administration (I thought of calling it "Outrage du Jour"), there are still lots of things to be very concerned about.

This poem was inspired by the recent protest in Vienna against the Academy Ball held there. .And guess what?  Today is the birthday of poet Langston Hughes, so I guess a poem is indeed in order.

Vienna Waltz

We hear the waltz calling

Its 3/4 rhythm and stringed melody

Not content to bounce off ballroom walls

Find their way into the pulse of the streets and the murmur of breezes

Calling us to the dance,

No ball gown or black tie required

Just come as you are

Whirl your way through the night

Until the last notes fade at dawn

Because four walls cannot muffle the music

Nor constrain the dance

The waltz must find itself alfresco

Where we can all dance under a more magnificent chandelier

Than any ballroom can boast –

The stars

News Quiz

Greetings. Are you keeping up?  Here's a quiz for you. Ready, set go:

1.  What agency had plans to track driving patterns of Americans on a large scale?

2.  Who this week said that the NSA surveillance was "constitutional and effective?"

3.  What state declined to stop honoring Dr. Martin Luther King and Robert E. Lee on the same day?

4.  The family of what teen killed by an NYPD officer reached a settlement with the city?

5. What judge is skeptical of the constitutionality and all of no-fly lists?

6.  Who called a group of protesters "low-life scum?"

7.  Who had their 1961 convictions vacated?

For answers, click on "Read more..."

Project Unchained

Greetings, all.

Here's a new poem, sparked by a discussion over at The Intercept (shout out to Kitt) , and remembering the words of Jesus in John 8:32  (there are some other sparks, too, including a certain Ancient Greek philosopher...).  But enough of that, here's the poem:

Project Unchained

If I unchain you
And you unchain me
        Together we could both be free

If he speaks truth
And she speaks plain
        Then sanity might once more reign

If we stand up
And they do the same
        Then our true power we proclaim

                    Let our minds be opened wide
                    To question, explore
                     Seek where truth might hide

                     Let our hearts be free to feel
                     To sometimes bleed
                      Then finally to heal

So if pinpricks of light
Make us more brightness crave
        It's time we follow to outside the cave     

We Must Reclaim our Humanity

Hello all - if anyone is reading.

I saw that these excerpts were appearing at The Guardian.  I hadn't so far read any.  Today, however, the excerpt's headline grabbed me and I had to read it.  It's from Guantanamo Diary by Mohamedou Ould Slahi, edited by Larry Siems.  This excerpt should be enough to bleed one's heart:  well-trained torture squad. 

Mr. Slahi wrote the diary while confined at Guantanamo, where he still remains.  Here, the editor discusses the case and the fight to get the diary published.

There's also a related story at The Intercept.  John Kiriakou who was jailed for whistle-blowing on waterboarding has given an interview.   It's worthwhile to read what this courageous man and true patriot has to say.

We must all take some responsibility for these despicable acts. How can we have allowed torture to go on in our names?  Let us remember the victims, and keep pushing for justice for all victims of torture.

UPDATE:  See this article from The Guardian.  I'm hoping that the full "torture report" doesn't get lost in obscurity and tucked away from FOIA requests.  We need this information to be on the public record.  As many have suggested (been discussed at TI for example) - why doesn't a Senator or Rep. read this into the record (it can even be done without reading all the thousands of pages...) Or maybe a staffer or someone could leak it.  It needs to get out.  We need to expose the criminals who tortured, those who authorized it, and those who developed such programs.  We need to expose them and to bring them to justice.