Misogynist Laws

Read these two articles

6^th March 2012

14-year old Beaten to Death for Adultery was Raped 

Mother & sister of late Amina al-Filali

16^th March 2012

Outrage over suicide of Moroccan teen forced to marry rapist   

For both the cases above, the young teenagers were treated as the criminals instead of being offered protection for they were the ones who had been violated upon. These are only some of the reported cases as I am sure there are many more that went unreported or undetected.

Hena Akhter, the 14 year old was sentenced to 101 lashes after being raped!

Amina al-Filali, 16 was forced to marry her rapist!

It breaks my heart whenever I read of news as above.  I have absolutely no respect, only utmost contempt towards the misogyny community leaders of those girls.  How could they even sleep at night after meting out such punishments to the young innocents is beyond my comprehension.

Whilst it is most common for misogyny to exists amongst the men, it is also found and practiced by women against other women as in Hena Akhter’s case. It is indeed sad to note that there are women who condone violence against women. 

All men made misogynist laws are heinous crimes in itself and those meting out punishments provided for under these laws are criminals of the highest degree. 

“Women themselves have the right to live in dignity, in freedom from want and freedom from fear.”   

Kofi  Anan

Peace & Quiet

Right now, at this moment all my children are abroad and the man is away having fun with his friends.

I’m all alone enjoying the peace and quiet.  In a few hours, I shall be taking the peace and quiet exit.

Last night I told my younger teenager that I felt bad in a way because I was not missing my youngest, who had gone for a week long school trip to Borneo, that way that some of his school friends’ parents are missing their children.  The school had set up a blog and I could read from some of the postings by the children’s parents that they are really missing their children.  Some of them went to the extent of having sleepless nights dreaming of their child and longing for their return.

Don’t get me wrong.  I do miss my youngest but not to the extent that my life come to a stand still.  My younger teenager gave me the reason that I’m used to my two elder children leaving for trips on and off, thus when it was my youngest turn I’ve just gotten use to the fact that they’re not around some of the time.  I must say, I do agree with my younger teenager. 

This morning, it’s my younger teenager’s turn to leave for an overseas school trip for a badminton exchange.  Last night it was a noisy night at home with her packing frantically and finishing off whatever school assignments before going to bed.

Much later this evening, my youngest shall return from his Borneo trip with scores of adventure tales.  The house will again be filled with a child’s chatters, trail of dirty clothes on the floor, hollers of instructions to tidy up room, hugs and kisses being exchanged before bed time.  These are noises and activities I hold dearly and treasure.

For now, peace and quiet – which I shall enjoy to its fullest.

Irresponsible = Failed Phone Chain

I’m not referring to these phone chains.  The phone chain I’m referring to is the passing on of messages received via your phone call / messages down to a line of people for whom you’re responsible for in fowarding the messages.

Today marks the second day that my youngest is absent from home – on a week long school trip.

Since his departure yesterday, though I missed him, I am certain he’s in safe hands.  But the man was feeling uneasy as we did not receive any news whatsoever from his school on his safe arrival and no updates on the school blog either.  It was a total blackout for us.  Well, to me no news is good news.

The man’s uneasiness, though, was contagious enough for me to log onto the school blog for updates and read a message from a parent to his son that he was so jealous to know that the children had arrived safely and having a great time!  Then it struck me – the phone chain!  I sent a text to the parent who was to be my up-line in the phone chain to ask if she had received any news to which she simply replied that they are doing fine.

Now that IMMEDIATELY got me mad!  That means this irresponsible #@&*# had been receiving the updates and even had the time to write posts on the school blog to her beloved son but did not care to carry out her responsibility to pass on the messages to her next in line of the phone chain!  What did I do?  Well I of course picked up the phone and gave her a piece of my mind.  Her excuse “Oh I was not feeling well” to which I asked was that the reason or was it simply that she forgot or could not care less?

Did I offend her?  Yes, sure I did but she sure did deserve what she got from me.  If she can have the time to write on the blog proclaiming she was missing her son, she jolly well can afford to just press two damn buttons on the phone to forward messages that she was supposed to.  Otherwise, don’t take the responsibility to be on the phone chain!  Really irresponsible #@&*#!

Action springs not from thought, but from a readiness for responsibility.  ~Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Youngest took his first flight

Restless and excited – he simply could not sleep.  Turning and tossing till 1.30am.  That was my youngest early this morning and it must had been about 2am before he finally fell asleep.

This morning my youngest took off for his first trip independent of his family.  He is spreading his wings and having the very first taste of independence.  Flying across the ocean to Borneo to experience living in a rural community for five days.

The night before he was busy packing his bag.  He kept reminding me that his bag can’t exceed 7kg. Having seen what we had done when we were packing for his elder sister before she left for Scotland, my youngest took the weighing scale and put his little bag on it to make sure he packed within the 7kg permitted! 

Having done his packing, he went off to bed counting the hours till the sun rises.  But he was simply too excited to fall asleep. So he embarked on a little journey of restlessness, tossing and turning before sleep finally enveloped him.

Before he knew it, the alarm clock rang and it was time to get ready.  Getting ready, it was like another day for school only this time with a bigger back pack on him.  It made my heart swelled with pride that my little boy has finally ‘grown-up’.  It was a bittersweet feeling.

Then at the school, his Papa and second sister hugged him.  It was so sweet to see my youngest was shy to be seen hugged by his Papa and second sister in front of his school friends whilst at home, he is always the huggy kissy boy! 

Up the bus he went.  The bus' lights came on and the engine roared to life.  My youngest was practically bouncing in his seat with excitement.  I was so happy to see him waving goodbye to me happily. 

There went my youngest to Borneo for five days – flying across the ocean to live, work and play in a rural community where he’ll meet people from the local villages and get involved in village life.