News that affects..........
I do listen daily to the news on the radio, and check out news online daily, and television news on a weekly basis. Occasionally I buy a Sunday newspaper twice or once a month. I know that I do not pay attention to the news, and it is mainly because I feel that the news is depressing. The major media outlets says that we are not yet in a recession, but I want to scream and tell them that at least here in Michigan, WE ARE IN A DEPRESSION!
At times the news really affects me deeply, and at times I do not believe that we get the entire or true story. However, I came to realize a long time ago, that information does affect me emotionally. When the Oklahoma Federal Building was bombed back in April 1995, my children and I were on the way out the door that morning to run an errand. My daughter who suddenly threw up, was crying and upset. Initially I was angry, but as I was cleaning her up, I got sick, also threw up and felt ashamed of my reaction. My usually stoic toddler son who was easily satisfied with a bottle, became fussy and whiny.
It took a while to clean both of us and the soiled areas up, but after some chicken noodle soup and apple sauce, I was able to lay my children down for their nap. Later I turned on the TV around 1 pm, and saw the news. I was shocked by that tragedy. It took me several years later to realize that my daughter and I somehow intuitively felt the trauma. The shock and pain was manifested to us when we became physically ill before I actually knew or heard about the situation. As a person who is struggling to keep her head up in these hard times, the last thing I need is something to bring me down.
Last Sunday I watched CBS's 60 Minutes, mainly because I wanted my children to see the profile on the creator of Facebook, since they frequent the site. One of the featured stores was also about the widespread rape of women in the African Congo by the rebel army militia. It was so demoralizing to see the room of women that had been raped and survived, but still carried the pain and stigma of that violence physically and psychologically . It really bothered me that rape there is the norm, and that it is used as a tool as explained by Anneka Van Woudenberg, the senior Congo researcher at Human Rights Watch, to CNN reporter Anderson Cooper:
“This is not rape because soldiers have got bored and have nothing to do. It is a way to ensure that communities accept the power and authority of that particular armed group. This is about showing terror.” (War Against Women: The Use Of Rape As A Weapon In Congo's Civil War. Aired January 13th on CBS) .
That story and those women's faces stayed heavily on my mind for several days. Several days earlier before seeing that program, my daughter was verbally accosted by a man driving down one of the main street in Northwest Detroit. He tried to get her and another girl to come to his car, but both of them ignored him. As he drove off, he called them “B*tches” because they would not acknowledge him. I was angry because I felt helpless knowing that I can not be around her all the time, but I had to comfort her. I had to advise her how to be careful when traveling and to also pray for protection.
While watching the program, I reminded my children that despite some of the messed up things that are going on in our society, that we are still very blessed to be here. I strongly encouraged them to make the most of the opportunities that are available. Unless they have exhausted all their efforts, they can not get mad at any foreigner that comes here and has success through hard work and education. I also reminded them to stay abreast of the news, which is something that most Americans do not do unless they are very curious or believe that they have a stake in the world. After watching and thinking over that report, I was also reminded that myself included, needed to increase my awareness of events, no matter how painful and traumatic the subject may be. I plan to contribute to one of the following organizations and hopes that anyone who saw and reads of these women's plight will feel inspired to do the same. Below are the links:
* Women For Women International's Congo Program
* International Rescue Committee Aid In Congo
* Panzi Hospital
* Donate Via The Stephen Lewis Foundation
* Donate Via V-Day
* Human Rights Watch
At times the news really affects me deeply, and at times I do not believe that we get the entire or true story. However, I came to realize a long time ago, that information does affect me emotionally. When the Oklahoma Federal Building was bombed back in April 1995, my children and I were on the way out the door that morning to run an errand. My daughter who suddenly threw up, was crying and upset. Initially I was angry, but as I was cleaning her up, I got sick, also threw up and felt ashamed of my reaction. My usually stoic toddler son who was easily satisfied with a bottle, became fussy and whiny.
It took a while to clean both of us and the soiled areas up, but after some chicken noodle soup and apple sauce, I was able to lay my children down for their nap. Later I turned on the TV around 1 pm, and saw the news. I was shocked by that tragedy. It took me several years later to realize that my daughter and I somehow intuitively felt the trauma. The shock and pain was manifested to us when we became physically ill before I actually knew or heard about the situation. As a person who is struggling to keep her head up in these hard times, the last thing I need is something to bring me down.
Last Sunday I watched CBS's 60 Minutes, mainly because I wanted my children to see the profile on the creator of Facebook, since they frequent the site. One of the featured stores was also about the widespread rape of women in the African Congo by the rebel army militia. It was so demoralizing to see the room of women that had been raped and survived, but still carried the pain and stigma of that violence physically and psychologically . It really bothered me that rape there is the norm, and that it is used as a tool as explained by Anneka Van Woudenberg, the senior Congo researcher at Human Rights Watch, to CNN reporter Anderson Cooper:“This is not rape because soldiers have got bored and have nothing to do. It is a way to ensure that communities accept the power and authority of that particular armed group. This is about showing terror.” (War Against Women: The Use Of Rape As A Weapon In Congo's Civil War. Aired January 13th on CBS) .
That story and those women's faces stayed heavily on my mind for several days. Several days earlier before seeing that program, my daughter was verbally accosted by a man driving down one of the main street in Northwest Detroit. He tried to get her and another girl to come to his car, but both of them ignored him. As he drove off, he called them “B*tches” because they would not acknowledge him. I was angry because I felt helpless knowing that I can not be around her all the time, but I had to comfort her. I had to advise her how to be careful when traveling and to also pray for protection.
While watching the program, I reminded my children that despite some of the messed up things that are going on in our society, that we are still very blessed to be here. I strongly encouraged them to make the most of the opportunities that are available. Unless they have exhausted all their efforts, they can not get mad at any foreigner that comes here and has success through hard work and education. I also reminded them to stay abreast of the news, which is something that most Americans do not do unless they are very curious or believe that they have a stake in the world. After watching and thinking over that report, I was also reminded that myself included, needed to increase my awareness of events, no matter how painful and traumatic the subject may be. I plan to contribute to one of the following organizations and hopes that anyone who saw and reads of these women's plight will feel inspired to do the same. Below are the links:
* Women For Women International's Congo Program
* International Rescue Committee Aid In Congo
* Panzi Hospital
* Donate Via The Stephen Lewis Foundation
* Donate Via V-Day
* Human Rights Watch
Labels: 60 Minutes, Congo women, Oklahoma Federal Building, rape
posted by Abundance @ 12:36 PM
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