bjfactory

The book I'm currently reading was published in 2004. Because it is a non-fiction and deals with political issues, time does matter:

The quote of the day is from Stokely Carmichael, in 4/1967, during an anti-war demonstration (Vietnam) concerning the military draft and Black people. It was mentioned specifically in an essay by Arundhati Roy, in her "An Ordinary Person's Guide to Empire". The essay concerned race issues in America that permeates into its policies dealing with the rest of the world.

Before I write the quote however, in order to understand better what Roy is pointing out and Carmichael is talking about, let me explain how the statistics work for, what Roy dubs, the "poverty draft" into the military - in this case, specifically African Americans.

They are pretty disturbing, so you have been warned.

First off, African Americans make up only 12% of the U.S. population. You might already know this, but that's why they're a minority. However, they also make up 21% of the total armed forces and 29% of the U.S. Army. Affirmative action working hard here. The essay also points out that nearly 4 million Americans have lost the right to vote because they are convicted of felony charges. Of those 4 million, 1.4 million are African Americans (13% of all voting-age Black people cannot vote). Oh, and Roy specifically said this:

"For African Americans there's also affirmative action in death. A study by the economist Amartya Sen shows that African Americans as a group have a lower life expectancy than people born in China, in the Indian State of Kerala (where I come from), Sri Lanka, or Costa Rica. Bangladeshi men have a better chance of making it to the age of sixty-five than African American men from here in Harlem."

Now that we know what the context of the quote I'm about to post is, here's the quote of the day, which I thoroughly enjoyed the irony and language of:

"[The military draft is] white people sending Black people to make war on yellow people in order to defend land they stole from red people."

That was. once again, referencing the Vietnam war, which Roy then links to be not so very different from the Vietnam Iraq one.


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On a side note that is far less serious, I'm mostly through the fourth season of Supernatural. And it's fantastic. Not AS great as Season 3 which made me laugh SO hard (and adore Dean's character more - not just his rugged good looks, mind you) but god, there are definitely episodes I LOVE in S4. Memorable scenes include:

( The following may include spoilers for all of season 4, up to 'Lucifer Rising' )

Title: Message
Fandom: Cat Street (Manga)
Characters: Keito Aoyama, Kouichi Mine, OC
Time Line: A few years after the end of the manga [may contain spoilers]

( A slice of life in the after... )

For those who never read Cat Street the manga, I recommend it. It's shoujo-ish, but it borders on josei. Its themes are slightly darker and romance is not always its main one. It doesn't always sugar coat things but it isn't blatantly cynical. There is, however, definitely a central romantic story. It was very enjoyable, the characters were all really interesting, though I don't think it delved as deeply as it could have into most of them, but I do like some of the themes it did explore.

Why is this attempt number 1? Because there's something I really wanted to write about when I finished the manga, and I felt this attempt was a bit clumsy. So I'll try again later.

Thanks for reading, though!

So, in trying to fulfill Theme 5, here were some rejects….

5 Traits Rei Never Knew the Origins Of

( trial one... )

5 Girls That Rei Will Never Be (WIP)

( trial two... )

5 Things That Rei Has Never Known About Family (WIP)

( trial three... )

Theme One: Rosary

Title: Unwanted gifts
Genre: Drama/General
Rating: G
Version: Manga

( Rei finds that a stranger who is Father could still break her heart... )

Currently editing the feel of her name.

Damn my need to make sense!

1. the forest
2. the soundless
3. the searching
4. the memories

(Come in under the shadow of this red rock),
And I will show you something different from either
Your shadow at morning striding behind you
Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you;
I will show you fear in a handful of dust.
- T.S. Eliot "The Waste Land"

Losing Grip

( I will show you fear in a handful of dust... )

Based on the picture: Sailor Princesses

Adventures at Disney Land

( Really, Minako does not have brilliant ideas, at all... )