Bethlehem's Walls 2007

Banksy mural

The murals are part of an exhibition in Bethlehem opening on Monday. Several other international and Palestinian artists are taking part.

O.W.

An Icelandic woman's experience visiting the US

Erla Ósk Arnardóttir Lilliendahl

Erla Ósk Arnardóttir
©Erla Ósk Arnardóttir

During the last twenty-four hours I have probably experienced the greatest humiliation to which I have ever been subjected. During these last twenty-four hours I have been handcuffed and chained, denied the chance to sleep, been without food and drink and been confined to a place without anyone knowing my whereabouts, imprisoned. Now I am beginning to try to understand all this, rest and review the events which began as innocently as possible.

Last Sunday I and a few other girls began our trip to New York. We were going to shop and enjoy the Christmas spirit. We made ourselves comfortable on first class, drank white wine and looked forward to go shopping, eat good food and enjoy life. When we landed at JFK airport the traditional clearance process began. We were screened and went on to passport control. As I waited for them to finish examining my passport I heard an official say that there was something which needed to be looked at more closely and I was directed to the work station of Homeland Security. There I was told that according to their records I had overstayed my visa by 3 weeks in 1995 and. For this reason I would not be admitted to the country and would be sent home on the next flight. I looked at the official in disbelief and told him that I had in fact visited New York after the trip in 1995 without encountering any difficulties. A detailed interrogation session ensued. I was photographed and fingerprinted. I was asked questions which I felt had nothing to do with the issue at hand. I was forbidden to contact anyone to advise of my predicament and although I was invited at the outset to contact the Icelandic consul or embassy, that invitation was later withdrawn. I don't know why. I was then made to wait while they sought further information, and sat on a chair before the authority for 5 hours. I saw the officials in this section handle other cases and it was clear that these were men anxious to demonstrate their power. Small kings with megalomania. I was careful to remain completely cooperative, for I did not yet believe that they planned to deport me because of my "crime". When 5 hours had passed and I had been awake for 24 hours, I was told that they were waiting for officials who would take me to a kind of waiting room. There I would be given a bed to rest in, some food and I would be searched. What they thought they might find I cannot possibly imagine. Finally guards appeared who transported me to the new place. I saw the bed as if in a mirage, for I was absolutely exhausted. What turned out was something else. I was taken to another office exactly like the one where I had been before and once again a long wait ensued. In all, it turned out to be 5 hours. At this office all my things were taken from me. I succeeded in sending a single sms to worried relatives and friends when I was granted a bathroom break. After that the cell phone was taken from me. After I had been sitting for 5 hours I was told that they were now waiting for guards who would take me to a place where I could rest and eat. Then I was placed in a cubicle which looked like an operating room. Attached to the walls were 4 steel plates, probably intended to serve as bed and a toilet. I was exhausted, tired and hungry. I didn't understand the officials’ conduct, for they were treating me like a very dangerous criminal. Soon thereafter I was removed from the cubicle and two armed guards placed me up against a wall. A chain was fastened around my waist and I was handcuffed to the chain. Then my legs were placed in chains. I asked for permission to make a telephone call but they refused. So secured, I was taken from the airport terminal in full sight of everybody. I have seldom felt so bad, so humiliated and all because I had taken a longer vacation than allowed under the law.

They would not tell me where they were taking me. The trip took close to one hour and although I couldn’t see clearly outside the vehicle I knew that we had crossed over into New Jersey. We ended up in front of a jail. I could hardly believe that this was happening. Was I really about to be jailed? I was led inside in the chains and there yet another interrogation session ensued. I was fingerprinted once again and photographed. I was made to undergo a medical examnination, I was searched and then I was placed in a jail cell. I was asked absurd questions such as: When did you have your last period? What do you believe in? Have you ever tried to commit suicide?

I was completely exhausted, tired and cold. Fourteen hours after I had landed I had something to eat and drink for the first time. I was given porridge and bread. But it did not help much. I was afraid and the attitude of all who handled me was abysmal to say the least. They did not speak to me as much as snap at me. Once again I asked to make a telephone call and this time the answer was positive. I was relieved but the relief was short-lived. For the telephone was set up for collect calls only and it was not possible to make overseas calls. The jail guard held my cell phone in his hand. I explained to him that I could not make a call from the jail telephone and asked to be allowed to make one call from my own phone. That was out of the question. I spent the next 9 hours in a small, dirty cell. The only thing in there was a narrow steel board which extended out from the wall, a sink and toilet. I wish I never experience again in my life the feeling of confinement and helplessness which I experienced there.

I was hugely relieved when, at last, I was told that I was to be taken to the airport, that is to say until I was again handcuffed and chained. Then I could take no more and broke down and cried. I begged them at least to leave out the leg chains but my request was ignored. When we arrived at the airport, another jail guard took pity on me and removed the leg chains. Even so I was led through a full airport terminal handcuffed and escorted by armed men. I felt terrible. On seeing this, people must think that there goes a very dangerous criminal. In this condition I was led up into the Flugleiðir waiting room, and was kept handcuffed until I entered the embarkation corridor. I was completely run down by all this in both body and spirit. Fortunately I could count on good people and both Einar (the captain) and the crew did all which they could to try to assist me. My friend Auður was in close contact with my sister and the consul and embassy had been contacted. However, all had received misleading information and all had been told that I had been detained at the airport terminal, not that I had been put in jail. Now the Foreign Ministry is looking into the matter and I hope to receive some explanation why I was treated this way.

Warum Menschen glauben

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Der Allmächtige steckt im Hirn

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Irmtraud Morgner († 1990) über Pornografie und Macht

clipped from www.emma.de
Irmtraud Morgner

Irmtraud Morgner (1933-1990)

Eine Gewaltform gegen die Hälfte der Bevölkerung, die das tradierte Gefälle zwischen den beiden Hälften zementiert. Denn wenn so ein Junge mit Pornografie heranwächst – die sexuell anmacht, eine Frau von oben herab zu nehmen – dann prägt ihn das, und er kann nicht wieder weg davon.
Pornografie zerstört vitale Strukturen der Frauen. Sie schafft weibliche Vorbilder, die sich dem männlichen Partner gegenüber inferior verhalten. Gegen solche prägenden Vorbilder anzureden – selbst mit den besten Argumenten – richtet nur wenig aus. Weil die Prägung auf der vitalsten Ebene festgemacht ist.
Es ist ja klar, dass Männer Probleme haben, mit ihrer Geschlechterrolle klarzukommen, die sie verpflichtet, überlegen zu sein. So eine Pflicht überfordert jeden Menschen.
Pornografie hat also überhaupt nichts mit Erotik zu sein, sie hat etwas mit Macht zu tun.
Irmtraud Morgner, die visionärste deutsche Schriftstellerin, ist 1990 mit nur 56 Jahren jäh aus ihrem Denken und Schreiben gerissen worden. [...] Die DDR-Autorin galt als die "erotischste Schriftstellerin" im deutsch-sprachigen Raum. Ihre in jeder Hinsicht subversiven Texte durften [...] in der Sowjetunion nicht veröffentlicht werden, Argument: Morgner schreibe "Pornografie". Was die Ostberliner Schriftstellerin und Philosophin 1990 über Pornografie zu sagen hatte, ist [...] hellsichtig und aktuell [...]. Es lohnt sich mal wieder, Morgner zu lesen.

The humour of doggies

♫ Rednex: The Spirit Of The Hawk

Intro
Wa-hey, wa-hey, wa-hey,
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.

The spirit of the hawk.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.
The spirit of the hawk.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.

Me and my eagle, me and my love,
high on a hill side, heaven above.
Take me to higher love, you fly away.
Me and my eagle, me and my love.

The spirit of the hawk.

Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.
The spirit of the hawk.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.

Instrumental

Me and my warrior, me and my babe,
he gotta fly for more, we are the same.
He gotta fly for love, fly away.
Me and my warrior, me and my babe.

The spirit of the hawk.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.
The spirit of the hawk.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.
The spirit of the hawk.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia wa-hay-ah mama.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia, hey-ah mama /wa-hey/
The spirit of the hawk.

Bridge
My people, some of them have run away to the hills
and have no shelter. (wa-hey)
No food, no one knows where they are,
Hear me my chiefs, I am tired.(wa-hey)
My heart is sick and sad, I will fight no more.

Instrumental

Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.
The spirit of the hawk.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia oh wa-hey.
The spirit of the hawk.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia hey-ah mama.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia hey-ah mama.
Hey-um ah hey-ah mama hey-ah mama
ya-hay ah mia hey-ah mama.

(fade)

How Christmas Trees Started

clipped from www.arcamax.com
Die Grafik

Wacht darüber, dass eure Herzen nicht leer sind

Nein, schlaft nicht, während die Ordner der Welt geschäftig sind!
Seid misstrauisch gegen die Macht, die sie vorgeben für euch erwerben zu müssen!
Wacht darüber, dass eure Herzen nicht leer sind, wenn mit der Leere eurer Herzen gerechnet wird!
Tut das Unnütze, singt die Lieder, die man aus eurem Mund nicht erwartet!
Seid unbequem, seid Sand, nicht das Öl im Getriebe der Welt!

Günter Eich: Träume (1950). In: Günter Eich, Fünfzehn Hörspiele. Frankfurt 1981.

Robert Gernhardt: Couplet von der Erblast

clipped from www.ksj.de

"Die Kirche muss endlich jene frauenfeindlichen Erblasten aufarbeiten, die durch spätantike Männerkreise in die ursprünglich frauenfreundliche Botschaft Jesu hineingetragen worden ist."
Aus einer Sendung des Kirchenfunks

Spätantike Männerkreise
Haben Jesu Wort verbogen
Haben seine frohe Botschaft
Korrumpiert und umgelogen
Korrigierten Evangelien
Kujonierten die Gemeinden
Überließen Führungsposten
Unverstellten Frauenfeinden
Herr, wer ritt uns in die Scheiße?
Spätantike Männerkreise!

Spätantike Männerkreise
Eure Stunde hat geschlagen
In der Kirche haben Chauvis
Gottseidank nichts mehr zu sagen
Mußte in der Spätantike
Alles um die Männer kreisen
Wirft man eure Erblast heute
Hohnlachend zum alten Eisen
Und wer spuckt euch in die Suppen?
Postmoderne Frauengruppen!