My partner and I recently watched the film "Conviction". It's a powerful film about prejudice, partly based on someone being obnoxious, the dedication of a sibling's love and what that inspired her to achieve, and - to a lesser extent - parenting.
However, there is a very disturbing element to the film - for me - in an early scene. The character Kenny is in a bar with his baby when he bumps someone who "mouths off" at Kenny. Kenny's response initially is calm, but he then gives his baby to the mother, goes back, and violently assaults and threatens to kill the person. In response to that, is he thrown out of the pub? No. His sister and then-partner weakly tell him off a little, and then, in response to Kenny strutting around and being ... "entertaining", or "humorous", seem to forgive or forget (or both) the violence. I found neither the violence nor the strutting endearing.
I've seen the effects that such behaviour, such letting violence go unremarked, can have in families - and have a personal experience of it from a past relationship. It's not acceptable, and that condoning of violence by people close to the perpetrators directly contributes to them continuing to commit other acts of violence, possibly escalating! If you have someone violent close to you, then, if not for your sake, then at least for others, I consider you have a spiritual duty (now there's a sadly unfashionable term ...) to NOT condone it (unless that would put you in danger - in which case I consider you have a spiritual duty TO YOURSELF AND THE PERPETRATOR to leave).
And now, a few reading links.
- "12 reasons to be inspired by an out and proud Magda", Wendy Squires, 18th February, 2012: http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/12-reasons-to-be-inspired-by-an-out-and-proud-magda-20120217-1tenv.html;
- "River's end not all blue sky for waterway that succours millions", 17th February, 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/national/rivers-end-not-all-blue-sky-for-waterway-that-succours-millions-20120216-1tbx8.html (reference to what most would call "rain dances" prior to the breaking of the drought here is interesting);
- "Animal welfare cruelled by conflict of interest", 16th February, 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/politics/animal-welfare-cruelled-by-conflict-of-interest-20120215-1t5l2.html (incidentally, I consider animal rights as universal as human rights);
- "Church misses big picture on same-sex marriage", 14th February, 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/church-misses-big-picture-on-samesex-marriage-20120213-1t1jr.html (interesting that this was written by a Christian priest!);
- "150 acid attacks on women a year: one man is saving faces", 13th February, 2012: http://www.watoday.com.au/world/150-acid-attacks-on-women-a-year-one-man-is-saving-faces-20120213-1t18e.html (this article, which is disturbing, also links to: http://www.acidsurvivors.org/; http://sharmeenobaidfilms.com/2011/09/saving-face/; http://www.watoday.com.au/world/acid-attack-victim-katie-piper-can-see-again-20120213-1t18u.html?rand=1329102160149; www.mohammadjawad.com);
- "Lose the cancer shtick", by Bruce Guthrie, former editor of The Age, The Sunday Age and Herald Sun, 12th February, 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/lose-the-cancer-shtick-20120211-1sycw.html;
- "Indulge the little darlings? Merci, but non, say French parents willing to draw a line", 11th February, 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/national/indulge-the-little-darlings-merci-but-non-say-french-parents-willing-to-draw-a-line-20120210-1smc2.html;
- "Suicide among children as young as 11 at alarming levels", 11th February, 2012: http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/political-news/suicide-among-children-as-young-as-11-at-alarming-levels-20120210-1smh0.html (having seriously considered suicide myself at ten years of age, I can relate to what these kids are going through to some extent, although my consideration of this was for different reasons [gender identity]).
Love, light, hugs and blessings
Gnwmythr
(pronounced "new-MYTH-ear")
Tags: children, discrimination, environment, indigenous, irresponsibility, personal responsibility, responsibility, society.
First published: Sunnudagr, 19th February, 2012
Last edited: Sunday, 19th February, 2012
