I Can't Go for That... No Can Do

Sometimes I look around at what's going on in this world and I just think, wow. We are a doomed damn species. For example - 

Bradley Manning possibly receiving a 128 year sentence for whistleblowing on war crimes. 

We live in a country which preaches freedom, liberty and justice, yet calls you a traitor for valuing human life enough to speak out against the government for crimes against humanity. This is not surprising from the powers that be, but incredibly so, and upsetting, from the general populace who apparently are too busy being either blindly patriotic, or blindly full of hate towards "our enemies" (aka anyone the government chooses, ideally brown and from the Middle East), or BOTH to notice their rights being scattered like ashes in the wind.

Read more:
https://pressfreedomfoundation.org/blog/2013/07/bradley-manning-espionage-act-conviction-blow-both-whistleblowers-and-journalists

Russia's anti-LGBT laws

Hateful. Hateful. The environment in Russia right now if you are Gay is beyond hostile. The Olympics are supposed to be held there, yet no one in this world can guarantee that any LGBT person attending, or anyone simply SUSPECTED of being LGBT, won't get arrested, harassed, attacked, killed - including but not limited to the Olympic Athletes. Disgusting. And what do we have to strike back so far? Stop drinking Russian Vodka. Well... shit. If that's the best we can do...

For a run-down of the law, check this article:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57588738/russian-anti-gay-bill-passes-protesters-detained/

Rape as a means of correcting Gay-ness in South Africa

I just read about this today - it is absolutely horrific. South Africa has a violent history (much of Africa, really) and whenever I'm confronted with the stories of brutality there, it is shocking and scary and heart wrenching on a whole other level - as is this. Apparently using rape to "correct" a person's gayness is very common, often supported by the victim's families, supported by the community. There is no help for these victims. It is extremely brutal, and many are killed. Please see The NY Times article below - I warn you, it's not easy to read.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/07/26/opinion/26corrective-rape.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

Of course, this is nothing new...

Video Credit: Subher0 (youtube)
Song Credit: Billy Joel