Pink o' Red

Perceived difference can be a fatal thing in a society full of bigotry.  This story is beyond sad, but it is not unique.  Our culture values a stereotype of what a boy or girl should be.  We need to change, we need to be vocal, we need to fight.

Rais Bhuiyan was shot by Mark Stroman for  being perceived as Middle Eastern / a Muslim.  His family is from Bangladesh and he is a Muslim.  He now fights to save the life of Stroman, he believes all life is important. 

He is a Muslim and I am a humanist.  We have come to the same conclusion, life should not be wasted, especially in revenge.  Life is the first and most important human right.

“‘Right now America might be the only country in the world for a writer,’ he says without prologue. ‘You help your writers by ignoring them in every conceivable way. I must say I do like that. If one has no professional existence, one is free to come and go as one pleases…be what one pleases. Anonymity - to be no one everywhere - it’s a delicious condition, don’t you think?’”

- W.H. Auden, as interviewed by John Malcolm Brinnin in “On First Meeting W.H. Auden,” published in our Fall 1975 issue.

This is sad, what does this country value?  However, there is definitely freedom in anonymity.  Without the anonymity of Tumblr, I fear I might censor myself unknowingly.

If words and actions mean anything, then Tracy Morgan needs to be given credit for an attempt at public change.  Many public figures give a forced apology for heinous comments and then go on with their lives.  Tracy Morgan appears to be attempting positive change, not only in his life, but in the lives of many others.  Only time and careful observation can determine how true his change will be, but I hope this is a real transformation.  A public transformation can show that bigotry can be changed, it can give hope to all of us who know someone who just needs to open their eyes.  I need to believe that people can change, people can learn, people can love.

Many statistics are abhorrent, this is especially true of rape statistics.  In America, sexual assaults are prevalent and rarely result in incarceration.  I know people who chose not to report being assaulted.  I understand why.  Why bother reporting something that further traumatizes you and statistically will not have positive results?  Why subjugate yourself to accusations of ‘what did you do’ and ‘did you lead him on’?  There are no easy answers for victims.  Some are strong and determined enough to report and some are not.  All need time and support.

According to Human Rights Watch, in America “we do know that every two minutes someone is sexually assaulted in the United States, according to the Department of Justice’s Crime Victimization Survey. We also know that an estimated 60% of these assaults go unreported.

So the question is, do the 40% who are not reluctant to contact the authorities for help actually see justice done?

The answer: It depends.

Nationally, police arrest a suspect in only half of the sexual assault complaints they receive. Most of those arrested are prosecuted, but fewer than two-thirds of those prosecuted are convicted. Moreover, not all those convicted are sentenced to incarceration. In the end, an estimated 1 out of 16 rapists spends time in jail.”