for cultural anthropology at los angeles city college we are assigned a project to find a cultural

process/group and ethnographize. barely computing what is ethnos, what is to graph, so many things

come to mind. i wanted to think about poverty in los angeles, or the armenian genocide, but then

realized i need to do something specifically about women, as they are perceived and so named. and

hopefully in coming to know more perceptions and stereotypes of the veil, i might have more access

towards ways of peace and respect, and more understanding of manipulations of cliches to fuel war and

hatred. with a respect for the arbitrariness of any and all fashion systems, and the cultural agendas so

enforced, as with mutilation cultures, might we know niqab, the veil, and hijab, privacy, with more

cultural sensitivity, and no diminution of a commitment to international human rights.

in memoriam theo van gogh, and curious if his art expression held untold prejudices and fostered more

war than we might ever know. but how actors, who choose action, in a chronology go to life with

nothing but lies, all art as spectacle, mythmaking, and power relations. the annihilation of silence and

extermination ending all systems, so we might not know what are you thinking?

as antonin artaud spoke of the artist "suicided by society" so too was a film maker's innocence in film

murdered. and if death is more merciful than a life of domestic violence and rape, then what is murder

is mercy, and what women endure in any culture which condones, promotes, and protects violence . . .

is a fate worse than death.

for CEDAW.

As a starting point, it was the film, Submission which jolted me, as much as the assassination. In

youtube's infancy, and the global conversation, through veils, as bodies fell, as they burn, as women are

eaten by chemical weapons, babes in arms, and teen rape victims torched with their home, jamie leigh

gangraped by her coworkers at halliburton, and then gagged by a covenant not to sue. And how is a

federally funded company with a gag-order for rape victims enforcing a different kind of veil.

And death, the best. And so to ask things in english, that cannot pertain, to freedom and its

applications, freedom from what and for what, freedom another empty clink, a dime in a gas tank.
when speaking of all language as violence----i guess some people do not ever try to see it that way---

but here is why writing will be difficult

from http://www.dlshq.org/teachings/ahimsa.htm

“Ahimsa or non-injury, of course, implies non-killing. But, non-injury is not merely non-killing. In its

comprehensive meaning, Ahimsa or non-injury means entire abstinence from causing any pain or harm

whatsoever to any living creature, either by thought, word, or deed. Non-injury requires a harmless

mind, mouth, and hand.

Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury. It is positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental

attitude in which hatred is replaced by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice. Ahimsa is forgiveness. Ahimsa is

Sakti (power). Ahimsa is true strength.

Only the ordinary people think that Ahimsa is not to hurt any living being physically. This is but the

gross form of Ahimsa. The vow of Ahimsa is broken even by showing contempt towards another man,

by entertaining unreasonable dislike for or prejudice towards anybody, by frowning at another man, by

hating another man, by abusing another man, by speaking ill of others, by backbiting or vilifying, by

harbouring thoughts of hatred, by uttering lies, or by ruining another man in any way whatsoever.

All harsh and rude speech is Himsa (violence or injury). Using harsh words to beggars, servants or

inferiors is Himsa. Wounding the feelings of others by gesture, expression, tone of voice and unkind

words is also Himsa. Slighting or showing deliberate discourtesy to a person before others is wanton

Himsa. To approve of another's harsh actions is indirect Himsa. To fail to relieve another's pain, or even

to neglect to go to the person in distress is a sort of Himsa. It is the sin of omission. Avoid strictly all

forms of harshness, direct or indirect, positive or negative, immediate or delayed. Practice Ahimsa in its

purest form and become divine. Ahimsa and Divinity are one.”

And of writing, the pleasure of the text, as speaks Barthes, what is it? Release from anguish. The

mobilization of mind and category. Perils of slander. Blanchot: “write in the thrall of the impossible
real.” Kafka's work rescued from a burn. Beckett's Texts for Nothing in the rubbish. To write and

destroy in so doing and destroy writing.

What is it to write, for hungry minds, to feed them things, make marks for them, against the anxiety of

the momentary time preserved, and the memory and hope for spoken language. And for women's

voices to be heard, through screens and veils and ceilings, through the silence of the grave, or traumas

of PTSD shocking to silence.

As the curtain in the temple, women's words veiled and sacred? Or stifled like the binding of water

torture, which binds the mouth and drowns, again and again, drowning in oceans of words and lies,

epithets and empty conversations.

That I have found no women and in so doing fail, and I am afraid of them. I am afraid of how we

speak to each other with our eyes, beyond language. In my eyes: shame of no veil. In their eyes: I will

never know.

Except what Hirsi Ali explained, based on her life experience, rape, beating, mutilation, marriage.

And of human rights, my torture obsession impales itself in the fragmented consciousness torn from

relevance ,societal context, forever imprisoned.

And as this happens here in the world now, how can I silently transcribe the secret messages I receive,

anguish at five am, at eight.

And that women become a scapegoat, and some contrived regurgitation of weak feminism becomes the

pretext for murders, massacres, rapes, war, upon war, waterboards, nobel peace prize lies, torture

memos, climate crimes.

And underneath the veil, a human face. And here too goes the face of the web, the lintel smeared with

blood upon the exodus. . . the dna on the floor, the blood smeared by bodies dragged through abu

ghraib prison, in Standard Operating Procedure.

The digital cave paintings, prison writings.

My heart, deleted file, destroyed evidence, destroyed bodies, torched houses, white phosphorus.
And then to ask, what is it to wear the veil in 2010? what does it mean? Solidarity with the dead?

Anguish? Discrimination? A visible sign of a spiritual reality?

And then also it occurs to me that wiki----is a liberation clearing house for closed portal copyrighted

info.

as the journal of contemp, ethnog. is closed to me!!!!!!!

so thanks wiki!

i really liked a quote cited on wiki

"Gary Alan Fine argues that the nature of ethnographic inquiry demands that researchers deviate from

formal and idealistic rules or ethics that have come to be widely accepted in qualitative and quantitative

approaches in research. Many of these ethical assumptions are rooted in positivist and post-

positivist epistemologies that have adapted over time, but nonetheless are apparent and must be

accounted for in all research paradigms. These ethical dilemmas are evident throughout the entire

process of conducting ethnographies, including the design, implementation, and reporting of an

ethnographic study. Essentially, Fine maintains that researchers are typically not as ethical as they

claim or assume to be — and that 'each job includes ways of doing things that would be inappropriate

for others to know'.

Fine is not necessarily casting blame or pointing his finger at ethnographic researchers, but rather is

attempting to show that researchers often make idealized ethical claims and standards which in

actuality are inherently based on partial truths and self-deceptions. Fine also acknowledges that many

of these partial truths and self-deceptions are unavoidable. He maintains that 'illusions' are essential to

maintain an occupational reputation and avoid potentially more caustic consequences. He

claims, “Ethnographers cannot help but lie, but in lying, we reveal truths that escape those who are not

so bold”.
Paid source available from Fine, G. A. (1993). Ten lies of ethnography. Journal of Contemporary

Ethnography, 22(3), p. 267-294. Words, illusions.

I don't even like the word. Us, them, the falsity of it. In Norway the refusal to entertain the old term

“race” in civic documents and websites. And so to falls gender into the gash in our conscioussness,

which separates us from them. Trying to understand http://www.answers.com/topic/ethnography

and not be offended on a more philosophical other about the postulation of otherness, or self, or

identity

i was thinking as i watched a woman take vended food from the machines at LACC that i might want to

talk about the veiled community for my ethnographic project in cultural anthropology 102.

thinking a lot about theo van gogh----submission----and how a provocative film could be a death

warrant as hirsi ali clearly told him.

and of her protection by conservative AEI now, and racism in the netherlands.

and so to begin to speak---i feel quite shy to objectify someone based on dress---with all the

presumptions of our culture.

think of the obvious

free speech v women's rights inference

or

male control of women's bodies

and wonder about climate reference

i always thought it made reference to the sandstorms---and in LA the niquab probably filters particulate

pollution nicely.

and how wide i could make the discussion

LV ironic lace sars masks

or veils cross culturally

even the veil as erotic

or politically expressive---conveying pride, rebellion, defiance, heritage.

and how the opposite---the ban as demonstrated in EU france, belgium etc

has the opposite effect of mandatory facial nudity----

which is still more (ostensibly male) control of female body expression

and how our culture of total sensationalized nudity of the form

and concurrent falure to ratify CEDAW

and LAPD failure to prosecute rapist DNA (see HRW jan 2010)

demonstrate not liberation

find out more about sharia

more about what is a capital offense

is rape
understand diff jurisdictions

a lot of UN and INTNL comp law

interview and record

find LA BAsed mosque

or smthng

talk about islamophobia

and domestic violence

the finger pointed ---to accuse

symbolisms of burka---hats---jewish tradition

the crown chakra

also---

separations

expressions thru dress as speech

expressive speech

and by talking with women on campus and trying to interview them through their cult perception

understand more if it is empowering alienating etc---

excited about principles of islamic jurisprudence by hashim kamali as a pdf now at computer
“Unveiling The Truth Behind A Life In Niqab” By Vivian Salama Daily Star, Egypt February 2006

clarifying terms

hijab--dress in general, or modesty

niqab-veil

shariah--law

burka--an outer coat, often conflated with niqab, mistakenly

hope to learn some language and explore peripherally text and context

CEDAW

HRW:

"The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) is the

world's primary legal document on women's equality. It reflects the consensus of the international

community on the specific protections and actions states are obliged to take to ensure equality between

men and women.

CEDAW's provisions cover all aspects of women's right to equality, including areas where women

living the United States still face serious challenges, such as equal pay for equal work, domestic

violence, access to health care, parental leave, and discrimination linked to parenting responsibilities

(for example, lack of access to maternity leave, childcare, or possibilities for part-time work). Perhaps

more importantly, CEDAW provides a clear definition of discrimination and equality, and spells out
state obligations with regard to guaranteeing women's enjoyment of their human rights on an equal

footing with men."

http://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=TREATY&mtdsg_no=IV-

8&chapter=4&lang=en

non ratifying acc to

human rights watch:

"CEDAW has been ratified by 186 states, placing the United States in the company of Iran, Nauru,

Palau, Somalia, Sudan and Tonga as the last states yet to ratify."

and oh google scholar

and hail wiki for sending me elsewhere

clarifying a few things

and woe to yee closed portal!!!!

the irony of looking for research about niquab and finding it hidden by a tolled academic portal that

demands a credit card . . .

money as a veil to information

thinking of idit dobbs-weinstein on the obscuration of the arabic and judaic in eurocentric philosophy

on maimonedes and spinoza

going here soon:

Islamic Center of Southern California

434 South Vermont Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90020-1910

(213) 382-9200icsconline.org

earth pulled me today in many ways but most of all to islamic center on vermont.

http://icsconline.org/

listening to arabic music and then listening to bbc in arabic last night after a few hours felt linguistic

loneliness---the alienation of longing to understand, or be understood. thinking of the irony of bbc as

arabic teacher---and the never ending british empire and propaganda. and how being so naif i can not

understand enough to be offended.

and of my friend who grew up in lebanon, listening to british bbc, his perfect english, and perfect

french. and of kabbalah studies as rebellion, and turkish royalty ousted with a coup in early 20th

century . . .

and whether anything he told me . . . was

and of human rights abuses

he was very concerned for . . .

of homosexuals jailed in cairo

i was also interested in the ongoing discussion of genocide re turkey and armenia, in a linguistic

sense---and the political power of euphemisms, to minimize impact . . . but how this would pertain

tangentially fizzles

and of nietszche in the gay science speaking of the conquest of the mercenary soldiers terrorizing the

middle east, christianizing for hire

and leaving a bad taste . . .

and of lawrence of arabia's memoirs and how they held such confusing information about british

empire . . . but a love of the bedoin culture

and what might now be called denegratingly ecotourism . . . and cultural arrogances of every kind

i am still wondering for my lost friend shay raviv and his talk of music in tel aviv and of peace and

disliking war . . .

and of the humanitarian law project's work to diffuse violence and suit contra eric holder for political

speech

also

want to talk to sam and halaka from egypt

at IC met director jihad turk. he said islam gives a lot of spiritual freedom. he told me of different

neighborhoods, the benghali neighborhood btw vermont and normandie on third, and to go to deshi, a

market, where congregate people, and also have prayers.

said niqab is a matter of choice, and many people lose it when the come to the U.S.

and spoke of the history of bengladesh and divisions 1947 along religious lines. india pakistan----iran,

afgan.

and that the variations in dress expression cross countries and cultures.

there is a little arabia near anaheim he said. he was talking of a bollywood director karan johar being

recognized at the image awards.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karan_Johar

the islamic center on vermont has prayer service at 1pm and 1000 people come.

and kamal from paris supported the idea of hearing women's perspectives and told me of morocco and

introduced me to
adel ben chaira a scholar of many languages, philosophy and islam.

after prayers he gave me a call, and encouraged me to come to service at vilal mosque on south central

next to the school at 4016 south central.

he summarized basic tenants, some of which was review of the history i learned in catholic schools.

important things:

adel means fair, just

allah adel

ashadu allah ellaha ellala ra ashadu mohammadan rashumuda---look up how to translit properly

roughly

upon conversion

no god but allah and mohammed is his prophet

he hoped that by making an outline of core principles it would help me to speak to women from islam.

islam means-submission

he said the excessive treatment at the airport discourages visiting family in tunisia

he expressed awareness of violent attitudes towards women in american culture, and what is usefully

contrued as freedom, is objectifying.

values of modesty, privacy and respect

he outlined basic tenants

allah--a unified deity same as in all other (monotheisms) called allah, but no different

important to read koran in arabic

islam does not support slavery

he wants to help build understanding

also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariq_Ramadan---a scholar from oxford----

try to find correct spellings and perhaps itunes university islamic studies lectures

said i will enjoy reading islamic jurisprudence

important the koran recited and memorized in arabic---

books important

i want to hear

angels---creatures of light

idleef

jinne---of which satan is one

fire--as synonym for hell

satan as the heart of arrogance

and arrogance underlying any racism

and

messengers---role models for a happy life

25 named in the koran

belief in destiny, or fate

sig of niqab is honor

women to be respected

one would die to protect

like sisters

mothers

and there is choice

5 daily prayers

sager

afternoon early

then afi

maghrib

isha

different from eisha last wife of mohammed

principle of jakar or zekar---at 2.5% for the poor--charity like tithe

the fasting and abstinence of ramadan

pilgrimage

thinking of directionality
compasses

mecca

house of prophet as center of the world sacred and a unified direction for prayers

a global sense of abstracting others, in prayer all twds direct prayer

and of environment

safe

do not kill

child woman or worshippers

do not spread corruption

a person who plants a tree---is rewarded for life by the shade and fruit given to other humans

even ablutions practiced with reverence to water

do not waste water

and then i asked about niqab as sandstorm protection---maybe an idea planted in my mind by the desert

tales of lawrence

and he says yes of course

as does also a google search

also contra sunburn

he said i would like to visit ME

that children play in the streets safely

and the problems of westernization include intro de alcohol

and alcoholism

there is kindness and hospitality

and i wonder also about the loveliness of the persian community in los angeles

and the frightful and ouvert racism in beverly hills against them

and a graciousness not given in any american culture i know

next i want to speak to women under niqab on campus and record their stories of perceptions, travel,

and anything they experience cross-culturally or within particular islamic communities.

it was so nice today to hear things from a human voice.

wearying of reading, websites, etc.

on the bus i was thinking of time and the theo van gogh film and of 2004, when our minds were at

some kind of infancy regarding complete web-transparency.

and how new and wonderful was youtube.

but that that time is different than now.

what is islamaphobia and how is it fuel for the never ending war? and the discussion of niqab or burka

being quite white hot in 2005 or so . . .

halliburton's rape protection clause/covenant not to sue re jamie leigh

american libertarianism and freedom of expression

falluja the hidden massacre

genocides

racisms

money
the veiled hermes scarf wearing middle east aristocracy descending upon beverly hills to shop

encrusted already with jewels

of fashion

rebellion

and punk

and obliteration of cultural expression as a step in cultural destruction

as gaelic made illegal

so also

control of dress

barthes fashion system

and feel quite frustrated by EU fashion control----homogeneities

and then also ---the contrary as always the expressive

victorianisms

and the expressed feminine flesh in americana so ubiquitous as to be devalued and subject to inflation

economics

and modicums of cover

and dress as erotic

and privacy of agoraphobe

differences in perception

what is a respectful greeting or unwanted attention

and of hikkikomori and otakus and fantasy worlds

veiled ---gardens walls---barriers---the liminal

preserving a sense of fantasy

beauty

esthetics

i do not think i will get into female genital mutilation in this discussion. but was curious to see that

hirsi ali was so treated in her youth.

rituals of destruction and mutilation, pain and the reification it gives

opiates and avoidance

the lash

and CEDAW still not passed

still looking for the website pertaining to specific punishments for specific crimes

lashes stoning

lesbianism

how many lashes

for which crime

what is called honor killing

as mercy

and of property law and women as analogous to property

immolation

euthanasia

and of my sufi friend

mysticism

maybe go to little ethiopia next and then also

wonder of dietary restrictions

food

and wonder is there a sudanese community here? and somali? and of discriminatory prohibitions v.

ablutions in tennessee where is large somali community working for dell computers etc.

hope to get recorded interviews soon via bambuser or youtube or audio recorder.

hooray, shalom.

and so reading this i wonder if banning niqab in public in france will effectively

quarantine those who wear it or restrict motions outside home to a bare minimum.

and how a ban will effectively further exclude from immigration and civic participation, hurting a

cause for equality

re: early 2010 france ban

men from cairo on subway described veil as a method of communicating with god---

and so state interruption . . .

and wonder of male head coverings when and in what context

note bbc's excellent 4 part slideshow distinguishing

hijab--scarves in gen---and abstactly, modesty

niqab--"The niqab is a veil for the face that leaves the area around the eyes clear. However, it may be

worn with a separate eye veil. It is worn with an accompanying headscarf.

The burka is the most concealing of all Islamic veils. It covers the entire face and body, leaving just a

mesh screen to see through."

burka--like an outside coat that covers all including eyescreen

al-amira--covers more of the neck

shayla--like a shawl casually wrapped gulf region

khimar leaves face clear

chador full length cloak covers head but not face

wonder also of speech, of women's speech, of lip reading interrupted for the deaf

and how veils might interrupt or facilitate communication

impart comfort ambiance---or create trust---or convey dignity, self-respect

from bbc

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8480161.stm

The BBC's Hugh Schofield, in Paris, says the reasoning behind the report is to make it as impractical as

possible for women in face veils to go about their daily business.

and

of sarkozy:
The report follows months of public debate, including President Nicolas Sarkozy's intervention, saying

all-encompassing veils were "not welcome in France".

symbol to attack a symbol, in total helplessness

as though it were one and the same with the symbolized

and the inanity of a discourse which says "this symbolizes that"

and gives it preference reification . . .

feel oppressed by this subject, on both sides

feel that it violates my hope for ahimsa---my religion---to muddle through so many barbarities of

language, and manipulation of people through language, and feel confused as to how the truth and

kindness of my new friends situates itself inside philosophical hungers . . .

but the prejudices of the pain i feel regarding women, regarding heterosexism, and marginalization of

otherness

the neither

the androgynes sitting nowhere outside the discussion

and what of my own background, surrounded by the dominican nuns, preaching paul's "women obey

your husband" and of transfers.

and if islamaphobia, becomes a step for chritiania's introspection---and recognition of the one and same

which permits so much cruelty in the name of god.

and of church state conflation, a false separation, underlying the heterosexist marriage culture.

and my theory allow any all adult civil unions, leave the name 'marriage' to your misogynist church in

privacy, keep state and religion completely separate. a contract between adults should have no

preference . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Separation_of_church_and_state
as all these ideas feel so foreign to me: "god" and "belief" and "women" this upsetting of the

discourse---scrambling of the wires hurts my ability to comprehend.

of crimes against women---and the presuption of a natural law, or good----itself a huge presumption

contra anarchy, amorality, nihilism

if one can abuse women, and can get the law to support and forgive it? why not? power is in the hands

of they that seize it . . .

might does make right, daily

and of what was thom yorke singing "holy roman empire" . . . and we still live in dark ages . . .

of the political feminist anthology i found in my father's library when i was sixteen . . . and reading

every page . . . and taking it to catholic girls school . . . and wondering what level of repressed lesbos

prevailed atmospherically, and empowerment . . . in the fembien

i think of blanchot writing the disaster---never will you know, write in the thrall of the impossible

real . . .

of liminals

barthes fashion

a lot of experimental fashion, viktor and rolf, and gareth pugh, limi feu, yamamoto, rei kawakubo, the

medieval, the victorian

heidegger in relating to the digital other

free speech v. hate speech

it's international women's day

other means
norwegian political affirmative action which restored women's civic identity---lending near 50% in

polit. bodies

the silence after a death which upends free expression

notions of coerced speech

enculturation

and the revulsion i might feel if someone asked me to remove a customary garment . . . this control of

bodies

and i feel far from wanting to have an opinion on anything, far from wanting to die for an idea

the muddled facts of the van gogh murder, the film submission, his vileness, misogyny, his ties to the

radical dutch right, the inconsistencies of binary which do not fit an american perspective----the dutch

right xenophobes with liberal social norms---fortyun and his killer and assassination---and the animal

rights and eco-activist apppallled at the islamophobia in NL, caring for the underdog

and a film's power to provoke and edify, even as it distorts----and of the eternal silence in death---

of himsa and speech

political speech as himsa

and what MLK said about speaking because his conscience would not permit silence, re: the war in

vietnam.

look up global violence against women stats

death rates

state intervention styles

postulate: the stigmatisation of islam, is a transfer for unsatisfied debts regarding aggression towards

women---

and gives motion to underlying racism, agression, and fear . . . as a pretense for war

stats regarding pay in the US

latina women make 58 cents on the white male dollar, black women 62, white women seventy cents on

the white male dollar

and then then with the obvious things

LAPD's refusal to prosecute rape in 2010

mortality rates within "marriage"

the marital rape immunity encoded in state jurisdictions

domestic violence

CEDAW's rejection

islamaphobia as a transfer of blame

i used to wear my scarf over my hair momentarily---and my friend said---oh no take that off---he was

concerned it might publicly designate him as oppressor, or misogynist (which he was rather towards

me, verbally). funnily it occurred to me his commands regarding my dress, and his control regarding

what he deemed "female"--regarding person and dress---were as controlling as any koran protocol---

and this modulating of expression in a modern era---reverbs power structures.

but the visible sign as the offender---vs the actual abuse which he carefully chose to make in private,

and not in the spectacle of a social order . . .

he could not accept my blurred gender expression and found it confusing---why could i not dress as

other girls?

and what way the west controls?

plastic surgery culture

botox

bulimia

anorexia

shoe fetish

face painting

even the food brainwashing, which inflicts the obesity epidemic upon us---has a huge level of control

on bodies, women's bodies, health

of cultural norms---and reading that in some cultures, a woman could not walk down the street that she

would not be greeted ---and how in other culture this is viewed as harassing.

and of the face as beautiful---and the sense of keeping the face private for the husband, the home---and

so then only men allowed a public face---within a true niqab culture . . .

and whether or not this bespeaks elevation, or relegation

and of stigma

and its control and compulsion

and the miniscule messages manifesting in effect

do this, do that . . .
globalization of context

for insight

conflicting

globalization as homogenization

idit dobbs weinstein on

"why i am obsessed with the other tradition"

from vanderbilt's edu portal

interviewed by horowitz

on the occlusion of the judaic and arabic knowledge systems by the western codes

her new books look so wonderful and i wish we could write or speak to one another

but time and age and distance and money and everything prevents transmission

what i have besides google books---of which i wrote her---

are this interview

dobbs weinstein interview

her resume

resume dobbs weinstein

and memory

and the pride of her fight against discrimination in academia

on findlaw

findlaw.com

amazing!

what would she tell me of dress?

niqab?

as she visited her mother in israel . . . what did she know and feel and observe?

influence, waves of migration, maimonedes

and her voice preserved in time

in a free sample.

learnoutloud.com

and then---an idea to conduct interviews on a bambuser channel and embed them here---

with comfort and permissions permitting

grab an email and separate bambuser acct.

wrote rasmus fleischer in sweden regarding his excellent writing

english copyriot.se

and my intellectual loneliness

james oscar's 91 facebook friends

his clues: liminals, taussig

purple magazine

fashion

and friending fashion.net

gareth pugh cubeheads and other many facial obscurations

gareth pugh

and viktor and rolf's caged face screens mesh hair 1950's social commentary

viktor and rolf pair caged veiled faces with a 1950's retroism
and of musical/performance art act brazilian girls---and why singer often chooses facial coverings in

protest of culture of overexposure---and to cover the eyes

jique mesh veil

many languages in jique

gedanken sind frei

thoughts are free

under veiled eyes

gedanken sind frei

hair as modifiable, socially acceptable veiling

of blinders and blinds

and visual interruptions, other senses heightened

using blindness---or semi-blindness to increase other powers

fearlessness

and of the old cliche of the ironic power grab empowerment through re-appropriation of denigrating (i

word too i want to shun etymologically) terms, constructs---

and how unwell with me sits this . . .

and antonin artaud

on the work of art

separate from artist

as eruption

barbara kruger you are not yourself

you are not yourself

transpersonal?
van gogh suicided by society artaud snippets via google books

par audio lost audio

and excerpts

suicided by society

human suffocation

robot fetishism as simalacra for western marriage notions

demands cross genders

re nyongo worker cult

and all enculturations

spells and enslavement

stockholm syndrome

re: first step in a successful oppression is to convince you that you are free . . .

choice

election

consumer choice as freedom

shopping as expression

choices within restricted systems

not if, but which?

amygalmatophilia---love of statues and essentialism

ideas of attraction

essences of ideas embodied

attraction through veil worlds

symbology

veiling

language as ritual veiling prior to actions

actions being war, industry, satyagraha

birth school work death

veil as war protest. gender as war protest. textiles and industry.

automobiles as cyborgian veils, without which american culture would collapse.

human beings veiled and shielded by swaths of metal blood oil smog and genocide.

shielded from poverty reality war homelessness.

extremely inspired by the work of iraqi artist wafa bilal.

http://www.wafaabilal.com/ profiled on democracy now today.

his brother was killed by a US missile.

terrors of water, waterboarding.

desire to learn arabic.

disbartorturelawyers.com

realize i am a bruce fein junkie. how this pertains to anything---upon email request critique for

sentences and linearity, i might say, simply, human rights abuses: rankle me, terrrify me, explode

binaries, explode definition. blanchot: to write in the thrall of the impossible. write demise, demise

writing.

"a nation of sheep will breed a government of wolves" fein says during this talk. a worthy escapade.
video file downloads here.

bruce fein on american empire. nurnberg trials, the judges trial sequel, ministry of justice, judges and

lawyers complicitous with anti-semitic racist laws.

sitting by for flagrant violations of human rights.

and the conflagration of islamaphobia . . . rippling through the abstractions of gender power, racism,

fear, propaganda. korematsu, hamden, hamdi. i feel it so clearly . . .

medievalisms, vassals, guantanamo.

divine rights.

bruce fein,

lawyer repping guantanamo minority chinese islamic detainees.

please.

disinformation is a veil.

demands for coherence to this mess . . .

a coherence that will not . . .

terrors of discrimination . . .

up late with friend from turkey gathering ideas for project. discrimination on the job, shyness. he

sends me to his sister who knows turkish law and does not wear any veil. their mother does. i write

and hope.

ready to bambuser videostream discussion from anywhere. global conversations.

today's amazing enviro guest

wrong kind of green on democ. now discussing sierra clubs collusion with bush policies, the error of

dislocated rainforest destruction giving way for carbon offset deception-----> bolivia
going to run by la contemp on hollwood for a pic of the abu ghraib pop art and upload immediately if i

can get a shot. its huge.

the iconography and commodification of torture. http://www.welcometolace.org/

got to get back to the humanitarian law center

http://www.hlc-rdc.org/stranice/14.en.html on third near fairfax.

new website looks amazing

recent supreme court fete v. holder promises new speech towards international nonviolent

reconciliation counsel contra patriot act speech limitations . . . .

salafi school niqab sunni islamic school associated with niqab

egypt's PM spoke against feb 2010

acc to siasat.com saying it wipes out personality of a woman.

okay.

well so to do death, rape, and many other massive deceptions.

if death is pure personality annihilation

illiteracy and denial of female education also . . .

immortality of the words written after death . . .

where is a way to expression beyond a face . . .

and will to live

will to protest
thinking of royksopp's "the woman holds her tongue, knowing silence will speak for her."

and of mystical silences, protest silences, invisibility, hypervisibility, norms.

what is our american construction of privacy right---and how it might apply . . .

linguistic privacy---and other metaphorical veils.

look up domestic violence mortality rates.

mortality rates in the egotistical unveiled cultures providing more effective ways to annihilate

personality.

and if a veil granted safety from war, aggression, rape, harassment, death----then in life survival, might

it not be an emblem of spiritual liberation.

re chivalry and the middle ages.

judeo xtian west skewed binaries.

the vatican's failure re CEDAW concurrent with USA failure to protect, pay, and make proactive

representation for women in govt.

note in some veiled nations women have near 50% civic participation in public office. USA 17% rep

of women abysmal.

and so who is oppressed????

http://www.feministisktinitiativ.se/engelska.php

re the feminization of poverty

pink collar ghettos (not my term--thnx itunesU)

immigration and pensions in EU etc

yesterday i went to the discrimination ombudsman on campus to inquire about discrimination against

women who wear veils on campus. she said yes indeed, someone who works on campus told them,

"you do not belong here."

last year when i complained about having to hear "slut" "prostitute" "whore" "dumb woman" as well as

racial slurs in my law classes, i complained to this same person. i complained not even so much on

grounds of my being offended----but thinking of other women from many cultures coming to school at

LACC.

Why should they be subjected to this language from male professors with a very uncomplicated

method? there was no deconstruction going on here.

for me, i felt like returning this issuing of epithet to the sender and demanding professionalism and

academic behavior befitting a teacher. the federal and state statutes attempt to make way for equality in

education.

gendered verbal abuse in the classroom disrupts the possibility thereof.

my many letters and complaint to sacramento, and to the federal civil rights commission, were met with

a blase attitude.

it would be easier if things were quid pro quo, or personally directed, a little more severe.

but the persistent drip of uncensored hatred, and lack of dignity on the part of the professors, forever

taints the atmosphere---

as does any system of bigotry.

i think a new generation of extremely sensitive beings will emerge, that will cast off the hatreds and

sexisms and racisms of the past.

i talked to another new friend from indonesia, who explained that as chinese and japanese he was

minority in indonesia. i asked him could he help me know more about islam in his country. what does

it mean, what does the veil mean? how are women treated. he said he was afraid to speak, do not use

his real name, that he would not like to be recorded.

as with my friend from turkey, even among the men, it seems that it will be very difficult to ellicit

conversation.

hopefully i will get to dashi on third, or other places, where i can find people with experiences i can add

to this project.

i think leaving all my preconceptions behind is the most important part now. i want to talk to women

behind the veil . . . and i am afraid i will be stereotyped as an ignorant racist islamaphobe, thanks to

western media and tragic US foreign policy.

more about the black sites of torture in afganistan

http://www.thenation.com/

i got really sick of the nation during the election, as they really puffed up the whole racialization of the

election, which seemed so crass, regardless of obama's human rights failings . . . now . . .

i signed up for the islamic club on campus so hope to get to make contacts . . . i want to go to armenia

club and israel club too . . .

and then . . . the peace activist bulldozed in israel's trial starts today . . . thanks, amy goodman . . .

really had a great time hearing bruce fein and nadar discuss american human rights failings, natural

law, nuremberg, and failure of the legal system on the harvard law record last night . . . this will be my

new source.

nadar was scathing . . . decrying the entire law school system for tort reform and greed preceding

human dignity . . .
http://www.hlrecord.org/news/ralph-nader-and-bruce-fein-unite-to-call-for-eye-on-government-

1.1179135