Saturday, May 26, 2007

Joss Whedon's Call To Action

I'm late on this, and some of you who visits Whedonesque.com would have read this already. But I feel a need to post this impassioned speech by Joss Whedon, on the stoning to death of 17 year old Dua Khalil - broadcasted on CNN, and how the world we live in allows this to happen.

Go read what he has to say, because the world still allows itself to believe that 50% of its population is weak, is inferior, is deserving of less than humane treatment:

You may hear nothing new here. You may be way ahead of me. But I can’t contain my despair, for Dua Khalil, for humanity, for the world we’re shaping. Those of you who have followed the link I set up know that it doesn’t bring you to a video of a murder. It brings you to a place of sanity, of people who have never stopped asking the question of what is wrong with this world and have set about trying to change the answer. Because it’s no longer enough to be a decent person. It’s no longer enough to shake our heads and make concerned grimaces at the news. True enlightened activism is the only thing that can save humanity from itself. I’ve always had a bent towards apocalyptic fiction, and I’m beginning to understand why. I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red.

This is not about being a feminist - it is about staying human. How can any society that would beat down its mothers, its sisters, its wives and daughters lay claim to civilisation or humanity?

Dorothy Surrenders points out the parallel between Joss Whedon's speech and what he wrote for the episode "Chosen" of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

In the episode (Youtube link below), Buffy made her final battle speech to all the slayer potentials and her friends. It is a call to empowerment, to bring the fight to the Hellmouth, and this is what makes the difference between a hero and a Champion.


Buffy: I hate this. I hate being here. I hate that you have to be here. I hate that there is evil. That I was chosen to fight. I wish a whole lot of the time I hadn't been. I know a lot of you wish I hadn't been either. This isn't about wishes. This is about choices. I believe we can beat this evil. Not when it comes. Not when its army is ready. Now.

Go to Equality Now

4 comments:

Carl V. Anderson said...

That is terribly sad, no doubt about it. Not entirely sure that the next step one would go to would be to start thinking that the world is heading towards some apocalyptic end because of this type of incident. They have been doing this kind of thing for their entire existence. The only difference in today's world is that the media allows us to all be witnesses to the atrocities.

I say this not to take away from this tragic death nor to be too cynical. Calls for action are good, if even one person does something to try to make the world a better place, that is a good thing, but incidents like this also make me wonder just where the outcry is for all the other tragedies that have happened in the world for decades.

Anyway, sorry for my early morning crabbiness and my ridiculous reaction to this. I'm not always thrilled when celebs, even ones I love, throw their weight into political and social issues and I sometimes have a weird reaction to it.

Feel free to flame me. I'm out! ;)

darkorpheus said...

Nyah, not going to flame you, Carl. Except I don't believe Joss Whedon just *suddenly* decided to speak up for some political cause. At least from the Buffy battle speech it may show that he has always been an advocate for female empowerment.

Women have to start to stand up for themselves - because too many women buy into the whole "women inferiority" psychology.

Too many women I know - intelligent, educated women - allow themselves to be treated like garbage by the men in their lives. I wish I can tell all of them, that they deserve respect.

It's heartbreaking. And it's reality.

Carl V. Anderson said...

Sorry, Dark O, I probably shouldn't post things when I'm grouchy.

I am 100% behind the idea of the equality of the sexes and I do believe that there is still alot of inferior treatment of the female sex around the world, even here in the 'enlightened' U.S. What gauls me, in all issues, is when people make ridiculously extreme statements (which I no doubt do all the time myself). This is what bothered me:

"I’ve always had a bent towards apocalyptic fiction, and I’m beginning to understand why. I look and I see the earth in flames. Her face was nothing but red."

It reminds me of the kind of statements that political and social groups use in twisting and manipulating statistics to support their cause. The message is good enough to stand on its own, you don't need to throw in nonsensical statements like that.

I agree with the way he feels about the new movie, Captivity, and about how, in this nation of 'free speech', there needs to be more responsibility with what we choose to say and choose to be entertained by.

And I do believe personal involvement by 'real' people, rather than celebrities, is where the true change will occur. I shouldn't take it out on Joss, who I'm a fan of. He is at least doing something real and something that I can support as opposed to celebs who just like to spout off about stuff but don't get involved.

Guess something just rubbed me the wrong way and I should have let it go and focused on what was important, the tragic death of this young girl and the fact that she represents so many other deaths that have and will occur. Who knows just what kind of future she would have had. She could have been some great force on the earth or led a simple, but substantial, life on this earth. Both are equally important and it is a shame that she was allowed neither opportunity.

Carl V. Anderson said...

Between what I posted here and my Pirates review, I realize that I was really crabby on Saturday! LOL!