"Debates" and other stuff

A cloudy but still nice weekend. Time to sit, enjoy my tea and catch up. It's also time to break our "no progressive political content on this blog" rule. The only reason is to help make some necessary points.

Monday (or roughly 30 hours from now in this 24/7 news cycle world), Obama and Romney will "debate" one final time. The subject will be foreign policy. Also, there will be no controversy. No dissent (asking questions not written ahead of time, turning your back on the candidates in protest, unfurling banners smuggled into the studio) will be tolerated. If you do that, your mike will be killed and you'll be arrested for "disorderly conduct" (which is now a felony when you protest in the presence of politicians).

This is "a free and open exchange of ideas"?

Despite this, nothing will get done before the election. Millions will continue to have selective amnesia about their candidate. What about third party candidates (now at least 50)? The Green Party can legally run nationally. Yet, they have "no chance". Therefore, they don't exist. They exist in the rest of the world and are doing quite well.

Again, they don't exist. The war in Afghanistan doesn't exist. Innocent people being killed don't exist. Out of sight and out of mind. All that matters is maintaining your power and money.

What else doens't exist to the Powers that Be? Trauma survivors.

Why is it that the only way to get attention to an important cause is to have a celebrity attached to it? If you don't, does that mean that all of the people struggling with this issue don't exist? Nobody knows and nobody cares?

Where I live, there's no guy rape survivor support group. Here, it's the most horrible thing to publically admit that you're a guy rape survivor. Which isn't your fault. Here in the States, it's a national law that if any rape crisis center wants any federal funding, you CANNOT mention ANYTHING at all about guy rape survivors on your website or in any of your content.

Which leads to the next question. What's your mantra right now that helps you in your healing? One for me is that I matter. My life has value. The Powers that Be think I'm their worst nightmare, and don't want anything to do with me. Because of something that's not my fault.

Would anyone be allowed to ask about guy rape survivors in Monday's debate? If I tried that, I could get arrested. For what? For daring to embarass the President on global TV about something that's not my fault?

Not all but many for many reasons have selective amnesia. They only want to face what doesn't directly affect them. 3 out of 10 people have some form of PTSD. How does that NOT affect every person?

Whether you'r a guy or a woman, do you feel like the world's listening to you? Does anyone care if you're here? Does anyone care if if you weren't? If someone says I care about you then piss off and get help, how are you supposed to react to that?

Fact: in many cases, the worst place unfortunately to try and get support is from your own family.

Despite all of this just-shut-up-and-go-away attitude from many others, you do matter. Your life does have value. The politicians only care about money, power and maintaining that at all costs. Everything comes down to a soundbite. How do I spin this to make me look good? What will you do in return for me?

If there was a National Guy Rape Survivor Support Network, would anyone give them the time of day? Right now, no. Because it's against the law if you want any funds.

You're told to go away and get help. Yet, almost nobody wants anything to do with you. Now, what do you do?