All posts by nedhamson

Activist, writer, researcher, addicted to sharing information and facts.

Humans of New York

“I thought it was a bomb at first. It pushed the building, so I was thrown against the wall. Nobody screamed. It was silent except for the sound of ringing phones. There was no announcement or anything, everyone just started walking toward the exits. I remember the stairs were wet. Fuel had poured down through the elevator shafts so it smelled like a really strong cleaning product. I still smell it when I’m dreaming. Everyone was calm and quiet in the stairwell. A lot of people were out of shape, so we were moving slowly. Occasionally we’d move out of the way to let a fireman run past. People didn’t begin to panic until we reached the ground floor because there was broken glass everywhere and bodies on the ground. That’s the first time we started running. The police actually tried to keep us inside the lobby because bodies were falling outside, but we pushed past them. I remember being shocked by all the people who were standing around, looking up. I couldn’t understand why a person would do that. I walked thirty blocks, then I caught a ride to midtown. I tried walking down into a subway station to see if the trains were running. An attendant was sitting in the booth, watching the television, and she said: ‘They’re gone.’ And that was when I finally felt fear. Until then, it had only been survival.”(Metropolitan Correctional Center, New York)

Source: Humans of New York

There’s a Pussy Riot movement just waiting to happening in Scotland (From Herald Scotland)

So young women, and, increasingly, older women, are adopting feminism as a shield against torrents of psychological abuse. Many people don’t understand this. Old fashioned liberals complain that the new feminism is “intolerant”, and actually, they are right. Some things, though, shouldn’t be tolerated. Women today have been told that, when faced with online trolls, the best answer is simply to ignore them. But is that really good advice?By ignoring it, you’re experiencing a social problem alone. By saying, “I am a feminist”, you’re refusing to let them isolate you, and you’re refusing to play by the rules of the global frat house. That’s why today’s feminism is no passing fad. That’s why our protest, originally called against Roosh V’s own brand of misogyny still went ahead. Our protest represented this new generation of young women and men refusing to play by the rules of men who’ve been able to invade our cyber space for far too long. We’re coming offline, and we’re going out onto the streets. The internet is expanding to take over, commercialise, and sexualise our everyday lives. That’s happening whether we like it or not. But as the internet becomes ever more natural for each new generation, so will feminism, because we need a practical means to protect our minds, our careers, and our bodies from creeps and bullies.

Source: There’s a Pussy Riot movement just waiting to happening in Scotland (From Herald Scotland)