North Korea is fully prepared for a “total war,” and the drills will lead to a “complete collapse” of ties between the Koreas, the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea said in a statement carried Monday by the official Korean Central News Agency.

Seoul is closely monitoring North Korea’s reaction. The Korean peninsula has been technically at war for about 60 years (along with the United States).

(Source: demons)

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freeisrael:

 

The hacker group “Anonymous” released a video Friday threatening to begin a ‘reign of terror’ against Israel, in the latest round of cyber warfare between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli hackers.

The video, which was posted on YouTube in the early hours of the morning, blamed Israel for committing ‘crimes against humanity,’ and criticizing it for its treatment of Palestinians.

“Through the use of media deception and political bribery, you have amassed the sympathies of many. You claim to be democratic, yet in reality this is far from the truth. In fact, your only goal is to better the lives of a select few while carelessly trampling the liberties of the masses,” says the clip’s computer-generated narrator over ominous background music.

The video also makes reference to the possibility of an Israeli strike on Iran, claiming that Israel has “taken steps to ensure a nuclear holocaust,” and that it will not be allowed “to attack a sovereign country based upon a campaign of lies.”

 

A message to Anonymous,

While you all were making videos threatening a start reign of terror against Israel (something, may I add, that has actually been occurring since the state’s modern establishment), the Syrian people continue to be massacred. It is estimated that about 6000 people have been killed since the anti-Government demonstrations began last March (Source: here). Do Syrians not matter when Israel cannot be blamed for their deaths? Is this not a crime against humanity? Is this democratic? 

Furthermore, you say can not allow an attack on “a sovereign country” (Iran). So the implication is that Israel is not a sovereign country? Hmm.

Let’s take a look at a recent action of the government that you all are defending. 

“A dissident Iranian blogger has been ordered flogged and jailed for 14 years by a Tehran court, media rights group Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday.”

 (Source: here)

See, and I thought the reason you guys use the Guy Fawkes mask is because you stood against tyranny, oppression, and totalitarianism. Guess that isn’t the case, as Israelis are allowed to criticize the government. Bloggers in Israel aren’t flogged and jailed, because the press is free and open. 

But for a group of hackers to attack a country that is democratic and defend a country that jails dissidents blows my mind. 

Anonymous, what do you stand for again? 

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Rape culture is telling girls and women to be careful about what you wear, how you wear it, how you carry yourself, where you walk, when you walk there, with whom you walk, whom you trust, what you do, where you do it, with whom you do it, what you drink, how much you drink, whether you make eye contact, if you’re alone, if you’re with a stranger, if you’re in a group, if you’re in a group of strangers, if it’s dark, if the area is unfamiliar, if you’re carrying something, how you carry it, what kind of shoes you’re wearing in case you have to run, what kind of purse you carry, what jewelry you wear, what time it is, what street it is, what environment it is, how many people you sleep with, what kind of people you sleep with, who your friends are, to whom you give your number, who’s around when the delivery guy comes, to get an apartment where you can see who’s at the door before they can see you, to check before you open the door to the delivery guy, to own a dog or a dog-sound-making machine, to get a roommate, to take self-defense, to always be alert always pay attention always watch your back always be aware of your surroundings and never let your guard down for a moment lest you be sexually assaulted and if you are and didn’t follow all the rules it’s your fault.

-

I might just copy and paste this so I can have this perfect answer ready when people say things like “but how does this “rape culture” actually affect women?”  (via holdmecloser-tonydanza)

This. THIS. Read it. Now read it again. Now the next time you victim-blame, or rag on women for any of the above, you can kindly pull your lip over your head and swallow.

(via youwouldreblogtoanything)

(Source: forums.somethingawful.com, via tea-and-anthropology)

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Part 2 of the “Unpopular Opinion?” Cultural Appropriation discussion

Firstly, I’d like to thank all for the overwhelming and wonderful response to the beginning of the discussion on cultural appropriation here. I personally found the responses by saaraeliisavaris and gardant well worth reading.

Still, I feel like we, the Tumblr community, focus much more on the negative colonial mentality of entitlement than we do on the education of those who are committing cultural (mis)appropriation (to borrow from gardant’s much more appropriate terminology).

I think, after some reflection, my qualms in hearing the terms ‘cultural appropriation’ and ‘cultural appreciation,’ shouted high and low on the internet, do not lie in defense of those who commit material misappropriation. Perhaps it would be better to take a moment, whenever we see something wrong or out-of-context, to explain why we (or anyone else, for that matter) might be offended by what we see.

An example of dissecting cultural misappropriation:

Our stereotypical “fashionable-girl-in-a-headdress,” the British “model” Felice Fawn.

(via delacroix):

“ In general, this kind of cultural appropriation is really disrespectful and offensive because it trivializes something sacred. But adding sexualization to the mix takes it from disrespectful to downright dangerous because Native American women are sexually victimized at rates far higher than women of every other ethnic group in the United States:

• Over 1 in 3 Native American women will be raped at least once. They are 2.5 times more likely to be raped than women of any other ethic group.
• During those rapes, Native American women are 20% more likely to be battered, injured, or assaulted with a weapon than any other ethnic group. (At least 90% are battered, 50% sustain serious injuries, and 35% are assaulted with a weapon.)
• 17% of Native women are victims of stalking, compared to the 4.5-8% among other ethnic groups. Native stalking victims are at least 1.5 times more likely to be raped or killed than women of other ethnic groups.
• Native American women are the only group more likely to be raped by a stranger than by someone they know. (Typically, women are 73% more likely to be raped by someone they know. Native women are raped by strangers 70% of the time. )
• Native American women are the only ethnic group more likely to be raped by someone of a different race. 86% of rapes perpetrated against Native women are committed by non-Natives (70% being perpetrated by whites). 
• Until a new law was passed a year and a half ago, that meant 86% of rapists were untouchable because tribal authorities had no jurisdiction over non-Native defendants and federal authorities almost always decline to prosecute rapes. 
• Under the new law, though, tribal courts can only impose a maximum sentence of 3 years. The average rape sentence for assaults against women of other ethnic groups is 11.8 years.

There’s an obvious pattern of intense victimization and injustice there, and I think objectification plays a large, steady part in that especially due to our society’s ingrained colonial attitudes. I think anything that furthers those attitudes—even with non-malicious intentions—puts Native American people, especially women, at risk. ”

12

Unpopular Opinion? A rant on “cultural appr__.”

I am an Anthropology/Archaeology student, and I get really mad when others get angry about “cultural appropriation.” In fact, I get annoyed when people use the term “cultural appreciation” too.

Yes, there are some ignorant people out there who take aspects of other cultures out of context. Yes, there are people who “pick and choose” things they like in another culture and adopt them.

If these adopted aspects of another culture offend you, whomever you may be, then I feel for you. I am human, just like you, and am quite capable of empathy.

Still, I have to ask: Where would we be if no one ever borrowed from another culture? Where would we be if human beings refused to adapt, or to adopt behaviors/art styles/tools/(insert human creations here)?

Even as a write, the sense of “otherness” (contained in the condemnation or defense of borrowing from separate cultures) created horrifies me.  I understand that humans like to divide into groups, that humans like to distinguish themselves as individuals, but everyone truly needs to pause for a moment and think.

The internet does not distinguish color, culture, ethnicity, familial ties, political beliefs, or subcultures (not until we bring them up, anyways).  Our language may reflect our culture, but we are all human.  Our DNA is extremely similar. Race isn’t even real in a scientific sense. If we look back in time far enough, we are all related to the same people, who lived on the African continent.

So why is everybody so angry?

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dreamradicaldreams:

theloupgaroux:

czarofdeath:

Post by gamzeemakara

Please help. We won’t be able to send you BBC and European TV and stuff if this passes. As my friend said, this is dangerous and scary.

I’m not sure how to set one up, someone please make a petition.

+ Canada. Canada is included in this as well. fml. 

 ACTA is actually worldwide!

The negotiating parties include: Australia, Canada, the European Union, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland and the United States. And according to Wikipedia of all these participants only The EU, Mexico, and Switzerland have yet to sign!!!

All the negotiations were conducted behind closed doors until a series of leaked documents relating to the negotiations emerged which explains why there is little to no media coverages.

This is all scary stuff. Read more about ACTA at Wikipedia och check out this video: ACTA EXPLAINED.

(Source: oldblogoldblogoldblog, via franzboas)

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