Second Opinion

(via currydeodorant)

girlinthepink5carf:

please dont scroll past this. 

hi. i’m an Armenian. you probably don’t know what that is. or if you do, you probably only know it as what the kardashians claim to be. but heres a little history of where i came from. please take the time to read this and educate yourself on something that really does matter. this is one of the most important things to me. my ancestors were brutally slaughtered in what came to be known as the Armenian Genocide.

Armenians were second class citizens in the Ottoman Empire, they lived in relative harmony with Turks for centuries before the forces of nationalism transformed the situation. Armenians were known as the “loyal group”. During these times, Armenians were not treated as equals and had to put up with certain special hardships, taxes and second class citizenship.

As European powers began to ask for assurances that Armenians receive better treatment, the government began to treat the Armenians worse and worse. From 1894-6 hundreds of thousands of Armenians died in the Hamidian Massacres ordered by Sultan Abdul Hamid II. But when the Young Turks came to power all they wanted was to forever exterminate the Armenian race. They wanted to murder every single one.

World War One gave the Young Turk government the cover and the excuse to carry out their plan. The plan was simple and its goal was clear. On April 24th 1915, hundreds of Armenian leaders and intellectuals were murdered in Istanbul after being summoned and gathered.

The Armenians did not know what was planned for them and went along with the government’s plan to “relocate them for their own good.” First, the Armenians were asked to turn in hunting weapons for the war effort. The able bodied men were then “drafted” to help in the wartime effort. These men were either immediately killed or were worked to death. Now the villages and towns, with only women, children, and elderly left were systematically emptied. The remaining residents would be told to gather for a “temporary relocation” and to only bring what they could carry. The Armenians again obediently followed instructions and were “escorted” by Turkish Gendarmes in death marches.

The death marches led across Anatolia through the Syrian Desert aka Der Zor, and the purpose was clear. The Armenians were raped, starved, dehydrated, murdered, and kidnapped along the way. Those who miraculously survived the march would arrive to this bleak desert only to be killed upon arrival or to somehow survive until a way to escape the empire was found.

1.5 million armenians were killed. those who survived dispersed all over the world and what was once the armenian holy land, was now taken over by the turks. all of this only because of who they were, armenians and christians.

What the worst part is that until this day, the Turkish government denies the genocide. The Armenians never got the justice well due. Even the United States, which is said to be the home of justice and liberty, has not recognized the genocide only because of politcs.

France has done it. Italy, Germany, and Switzerland have done it, too. About twenty countries (and forty-two U.S. states) have officially recognized the Armenian Genocide. Now, it’s time for the United States government to step up and do the same.

Clearly, it is all about the politics; while the President does not deny that the genocide has occurred, he has noted that the timing of the resolution is just not “right”.

By legal definition, it is impossible to deny that the mass-killings of 1915 were indeed intended to exterminate the Armenian people altogether and was, therefore, a genocide.

So, why should we care? This issue is not only in the best interests of the Armenian people, it is a human rights issue. By passing this resolution, we can gradually begin to put an end to all genocides around the world, such as the current situations in Congo, Darfur, and Sudan.

Adolf Hitler, influenced by the Armenian Genocide, was infamously quoted to have said, “Who, after all, speaks today of the annihilation of the Armenians?” By shining an international light on the genocide of 1915, we will ultimately be saying, “This is not ok.” Think of what would happen, for example, if murderers and sex offenders were brushed off and not convicted; crime rates would sky rocket and basic human rights would go out the window.

Turning a blind eye to the mass killings of an entire nation is morally wrong, no matter how significant the ties between the U.S. and Turkey. The very fact that the Turkish government is adamantly denying the genocide rather than accepting it as a part of history should prompt the United States to do the right thing, even if it means cutting off its political ties.

Our government and all governments should do the right thing by finally accepting the Armenian genocide and facing any backlash with heads held high. because human rights is far more important than politics. i dare anyone to argue that.

every year on april 24th, armenians all over the world gather together in peaceful protest to shine light on this important issue. however, are voices are barely heard. please pay attention to this. why should my voice be of any less importance than anyone elses? because i come from a small, unimportant country? or bc i dont have the money to create a fancy video? you decide.

What’s ugly is the fact that such a tragedy has been left untold and unpunished. Please help me spread the word. This story needs to be heard. Please reblog, not for the Armenians, but for the entire human race. We need to put a stop to all genocides.

Thank you.

(via son-risa)

aluxuthespider:

tokokomo:

amourdefraise:

fuckyeahfeminists:

How The Zero Weeks Of Paid Maternity Leave In The U.S. Compare Globally

I’m going to move to Canada when/if I have a baby

wow. fuck you, America. you suck suck suck.

Really? I didn’t know Canada’s was that high.
Sweet.

Canada’s is two weeks away from a year. A whole year of paid maternity leave. I don’t know, but I think that sounds like too much. It the company/country can afford it then why not, but it just seems like an incredible amount of money. Can somebody educate me on how this works?

mouss-e:

somepinkfluffy-dinosaur:

‎”THROUGH A RAPIST’S EYES” (PLS TAKE TIME TO READ THIS. it may save a life.) Reblog this!

  
It seems that alot of attackers use some tactic to get away with violence. Not many people know how to take care of themselves when faced with such a
situation. Everyone should read this especially each n every girl in this world. THOUGHT THIS WAS GOOD INFO TO PASS ALONG…

FYI - Through a rapist’s eyes! A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:



1] The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.
They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun! , braid, or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.

2] The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who’s clothing is easy to remove quickly. Many of them carry scissors around to cut clothing.

3] They also look for women using their cell phone, searching through their purse or doing other activities while walking because they are off guard and can be easily overpowered.

4] The number one place women are abducted from / attacked at is grocery store parking lots.

5] Number two is office parking lots/garages.

6] Number three is public restrooms.

7] The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to a second location where they don’t have to worry about getting caught.

8] If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn’t worth it because it will be time-consuming.

9] These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas,or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands.

10] Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you’re not worth it.

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POINTS THAT WE SHOULD REMEMBER:


1] If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk:
can’t believe it is so cold out here, we’re in for a bad winter. Now that you’ve seen their faces and could identify them in a line- up, you lose appeal as a target.

 
2] If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell Stop or Stay back! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they’d leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would 
not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.

3] If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes,) yelling I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.

4] If someone grabs you, you can’t beat them with strength but you can do it by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm between the elbow and
armpit or in the upper inner thigh - HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it; it really hurts.

5] After the initial hit, always go for the groin. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy’s parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you’ll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our
instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause him a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble, and he’s out of there.

6] When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using
much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.

7] Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don’t dismiss it, go with your instincts. You may feel
little silly at the time, but you’d feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.

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FINALLY, PLEASE REMEMBER THESE AS WELL ….

I know you are smart enough to know these pointers but there will be some, where you will go “hmm I must remember that” After reading forward it to someone you care about, never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.


1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do it.

2. Learned this from a tourist guide to New Orleans : if a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you…. chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or
purse than you and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car: Kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won’t see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping,eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc. DON’T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side,put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU CLOSE the DOORS , LEAVE.
 

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage:
a. Be aware: look around your car as someone may be
hiding at the passenger side , peek into your car, inside the passenger side floor, and in the back seat. ( DO THIS TOO BEFORE RIDING A TAXI CAB) .
b. If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
c. Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
 

6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN! The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked “for help” into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
  

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it’s better safe than sorry.

DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT NOT REBLOGGING THIS! IT COULD ACTUALLY SAVE A LIFE.

(via the-witch-of-heart)