Blogging the news

We've had a couple of reviews of the magazine now, the most recent being by a blogger named D.B. Scott. He had some interesting things to say about our little magazine -- one of them being that we should turn this blog into something more newsy.

Of course, we've thought of that before but, with time constraints, never thought we could pull it off.

Today is Dec. 6 an no better day exists to start blogging, really. It is the 17th anniversary of the Montreal Massacre. A day when 14 women were shot dead because they were "feminists." To the killer, feminist meant they went to school.

Things haven't changed much since then.

This fall in Pennsylvania, four young Amish girls were shot dead at their school. The boys were ordered to leave.

Certainly, boys and men are killed all the time, too. But in the cases where women are selectively targeted, we need to be asking why. When women and girls are raped, bullied, abused, we need to question what role gender played in those things.

One cannot argue that these things happen regardless of gender. If women are victims of violence so much more frequently than men, it has to be because of their gender.

Once at that understanding, we must conclude that there is prevalent misogyny in this culture. That those who are violent against women exclusively, hate women.

And it happens a lot.

From the Status of Women Canada (which is closing most of its offices, thanks to the federal Conservatives): "During the period 1961 to 2004, there were 873 spousal murder-suicides in Canada. Wives were the victims in 97 percent of the cases."

The last thing we need is a Conservative government dead set on removing all of women's "equality" and resources.

So what are we going to do about it?

Jenn Watt
Editor