When Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently said Russia needed to ‘act responsibly” in supplying natural gas to Ukraine, five days before King’s holiday, Russia’s Liberal and Democratic Party leader, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, said …
“Condoleezza Rice … loses her reason because of her late single status. … [she is] like malicious mothers-in-law, women that evoke hatred and irritation with everyone. … [she] needs a company of soldiers. She needs to be taken to barracks where she would be satisfied. On the other hand, she can hardly be satisfied because of her age. … [she] is a very cruel, offended woman who lacks men’s attention. Releasing such stupid remarks gives her the feeling of being fulfilled. This is the only way for her to attract men’s attention …” Pravda, January 11, 2006
The State Department said Rice would not respond.
In 2004 I wrote of my own rape. Twenty plus years have passed, but the horror of those six hours … triggered in an instant.
Zhirinovsky’s words … like cotton ties binding my hands, slicing into my wrists. My heart beat so hard the thump choked my throat.
Zhirinovsky’s words … not just ridiculous and debasing, he advocated gang raping a woman. And play political correctness – ‘Come on Renee’, he didn’t say that,’ – all you want. He meant it. He implied it. And I got it.
I’m volcanic.
Now disappointed. This has mainly been a nonstory for the press, mainstream and Black.
“There’s no outrage because Zhirinovsky sounds like our version of Pat Robertson, only with even less credibility,” said one male Black columnist.
“Was it on CNN?” a male friend asked.
Zhirinovsky came in third in the Russian presidential election, but 7% of the vote means millions of Russians find his views credible. And back here in our good old red and blue states, some Americans agree – Condi needs to ‘get some.’ Check out comments on Wisconsin law professor ‘Ann Althouse’s blog.
As for the CNNs, fahgettaboudem. Black media generate entertainment and sports news, and Sunday morning announcements. Can we be proactive in reporting political news?
But this story deserves coverage, not just because of politics or fairness, or because it deals with women’s rights, which is not a man’s business anyway. The story deserves coverage because the thought of White men gang raping a Black woman IS sick. Rape is sick. Rape is never a nonstory. And the now silent press that gave the GOP Condi caricature coverage as an ‘Aunt Jemima’ knows if Zhirinovsky referred that way to their mother, sister, or daughter, ‘it would be on.’
This nonstory was a story that resonated. Even Washington Post Staff Writer Howard Kurtz, in his January 17th column, said the remarks were “distasteful.”
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, in 2003, 179,170 women were the victims of rape or an attempt of rape, and 412,680 were victims of aggravated assault.
That’s a serious assault, for one female above the age of 12, every 60.6 seconds.
For the 37 minutes to write this commentary, another 36 women.
For the 2 minutes to read this commentary, another 2.
For the time to turn sickening remarks into a story to educate on violence against women, or remind ladies not from rap songs or their ‘hey, that’s my woman’ man, to ever accept degradation – priceless.
Words of rape should never be undignified with ‘no comment.’
Considered a nonstory.
Nor not credible because the speaker is ‘crazy.’
For history shows in hindsight we say of the crazy, ‘I wish I had listened.’
The other shame – not listening, condones their insanity.
