The world celebrates Father’s Day.
On Father’s day, some Fathers give gifts to their daughters.
On Father’s Day in India, a Father beheaded his 20-year-old daughter with a sword because he did not like his daughter’s lifestyle. Then he paraded her severed head through his village.
Just 4 days before Father’s Day, a French diplomat raped his 4-year-old daughter.
This one also a special Father’s Day Gift.
I have to admit that my brain rebelled upon first reading this blog entry. Having my own idyllic family gathering/Father’s day associations fresh in mind my first reaction to this entry was defensive hackle raising.
The horror of these two stories is too much, yet they’re all too real and we all know just two particularly gruesome examples of the many (seems like too soft a word) abuses that happen against women and children everyday.
I thank you for creating this particularly powerful juxtaposition for us fathers. It’s a icy splash of water on the face.
Yup, that was a sobering moment. I didn’t expect it either, but it worked well.
Thanks again Taslima!!
If I had written and published this blog entry I would be thoroughly ashamed of myself.
Care to explain why?
No . . . I have no rational explanation at this moment. My comment was no more than a from-the-gut knee-jerk response. But I will continue to do some self-analysis.
Why? Because A presidential inauguration is a shameful time to highlight the negative attributes of the president or government in general?
Is Father’s day a sacred day?
Did that sociopath father not behead his daughter on Father’s day?!
I think many of us see the powerful juxtaposition Taslima has created to highlight violence (brute murder and the rape of a three year old in these cases) against against women and children as a knock against Father’s day or against men/fathers in general. It’s not even close to that.
Funny thing. One daughter gets her head hacked off by a sword wielded by her father, a toddler gets raped by her dad and Taslima should be the one ashamed? You, Gene C, are operating on a level I can’t even comprehend.
Well I operate on a level few are able (or will admit to being able) to comprehend; it’s a level adjacent to the chemical lake of emotional stewage.
I can see how it is both something the writer might feel ashamed of, as well as a much needed wake up call.
On one hand, there are so many loving fathers in the world, who do right by their daughters, and this post seems to ignore their existence.
On the other hand, there are fathers who exploit their daughters’ trust in men who should be, above all, their champions, and instead brutally use and abuse them, because they are male, and their daughters female, and therefore, they can.
The post is not an attack on men nor “man hating”. Most men commit these sorts of crimes, so it shouldn’t bother you.
There is no honour in an “honour killing”.
You mean “mostly men” right?
That should read:
Most men DON’t commit these sorts of crimes…
Yet again, another rotten typo.
Thank you for offering something different from all the obligatory kitsch, family-romantising and deference.
I have to say, reading your blog is sometimes like being punched in the face – in a good way. Keep your good work up, Taslima! 🙂
seconded
Were these Mother’s Day gifts ever addressed?
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/ipad/woman-set-price-for-killing/story-fn6bqvxz-1226401627391
http://www.kwtx.com/home/headlines/Texas_Woman_Unhappy_With_Mothers_Day_Gifts_Accused_Of_Killing_Boyfriend_151527805.html
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/orange_county&id=8121381
Tit for tat, eh? The article was written on, yet again, an “honour killing.” Nice try trying to detract our attention to women’s unusual acts of violence. You and I both know that MEN by far outweigh women in the murder game.
My initial impulse was a reaction like Gene C. It took me about a minute to realize that Father’s Day is the perfect day to make a post like this.
Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
I get why you made the descision you did on this, I think, but did you really have to put that image above the fold? I really had no wish to see that.
It’s not an “I don’t want to be told about violence towards women” thing, it’s an “I don’t want to have to look at severed heads” thing.
You’re an idiot and you’re not fooling anyone. I’m a “real” female and you’re a little dick white boy with penis envy who’s girl left him for a Black guy. So pathetic the only release you have is to jerkoff to internet porn (mostly to black women) and vent your anger on forums such as this. Seek therapy.
‘Honor’, as late Christopher Hitchens would say, ‘is NOT great’. (emphasis mine)