With each step in our evolution, the weak, obstinate and unevolved fall away.
As a snake sheds its skin no longer required, humanities excesses dissolve and the whole grows. As we the evolved continue to walk ever more upright, the knuckle draggers are released, to bob in the ocean of life and eventually die off, swallowed by the sea, their superfluous existence concluding.
When a stage of the evolutionary process approaches its zenith, one which is driven by the evolved and evolving, the knuckle draggers, like a gremlin exposed to the sun, quickly reveal themselves, their skin bubbling and shrill voices screaming louder, resiting with all their might the need to adapt. They become ever more grotesque before exploding and exposing their rotten insides, unable to maintain the growth that the rest of humanity is embracing.
We are reassured, though it is not a comfort we need or desire, by their repeated displays of stupidity or cruelty that we are emerging as more complete beings and societies.
Sasa, many in this world are evolving and becoming increasingly vocal and active about our inability to accept sexual violence against women. The thick browed knuckle draggers and gremlins of this world are, seemingly involuntarily, unable to avoid unfurling themselves and in the process ensuring their exile from humanity.
The evolutionary sun is once again dawning on planet earth’s horizon and gremlins are popping everywhere.
In Toronto, Michael Sanguinetti spawned the global SlutWalk protests when he exploded with his safety advice to women ‘stop dressing like a slut.’ POP! Just before Christmas last year, Virgin America’s non compos advertising department produced the ‘Necklace or Chloroform?’ ad. POP! Back in 2009 Australia’s own Andrew Bolt shared his thoughts with us on ‘technical rape.’ POP! In Florida, Miami University is sheltering some cowardly oxygen thieves, those who produced ‘The top 10 ways to get away with rape’ leaflet, found stuck to the back of a toilet door. POP! Elsewhere in America, the Republican Party, where possessing thumbs seemingly excludes one from membership, saw no less than seven of its representatives – Todd Akin, Richard Mourdock, Roger Rivard, Joe Walsh, Tom Smith, Joe Koster and Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan – exposed themselves as hairy knuckled, tick eating, monotonal beasts in 2012’s election race. POP! POP! POP! Thankfully the American public had more sense than those who desired to represent them and the seven are now stamped defeated.
The danger posed by these idiots who pollute our space with their misguided musings is caustic and harmful, yet those who translate their warped ideas into practice or law walk an even more destructive path.
The African kingdom of Swaziland, where HIV/AIDS affects one quarter of the population and the King has 14 wives – each one chosen annually from a bare breasted troupe of 80,000 topless virgin dancers – recently banned ‘rape provoking’ mini skirts, arguing that pants will be sufficient to decrease the incidences of rape. POP! Throughout the rest of the world violence against women, including rape within marriage domestic violence and violence against women in prostitution are sanctioned, enshrined and defended by those who maintain the necessity of the laws. POP! POP!
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The tragedy of ‘India’s daughter,’ has moved the evolutionary step along with giant strides. While the American public has retreated to silence on the social change needed to end gun deaths, the Indian public, both men and women alike, are demanding radical change to end the tacit acceptance and normality of sexual violence against women, everything from the eve-teasing (molestation) of women in public to infanticide and gang rapes. Already the popping has begun, when a senior policeman suggested women not travel anywhere at night to avoid rape and carry chilli powder to use against any potential attackers. POP! POP!
Of those travelling the evolutionary road in India, many are calling for the execution of ‘Damini’s’ rapists cum murderers and for new laws including chemical castration. The temptation to act in anger and with brutal vengeance is strong and understandable. None of us can understand the pleasure the gang took in destroying a young and blossoming existence. Where we would water and allow the sun to shine, those weeds brought darkness and choked vibrant, precious life. Anybody familiar with ‘Damini’s’ ordeal could not be judged by wanting, and taking quiet pleasure in, those responsible also suffering greatly.
Yet the evolved are so for a reason. The evolved know the value of life. Those who wrenched ‘Damini’s’ from this earth, have little value left in their own. They are defined forever by what they have done to her and a lifetime of repentance would not even begin to make up for it. How they are to live out the rest of their lives will also define the evolved. Are we content to allow them, gang rapists and vicious murderers, to be separated from society, their freedom denied to their last breath, or do we need more? Can we be satisfied that their contribution to and participation in society has ended, despite their life continuing? Do we need them to scream, cry and beg as ‘Damini’ did, or will their confinement to four walls satisfy our lust? It needs to.
If on one hand we say that life is precious, valuable, a gift and nobody has a right to take it, then this must include us. Yes, their lives are largely worthless, yet their lives are not exclusively their own, nor ours as the punishers. Others exist in their lives and their lives exist in others. ‘Damini’s’ family are mourning the loss of a daughter, sister, cousin and wife to be, can we as the evolved, deliberately inflict similar distress to six other families? India is mourning the loss of a young life, can we intentionally end six other young lives, as worthless as they are, and claim to break even? We cannot.
Can we compromise and endeavour to deter future brutes with the threat of castration? It would be, after all, seizing from them their weapon of choice, their power and sense of superiority. Could it be a fair punishment for those who arguably do not deserve to create life, life they regard as inferior when placed in the road of their own monstrous desires. It hurts, but we cannot. We cannot say who or what they may spawn if allowed the opportunity, as uncomfortable a thought that is. Just as we could not predict their dark evolution from a birthplace of decency and integrity, without the guarantee they will also create a monster, we cannot deny the possibility of a future good existing.
The greatness that needs to rise from ‘Damini’s’ death is that sexual violence against women becomes abnormal and unacceptable. Greatness will be when everyone recognises and accepts that rape is caused by rapists, not by clothing, lust, testosterone, alcohol, miscommunication or behaviour. Those who do not, those who cannot evolve, must recoil and wither from the human species. Greatness will be when chilli powder, rape condoms and male escorts are unnecessary relics of a bygone era. The process will be painful and painfully slow, as all evolutionary steps are. People will be embarrassed, hurt, judged, exposed, shamed, abused, raped and killed. There will be suffering. Those who resist evolution will gnash and tear with anger, as they do not want to die off, to face their own insignificance, to become null and void, to have their ‘rights’ stripped from them. But they should.
open fire 
no matter how serious the topic is, you always have a way of eloquently putting your view forward through your writing. amazing stuff Stu!
Eloquent?? shucks thanks 🙂 glad you enjoyed Jakarta, sounds like fun!