The Republic of Dissent

Le mal au Mali

The pic of the day via Spiked:

When cock is politics...

Sugary excerpt of the day from Jennifer Thorpe's take on the whole Brett Murray's Zuma painting (The Spear of the Nation) with his cock exposed:

Zuma has characterised himself as a man’s man. He celebrates a masculinity that emphasises sexual virility and supports polygamy in the face of an HIV epidemic spread by multiple concurrent partners; a masculinity that emphasises that men take sex when they want it and, despite being accused of rape, never once says that violence against women is wrong; and a masculinity that is heteronormative and homophobic (see comments about pushing down gay men, and appointment of John Qwelane and Mogoeng Mogoeng). His masculinity has been the core of his politics thus far, and perhaps the core appeal to those who vote for him. When it is under threat the very core of what he stands for is under threat. That the painting was defaced by men is interesting and reflects that perhaps these scary sentiments about manhood and its untouchability are shared by many other men, not only Msholozi.

For now we’ll have to see what happens in court for Zuma and for the two men who defaced Murray’s painting. In the meantime state resources will be spent in court cases that focus on what it means to be a man. The politics of the cock are alive and well. And this whole saga had taught us all that they are not up for discussion.

 I have to admit that I believe that the painting to be on point for it goes to the core of what/who Zuma is and why his politics are problematic: they  justify the worship of the cock, any vile behavior in the name of a non-existent africanness which force morality, ethics to be about who people are (which is determined by their race, gender, class for individuality isn't allowed)  rather than about what they do.  This explains why Zuma can rape have manly sex with a HIV positive woman and still become president of South Africa.

Jesus was never here

Pic of the day, (hat tip: Kevin Jon Heller)

Spilling over

Pic pf the day from Donkeyhotey. No extensive comment necessary just to say that Obama is lucky that Americans have a bad memory and don't really care about the environment, as much as they say that they do to appear hip. He will get past this oily mess for BP is the ideal culprit.

Lib-Dems = Tories

Pic of the morning is about the political state of Britain (via). I disagree with its message for I think that Nick Clegg had no other alternative since Labour had the arrogance to believe that it was better off in the opposition to give the Brits the opportunity to realize that they are the best. Not choosing Cameron would meant choosing the political wilderness for Nick Clegg in the sake of purity, which is what political fundamentalists do usually when they are not willing to shoulder the responsibilities that come with power .There is no question that Nick Clegg's choice is risky and not the best so is politics and he took a chance to give his party the chance to become something other than the serf of  disdainful masters and his country the one to move on from Blairism (it is about time). The culprits here are Labour, the Blairites and Gordon Brown for governing and campaigning without imagination and something other than marketable and flashy humility.

I'm happy that Nick Clegg isn't François Bayrou.

The end of Gordon Brown

I feel probably the same as this young Brit about Gordon Brown except that it has nothing with him, but everything to do with the fact that he reminds me, and I suppose too many Brits, of the worst of Tony Blair without been able to bring something new to the table or even to remind people of why they trusted Blair for so long. Politics is unfair (via, h/t)

Defining 'wife'

No comments necessary. (via)

Papal satire

No comment necessary (via)

The patriotic French burqa

No comment necessary after this pic from Retrofuturs.

Don't mess with veiled women

Via Feminist Philosophers an image, which I approve. No other comments necessary.

Running to nowhere

Best pic of last week from Eddie Doo. I know that action figures make great politicians, just wondering whether they make good presidents.

Covered women

Pic of the day from DVIDSHUB