Man Down video by Rihanna - in revenge for being raped she goes after he abuser and shoots him in public

[Abbas Mancey]

Not sure how much public out cry this is getting in your country/ region but quite a few persons and groups are asking that Rihanna's new song "Man Down" be banned for fear it causing women and girls to retaliate against their abusers (sexual) by turning to extreme violence... be interested to hear thoughts on this

 

abbas

(Guyana)

[irit hakim-keller]

Haven't seen the video. Could you pls post it, or a link to it?

thanks.

 

[Nicole Rhonda Cole]

Why shouldn't Women and Girls Retaliate against their abusers? Why should they allow Men to kill them whilst the LAW has proven  to be 'IMPOTENT' in their PROTECTION? I fully Support Women defending themselves by 'every means necessary'!!!! I am prepared to KILL in defense of my LIFE! Jah Rastafari!!!!

[Nicole Rhonda Cole]

When a Man RECOGNIZES that he can be KILLED for his attempt to HARM another Human Being then he will THINK TWICE before ACTING! When Men are COGNISANT that they CANNOT be BEATING WOMEN and KILLING them like COWS because of a notion of perceived WEAKNESS then and only then we can reason about 'NON-VIOLENCE'! Suffice to say that WOMEN must learn the ART OF WAR in defending their Lives against these CREATURES whom they NURTURE!

[Laurence Gilliot]

I think that violence and hatred is never the solution... 

 

Here is a beautiful poem from Thich Nhat Hanh.

 

Promise me,
promise me this day,
promise me now,
while the sun is overhead
exactly at the zenith,
promise me:

Even as they
strike you down
with a mountain of hatred and violence;
even as they step on you and crush you
like a worm,
even as they dismember and disembowel you,
remember, brother,
remember:
man is not our enemy.

The only thing worthy of you is compassion –
invincible, limitless, unconditional.
Hatred will never let you face
the beast in man.

One day, when you face this beast alone,
with your courage intact, your eyes kind,
untroubled
(even as no one sees them),
out of your smile
will bloom a flower.
And those who love you
will behold you
across ten thousand worlds of birth and dying.

Alone again,
I will go on with bent head,
knowing that love has become eternal.
On the long, rough road,
the sun and the moon
will continue to shine.

 

He wrote this poem in 1965 for the young people in the School of Youth for Social Service in Vietnam who risked their lives every day during the war, recommending them to prepare to die without hatred.

[irit hakim-keller]

thank you, Laurence for the beautiful poem.

Hatred indeed doesn't bring anything but more hatred and pain.

[Nicole Rhonda Cole]

HATRED must be expressed for the BEHAVIOUR that MEN exhibit by KILLING their Spouses! To 'dislike intensely' the MURDEROUS BEHAVIOUR of Men is the Beginning of WISDOM! I seek to remain WISE!!!!

[Nicole Rhonda Cole]

Self Defense is necessary to save your life! I shall stand in defense of my life and will encourage Women to defend their lives! Too many have been lost in the slaughter here in Guyana! No Sane Person can ask another Human Being to accept his or her demise without a fight! I fully Support the RIGHT to DEFEND your life if it is threatened by EVERY MEANS NECESSARY!!!!!

[irit hakim-keller]

I echo Laurence -  violence is not the solution,  but I understand very much Nicole's frustrated and angry comment.

The law must be the answer - by a the punishment system. I am a member and a correspondent  of an l organization which advocating for women's issues/right/human rights. I do know how difficult it is to gain  successes and victories in laws   changing, but I am glad to tell that we do succeed.

I find here the opportunity to invite you - the people who care - to the site
www.asafeworldforwomen.org 

[Nicole Rhonda Cole]

When close to 20 Women have been murdered should one be smiling? Should one be happy and not be ANGRY? What Utter Rubbish! I've seen women who have lost their eyes, hands, leg and in the worst case their lives and this is not cause for comprehensive social action? Why do Nations have a "Defense Force" if its not to 'MITIGATE' against attacks? Must Women sit idly by whilst the Men slaughter them? The Law is Rubbish since it is not effective in stopping the MURDER of WOMEN!

[irit hakim-keller]

Nichloe, 

Of course I do not think women should not react when being attacked!!!!!!

 If she had shoot him on the spot, when she had been attacked, as a protection deed - that was kind of acceptable even by the law. But,  shooting for revenge - this is another thing by law..

I keep say " by law" because I do understand her motive, her pain, her frustration, her helplessness - but one should not "take the law to their hand".  I am lucky to be a one who never been abused - but every time I hear or know about a case -my first react is I WOULD KILL HIM!!! I WOULD CASTRATE HIM. I find myself very violent with my first reaction, feeling in my stomach and heart the pain. -yes. indeed. and I realize that an abused person's react might be stronger. But, if any person who got abused - any kind of- would punish their abusers, there will be a no-ending thread of violence....there is Law for this.

Yes, there are many cases when the law doesn't punish enough, does;t make enough efforts to catch the abuser, does't act as it should!!!!! that what people and orgs. are  advocating for, and fighting for...regarding law. Otherwise, there will be anarchy all around, which means - more violence than there is now.  

(I hope I have succeeded to explain good enough with my no-so-good-English) 

 

 

[Gaston]

Abbas (great to see you here!) triggered an interesting and alive discussion here that for me shows the diversity of viewpoint and perspectives from each of the contributors. I am mainly listening/ reading for commonalities and there are actually more than the differences. There is the importance of self-defense with all means necessary to prevent more suffering. There is a need to understand perpetrators and there is an exploration of what is a sustainable way to deal with such issues that does not further accelerate violence. I like the discussion because this issue touches deeply on what we think should be the drivers of behavior change and personal and community transformation in general. Whether it's for HIV, smoking, crime etc? Is fear the best motivator for sustainable personal and collective change? Sometimes, it seems the only way in the short term to prevent more suffering. But is it the vision for the long term?

I don't have the answers and I think we all bring different experiences to the discussion. I do acknowledge that each individual probably has his/ her own way of dealing with such things, also relevant to the local context and personal history. This does not mean that this is the way to go for everybody, but we can learn from each other. Am interested to read more.

[Elischia Fludd]

Hi, do you have a copy of this video? I haven't seen it.