I have been inundated with horrific stories lately about rape in our culture.  Story after horrific story piling on and on.  I really do not have the writing skills or energy to summarize this well despite how important it is.  Thankfully, someone at AlterNet has done this for me with an article titled Cop Rapes Woman at Gunpoint, 11-Year-Old Rape Victim Smeared, Accuser Sued for $2 Million: Is US Society Failing Victims? (the title alone speaks volumes).

In case you’re not up for reading the whole article, here’s some nice bullet points covering some of the more recent items (in no particular order):

• Cops in NY rape woman while on duty and are not convicted of rape
• Off-duty cop in NY rapes woman at gunpoint
• Prosecutors drop DSK rape trial after playing a round of attack the victim
• KBR is trying to force a woman who was raped because of their practices to pay their legal fees
• Developmentally disabled girl is raped at school.  Authorities treat her terribly, force her to recant and write an apology to her rapist, and expel her.  When she returns to school, they do not protect her and she is raped again by the same person.

The next person who tells me I am “looking for things to get angry about” when I start talking about rape culture is going to get an earful.

The internet has shamed me into blogging again!  “Again? There’s nothing here.” you might be saying to yourself.  I originally tried the blogging thing at neojuri.com back in the day.  It didn’t last long because of the whole “job and responsibilities” thing.  Those things still exist, but I think it’s worth trying this one more time.

What do I plan to blog about here?  Not entirely sure yet, but some likely topics are programming and feminism.  I feel pretty passionately about both.  My cup of lady rage has definitely runneth over lately, so perhaps having a place to put my thoughts about feminism will help.  Alternatively, it will feed my rage and I will transform into feminist hulk. BRING ON THE PURPLE SHORTS!

I plan to actually make this work by setting some reasonable and attainable goals for myself.  My current goal is at Least four posts a week.  Three of the posts can be brief commentary.  At least one post should be more substantial (perhaps something I work on throughout the week).  I can do this!  Internets, have faith in me!