Strange ideas

So, today my copy of Scott McCloud's Making Comics arrived. And then, I read a comment by maevele. And now I've got this strange idea stuck in my brain: Fantastic Fourth Wave Feminism (The World's Greatest Comic Feminists!) Complete with such heroes as:

Ms. Fantastic Analysis - Imbued with unparallelled intellectual analysis, capable of stretching beyond any single subject position and expanding her critique to address the full breadth of intersectional experiences. Ms. Fantastic Analysis is the leader of this particular feminism.

The Hothead Passion - Full of fiery indignation and blazing energy, The Hothead Passion is always ready to dive into any flame war in defence of Fourth Wave Feminism. Is sometimes mistaken for that other Homicidal Lesbian Terrorist.

The Visible Woman - able to expose the social apparatus by making unseen assumptions visible, The Visible Woman is also able to create protective barriers and safe spaces.

The Complete Being - given the power to completely accept her body, the Complete Being rejects any attempt to objectify or dehumanize women -- to reduce them to merely some 'thing'. And being the most physical of these feminist heroes, she's able to go toe to toe with the patriarchy whenever she deems it "Clobberin' Time". Also bears many similarities to Feminist Hulk.

Mario Joseph coming to Toronto

Mario Joseph, Haiti’s most respected human rights attorney will speak at a public forum on October 29 in Toronto. Joining Mr. Joseph will be Berthony Dupont, editor of Haitian newspaper Haiti Liberté.

Mr. Joseph is managing attorney of Bureau Des Avocats Internationaux (BAI) and director with the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti (IJDH). He and Mr. Dupont will speak on the human rights and political situation in post-earthquake Haiti.

Recent studies by the IJDH, Refugees International, City University of New York anthropologist Mark Schuller and others have documented the deplorable conditions in which the people of Haiti are living nine months after the earthquake. Some 1.5 million homeless struggles to survive in 1,300 makeshift tent camps in and around Port-au-Prince. For many, the conditions of health and safety are growing worse, not better. In addition, an estimated twenty percent of these Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) have been forcibly evicted with nowhere to go.

The BAI along with the IJDH are helping grassroots IDP groups to mobilize for housing rights. "The failure of the state to protect IDP Haitian citizens in this post-disaster climate constitutes a grave human rights violation," said Joseph recently. "...it (the state) must halt forced expulsions and negotiate with so-called land owners."

Despite the billions pledged by the international community and its organizations for disaster relief and reconstruction, shockingly little has arrived. Estimates by news agencies and human rights organizations show only some 10% of promised aid having materialized.

Millions of dollars of funding from Canada, the U.S. and the United Nations is being disbursed to hold controversial elections in Haiti on November 28. The election was scheduled, "without consulting the Haitian people," Berthony Dupont stated in an August 11 editorial in Haiti Liberté. "Huge sums of money have been freed up for the elections, while victims of the earthquake are still housed under makeshift tents and tarps with little or no protection against heavy rains, not to mention hurricanes ... They (the international community) chose November 28, 2010 as the date to hold an election, their election."

Mario Joseph and Berthony Dupont will be the featured speakers at a public forum at Ryerson University Student Campus Centre (Room SCC115), 55 Gould Street on Friday, October 29 starting at 7:30 pm.

I'm very much looking forward to this.