Women, days and nations

Yesterday was International Women's Day and one or two things caught my eye while window shopping on sites such the BBC and Bella Caledonia. Most interesting to those of us who seek self-determination for Scotland and her people was this article on the BBC from October 2013 which saw a surge in readership, perhaps due to IWD. Is it just a co-incidence that small nations perform better in areas of equality?

Top of the pile is wee Iceland - with a population roughly the same as the city of Aberdeen. So much for Alistair 'Black Dwarf' Darling's moaning about Scotland being 'too small' to do all sorts of things.

Also interesting is that a country such as Ireland, where a significant number of people still adhere to the teachings of the Catholic church, can leave behind shameful episodes like the Magdalene Laundries scandal and move forward. While abortion rights are still a major issue in Ireland, it's good to see auld Eirinn recognised here. As more Irish people lose their Catholic superstitions in years to come, it can only be expected that Ireland makes more progress on gender equality.

Overall gender gap

Europe has seven countries in the top 10. The UK is 18th and the US is 23rd.The Philippines, at fifth, is the highest ranking Asian nation and Nicaragua is the highest-placed country from the Americas, at 10th.
The G20 group of leading industrial nations has no representative in the top 10, nor do the Middle East or Africa.

Top countries

1. Iceland
2. Finland
3. Norway
4. Sweden
5. Philippines

6. Ireland 7. New Zealand
8. Denmark
9. Switzerland
10. Nicaragua

Also, was this piece on Bella by bana-Ghaidheal Mary Ann Kennedy touching on issues such as bilingualism and the fear of change.

The Gaelic angle on independence and women brings to mind the bana-bhàrd of the crofters during the Clearances, Màiri Mhòr nan Oran. Her songs are still popular though some lines such as that which calls for the 'Sasannaich' to be cleared from native Skye may make some sing it through gritted teeth. A brave woman who was ahead of her time.

This finally leads on to the Poison Girls and their singer Vi Subversa. Noted for their quirky and jazzy punk on the Crass label, Poison Girls were every bit as political as Màiri Mhòr though the satire was a bit closer to the bone and the language a bit more colourful. Think of NoMeansNo with Elaine C Smith on vocals and out of her head on acid.

Günter Grass, Richard Dawkins etc...

Surprise, surprise. Grass compares Israeli aggression with Iranian repression and states the obvious when comparing Israel to a bully. Therefore, he is "anti-Semitic". He is also German and has a moustache. Also, like the Pope, he had a thing going with the SS during his ignorant youth.

On the other hand, anarchist punk band Oi Polloi have faced similar criticism from some in Germany for their pro-Palestinian stance. Though this is the same stance that Oi Polloi's tour and label-mates, Israeli peace-activists Nikmat Olalim take. Hebrew-speaking Israeli anti-semites? Or maybe some, on whatever side, see the never-ending cycle of violence as past its sell-by-date?

Israel's government have reacted with...er predictable fury and banned Grass from travelling to yon war-torn holy land. One voice of reason decreed that Grass should go to Iran if he likes it so much there. Except of course, he doesn't which is why Iran - or its leaders - were also criticised.

Which begs the question. Is Richard Dawkins sectarian for criticising the Catholic Church? Sure, those who say so are missing the bigger fuckin picture and are the probably the kind of blinkered morons who see the entire world in simple black and white terms. Anyway, here's a few more simpull black and white statements to mull over...

• George Galloway hates publicity
• The Old Firm are good for Scottish football
• The Lib Dems are to be trusted
• Scottish Labour is very relevant to the future of Scotland
• Trident missiles keep the peace and keep us all safe
• The English Defence League are a repository of culture and Anglo-Saxon intillegence
• The Tories are not a London-centric grouping of self-serving millionaires 
• bankers and company CEOs deserve higher pay as it attracts the right people - nurses, teachers, firefighters and other public servants deserve less pay as it attracts the right people

A thought for Easter from Somhairle

Calbharaigh
Chan eil mo shùil air Calbharaigh
no air Betlehem an àigh
ach air cùil ghrod an Glaschu
far bheil an lobhadh fàis,
agus air seòmar an Dùn Èideann,
seòmar bochdainn ’s cràidh,
far a bheil an naoidhean creuchdach
ri aonagraich gu bhàs.

Calvary 
My eye is not on Calvary
nor on Bethlehem the Blessed,
but on a foul-smelling backland in Glasgow,
where life rots as it grows;
and on a room in Edinburgh,
a room of poverty and pain,
where the diseased infant
writhes and wallows till death.

More eggs:

• The Sorley MacLean archive - Somhairle MacGill-Eain Air-Loidhne
• The Child Poverty Action Group
• BBC report, Scottish child poverty hotspots revealed
• Lastly, independence of a nation and the eradication of poverty do not necessarily go hand in hand. However, looking at this international prosperity index which reveals that 5 of the world's most prosperous nations are small northern European nations not dissimilar to Scotland, then it begs the question, 'Just what are we doing wrong?'. Their definition of 'prosperity' is also interesting. The 2011 Legatum Prosperity Index