Female Heart Down the Homestretch

Frenda and Jazz, 2008, © Rennard

An editorial in today's NYTimes ("Female Heart Down the Homestretch") argues with my recent blog post suggesting that a match race between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra would be good for racing. (Okay, it doesn't say that it's arguing with my blog post, specifically, but it is, if only coincidentally.) The writer thinks that a match race between Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta would be a bad idea and goes on to say that people who wish for it (including, btw, "savvy equine feminists" -- who, moi?) "should be careful what they wish." The writer continues, stating that the danger of such a race lies in the possibility of repeating a "gender contest" like the one between Foolish Pleasure and Ruffian (a filly) in which Ruffian broke down. Well, first of all, Rachel A. and Zenyatta are both female, so there would be no gender contest. Duh. Second, unless this writer knows something about Rachel Alexandra or Zenyatta having an injury that the rest of us aren't privy too, then he or she has been reading bad news for too long. (After all, isn't that the special realm of news machines -- bringing us bad news?) This sort of rock 'em shock 'em argument otherwise makes no sense. I mean, what if a bomb lands on the racetrack? What if a hurricane blows through at post time? Better retire racehorses early, just in case?

Build Schools, Not Bombs

"There are still 75 million children who are not attending primary school around the world. We could educate them all for far less than the cost of the proposed military 'surge' in Afghanistan."
-NY Times

Honey Hunters

Paul Ankomah, Wild Honey Collector, Techiman District, © Pieter Hugo

In today's NYTimes an article titled "Forest People May Lose Home in Kenyan Plan," explains that the Kenyan government is gearing up to evict tens of thousands of settlers from the Mau Forest, the Ogiek's ancestral home and a critical water source for Kenya. The Ogiek are among East Africa's last genuine hunters and gatherers, and in addition to stalking antelope with homemade bows and making medicine from leaves, they also trap bees to produce honey (which reminded me of Hugo's photographs of honey collectors, although they are not Ogiek).

My first thought: I wish I could jump on a plane for Kenya and photograph the Ogiek people. (Besides bringing attention to their situation, I have to admit that the idea of a portrait of a man holding a cell phone in one hand and a homemade bow in the other is pretty appealing.)

But why am I so moved by the Ogiek's plight? Well, first of all, the article makes it clear that in fact they aren't threatened with eviction because of the need for water, although that's the excuse, but rather because of greed and corruption: the Mau Forest is a prime source of lumber, and powerful politicans control the timber companies.

But those in power in Kenya are just repeating what they learned from the British, who, in the 1930's, marched the Ogiek off their land, herded them into “native reserves,” felled their forests, and planted pine trees for commercial logging. The persecution continued after Kenyan independence in 1963 until the 1990s, when the Ogiek sued in Kenyan courts. (The Ford Foundation helped pay their legal bills.) The story of the Ogiek is the story of Native Americans all over again.

I've been thinking a lot lately about the way we live, looking at small trailers and dreaming of becoming a nomad with a typewriter and a camera. How big a house does anyone really need? How much stuff? And what is the real price? How many trees went into my wood floors, the wood trim on my windows, the deck, the wood siding, the picket fence, my furniture? We've increased the complexity of our lives, we've accumulated more and more possessions, but at what cost? Thoreau had it right: "What's the use of a fine house if you haven't got a tolerable planet to put it on?"

An Ogiek leader, Daniel M. Kobei, pleads for his people: “Tell Obama and his men to help us. It’s not that we’re special, but this forest is our home.” I hope somebody helps them. I wish I could. But even if the Ogiek are saved, the Mau Forest is already haribika -- spoiled, with fewer antelope, fewer trees, eroded soil. Turning your back on complexity isn't easy; you have to live in this world, but it seems to me imperative that we (somehow) change, and that the key is to simplify our lives.

Jennette Williams: Daylight Magazine Multimedia

Budapest, 2002, from The Bathers, © Jennette Williams

"What makes for beauty in women? How do we as a society perceive women as they age?" These questions form the basis for Jennette Williams's gorgeous black and white platinum prints of women bathers that will appear in a book published by Duke University Press in association with CDS Books of the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke University. Williams won the Honickman First Book Prize for this work. (And it must have been devilishly tricky to make these photographs without fogged lenses.) The podcast of her speaking about her work on Daylight's multimedia blog is well worth a look/listen.

Three Concerned Women and City of Children

© Stella Johnson

I'm looking forward to getting my photography fix (that's "fix" not "fixer") on Thursday, Nov. 12th at the Griffin Museum of Photography in Winchester, Massachusetts -- Susan Bank, Stella Johnson, and Rania Matar have an opening in the Main Gallery for an exhibition curated by Constantine Manos, and Monika Merva's work will be exhibited in the adjacent Griffin Gallery. As if that (and the excellent munchies that are always served at these things) weren't enough wonderfulness, at 5:00 p.m. there will be a panel discussion with the photographers and Manos focusing on the societal role and responsibility of photographers. More details on the Griffin Museum's website.

Say No to Violence Against Women

Tonight's CBS News featured a story titled, "Rape in America: Justice Denied." According to this report, nearly 90,000 women reported they were raped in the United States last year. It's estimated that another 75,000 rapes went unreported. However, the arrest rate last year was just 25 percent -- a fraction of the rate for murder (79%) and aggravated assault (51%). Part of the problem is that a staggering number of rape kits aren't tested. When they are, as happens in New York, where every rape kit is tested, surprise surprise, the number of arrests go up -- 70%, or triple the national average.

In light of this information, the following, adapted from a post on Amy Stein's blog, seems particularly relevant:

UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, just launched a Global call for action to end violence against women and girls. The facts are staggering: up to 70 percent of women experience physical or sexual violence from men in their lifetime. The UNIFEM campaign, SAY NO - UNITE TO END VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN, allows you to take immediate action or create and organize your own action.

Here's how you can help:

1. Visit the Photographers Say No page and take action
2. Blog about this campaign and post a link to Photographers say no page
3. e-mail your friends and tell them about the campaign
4. post a link to this post on your facebook page or on your blog

Thanks!

Zenyatta Wins Breeders' Cup and Retires

Zenyatta (4) crossed the line a length ahead of Gio Ponti (2) and improved her record to 14-0
© Jae C. Hong/Associated Press

In my opinion, one of the reasons for the decline of horseracing in America is that too often, owners retire great horses too early. Zenyatta, the amazing mare who won the Breeder's Cup at Santa Anita on Saturday, will not run again even though her jockey, Mike Smith, as reported in today's NY Times, "insisted that he could get on Zenyatta’s back for another 14 or 1,400 starts and the result would always be the same. He says that Zenyatta was made so perfectly she would never be beaten. 'She’s sent from God,' he said. “It’s his filly. I think he wanted a horse and brought her down here to race against everyone.'”

A match race between Zenyatta and Rachel Alexandra, for instance, would do wonders for horseracing. Think of the excitement generated when Seabiscuit squared off against War Admiral.

So why are great horses retired when they still have plenty of run in them? Because of the short-sightedness of their owners whose economic self-interest outweighs what's good for the sport. Zenyatta has left the gate 14 times and won every race, but her owner says "she deserves to go out winning." I suppose that's more politic than saying, "I don't want to risk losing a good broodmare."

The Animal Planet reality show, Jockeys, attempts to portray jockeys as the prime attraction of horseracing, but it will never work. Jockeys are champion athletes, to be sure, and we may remember the names of a few like Willie Shoemaker and Eddie Arcaro. Yes, fans cheer them on, and yes, kids ask for their autographs and goggles. But the real stars of horseracing are horses. When those of us who love the sport watch a race, our hearts are with these amazing, beautiful, fragile, powerful animals. We recognize that the best of them possess great nobility. We recognize that they love to run. Too bad Zenyatta never will again.