Will trade art for food, medical care, braces for my daughter, love.
Those are some of the requests some artists are making in exchange for their work in lieu of hard cash. They've figured out a creative way to deal with the financial and other struggles facing them--struggles which tend to hit artists harder than any other group.
Food, medical and dental care, understandable. But love? And how about art in exchange for legislation that will protect the vulnerable in society? Sounds unattainably good doesn't it?
About the love thing... If you think in terms of the money spent on courtship (do people even use that term these days?), weddings (which most well-intentioned lovers eventually contemplate), break-ups, divorces (ouch!), all those and more would put a rather hefty price on love. And if you don't think so, you're headed for sticker shock, my friend. So the artist who is offering his or her art for love better hope that thing can sell for some hard cold ones somewhere along the undulating line of love.
As I read the Guyana news and blogs last week and thought about this concept of art for barter, I came across two pieces of writing--both examples of fine writing (belles lettres) for very different reasons--that I would consider exchangeable for very real goods.
I blogged on it a few days ago, and I mention it again today for its awareness-raising quality: Ralph Ramkarran's "Women in Danger." The "real" goods I'd say Ramkarran's article is worth range from the solid comfort of a strong shoulder, to a much-needed, eye-opening view of something that can be done to protect vulnerable women in Guyana. It has been documented that upholding stiff penalties is one way to deter crime, and Ramkarran's article points to the reform needed to help deter crimes of murder related to domestic violence or otherwise. (See Ramkarran's article in its entirety below).
The other piece of fine writing is this one by fellow blogger, Stolid Charisma. Stolid is fast becoming the apprentice to the master Kwesi in giving us a fully fleshed out image in just a few words. Stolid has proven (twice now) that he can give us that one unforgettable line. Here, it was the ellipsis line, and in this recent piece it may well be this line: She makes me feel like the moment is hung out of my reach.
The "real" goods I'd say Stolid's piece is worth range from a dinner for two at Dutch Bottle, to a happy ending way into the night for two people who don't care about the real cost of love...yet.
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WOMEN IN DANGER by Ralph Ramkarran (Taken from The Mirror)
Hardly a month goes by without a report of a wife, married or reputed, living with her husband or separated, being gruesomely murdered over a domestic dispute. Invariably, a history of domestic violence preceded the murder which could have been easily predicted. Unfortunately, many women are either trapped in such relationships, or are unable to escape the violence which is usually carefully planned and executed, or do not believe that a husband or former husband, however threatening, will resort to the ultimate atrocity. Whatever the cause, the situation demands emergency attention.
The combined financial, human, material and institutional resources which the state, the NGOs, the Police and the justice system have poured in the area of domestic violence prevention have clearly proved to be inadequate and the entire approach needs to be re-examined. The Minister of Human Resources and Social Security, Ms. Priya Manickchand, clearly trying her best, plaintively and perhaps, frustratingly, said that the Government cannot intervene unless it is aware of what is going on in the home, that is to say, official complaints are made. The reality is that the Government is never going to know because women do not often come forward for reasons that have nothing to do with their approbation of violence to themselves, and if they do, threats, discouragements and other inducements are deployed to dissuade them from pursuing their complaints.
Legislation on domestic violence has been in place for many years and it offers victims a wide array of remedies and preventative measures. The Police have become increasingly sensitive to complaints by women of domestic violence and the current Minister of Home Affairs, Clement Rohee, has encouraged additional steps by the Police. Ms. Manickchand’s Ministry, Help and Shelter and other NGOs have done much to educate the public and to give relief to women in distress, but the scourge continues. The question is, what is to be done?
The usual recourse in such situations by people like me who are unfamiliar with issues is to advocate that a meeting be held or a conference be called to discuss the matter. But the reality appears to be that despite the efforts, which I believe to have been modest so far in relation to the magnitude of the problem, the scale of domestic violence against women, in particular, acts of murder, are undiminished. It is therefore necessary for all parties to get together to determine the approaches which are necessary, both short term for an immediate impact and long term to deal with the more intractable issues.
One area that I am deeply troubled about and which I have followed with some consternation, is that of the approach of the prosecutorial and judicial authorities in sentencing in relation to the killing of women. This observation has nothing to do with the personalities involved. It is a system which has developed over many years. Men charged with murder of women arising from domestic circumstances, almost always plead guilty to manslaughter. For this to happen, the prosecution has to accept the guilty plea to the lesser offence. The judge can refuse to allow such a “compromise.” This happens in many cases where there is clear evidence of murder. This policy needs to change and change immediately. It needs no study, no financial or material or human resources. It does not need Government intervention. It does not need a decision by the Judicial Service Commission. It does not need the attention of the Chancellor or the Chief Justice. What I am saying is already known. Prosecutors simply have to stop the carnage and Judges simply have to shape up.
Sentencing of men for the manslaughter of women has become a national disgrace and I am shocked that there is no outcry at the leniency of the sentencing, varying from five to ten years in a bad case. A person convicted of rape, an offence of the most serious gravity against women, can expect, deservedly, a 20 year sentence. A wife killer gets off with half. One is tempted to the conclusion that we are still operating under the philosophy of ancient times that your wife is your property and that you can do whatever you wish with her. In the UK the reverse is the case. The average sentence for rape is eight years and for manslaughter at least double. In the US these sentences are much higher
The continuing scourge of domestic violence needs attention right now.
