Haven't we moved beyond inquisitions?

 

Poop is not meant for consumption...even by "witches"

It is the year 2010 by Western reckoning. We have high speed computers that share information with one another. The knowledge rate is doubling every 4 years. Our engineering, medicine, basic sciences are so vastly superior to what they were even 25 years ago. However, we are sorely lagging in common sense, and, in some parts of the world (America included), we are thralls to superstition, hope-peddlers, sycophantic con artists and spiritual hucksters....And, we apparently are still afraid of the dark.

  

The Earth at night....see any boogeymen there?

Such is the case for the Dalit, Nepal's Hindi "untouchables". In the village of Pyutar, less than 30 miles away from Nepal's capital of Kathmandu, these women are still being scourged, tortured, humiliated and even killed. The culprit, as always, is religiosity and superstition...the untouchables are witches!

 

Note well: These are impoverished female humans. Nothing magical about them...not witches.

According to ABC Australia, one such woman, Kalli Biswokarma was just the most recent victim of Nepal's deep-seated superstitions:

Those who beat, punched and kicked Kalli Biswokarma, 47, accused her of casting evil spells on a schoolteacher who had fallen ill in the village of Pyutar, 40 kilometres south of Nepal's capital, Kathmandu.
"I was victimised because I am a poor woman," said Ms Biswokarma, who belongs to the Dalit community - the untouchables on the lowest rung of Nepal's rigid Hindu caste hierarchy.
"Around 35 people came to my home and took me away. They trapped me in a cow shed and forced me to eat faeces and drink urine.
"The next day they cut my skin with blades. I could not bear the torture and I confessed to being a witch just to save my life."

These are pink and purple unicorns...very magical, but still not witches.

 

 

 

As the story continues,"Superstitions are deeply rooted in our society, and the belief in witchcraft is one of the worst forms of this," said Sarwa Dev Prasad Ojha, minister for women and social welfare. "Such traditional practices cannot be wiped away overnight." However, we know what these "witchcraft" accusations are, what lies behind this 3rd World auto de fe. Religiosity of the caste system, violence against women, and plain ole mysogyny.  For the last time people, no superstitions...no spiritual boogeymen...no masters and rigidity made up by other foolish humans.

It's 2010.

 

Now, this is a wytche, but she's probably not magical, and certainly means you no ill. Besides, why on earth would you torture, condemn and execute a pretty woman?

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