PBS 5-part special: Women, War & Peace

I wanted to recommend that U.S. folks tune into this terrific series on PBS: Women, War & Peace - airing over 5 consecutive Tuesday nights through November 8. It is also streaming free on PBS.org. I am helping on the PR and outreach - what an honor to work on this. The second program - airing Tuesday night, Oct 18, is the television version of a documentary film called, Pray the Devil Back to Hell, about the struggle in Liberia to stop 14 years of civil war, lead by Leymah Gbowee. Leymah was one of the women who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize last week - a truly amazing Bodhisattva - hero. Leymah is a modern day Gandhi, organizing the Christian and Muslim women of Liberia to stand up to the war lords, organize a no-sex strike, and bring down a brutal dictatorship. These program focus on woman as peace-makers in Afghanistan, Bosnia, Liberia and Colombia. Highly recommended.

On Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/30099445

And the PBS site: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/women-war-and-peace/features/women-war-peace-series-preview/

thanks Josh, I'm checking in late on this - I agee, Leymah is incredible. And this is a great series overall. It makes me want to put my own life to better use.

Interesting piece in the paper a couple of days ago with a picture of a group of women in Yeman burning their veils to protest brutal treatment of protesters by the regime. I wonder if the story was wrong -- it seems as if veil-burning would be more of a protest about the oppression of living behind a veil. Does anyone get the symbolism of burning the veils?

Carol, I don't know if this applies to the women in Yemen, but a Muslim friend told me that she sees veil burning as a way of saying, this issue makes me mad enough that I will show my face and identity (which is a big deal in cultures where women are covered), so you will notice this and hear what I have to say. It's a serious statement for them, to do such an act, because of the public disapproval. Of course, they have many veils in their wardrobe so burning one or two, or ten, doesn't mean they are done wearing them.

I kind of like it - wish I had a symbolic act or object to turn to when I want to make a statement.

Thanks for the insight, Lise. That makes sense. It's not like bra burning back in the 1970s, which was a feminist thing. It's more like "We've had it so much that we're willing to show our faces so you will listen."