(via reginaa-phalange)
"Even after the entire world has taken me apart, there’s still a part of me left for you."
— I Wrote This For You: The Remaining Me (via kari-shma)
(via quote-book)
(via if-it--kills--me)
Heartbreaking Tearjerker of the Day: In 1988, Nicholas Winton’s wife revealed to the BBC his long-kept secret: He’d saved 669 children from the Nazis at the dawn of World War II through his organization of the Czech Kindertransport. (This clip is from a BBC program that honored the “British Schindler” by inviting some 80 of the children he saved to surprise him in the audience.) In all, more than 5,000 people owe their lives to Winton.
In the more than two decades since the media got wind of his humanitarian exploits, Winton has been knighted, had a minor planet named after him, been commemorated by two statues — one each in Prague and London — and been the subject of three films and a play.
Winton still wears a ring given to him by some of the children he saved. It is inscribed with a line from the Talmud, the book of Jewish law: “Save one life, save the world.” He celebrates his 103rd birthday this week.
[reddit]
This Is Important, You Should Watch It of the Day: To promote his effort to raise production funds for a documentary about anti-gay discrimination, filmmaker Ryan James Yezak released a seven-minute compilation of clips cataloging the conquered battlegrounds of the gay rights movement scattered amidst a war yet to be won.
“I am not a second class citizen,” Yezak says. “You are not a second class citizen. Right now, the laws in place (and lack thereof) say that we are. Let’s change that.”
[rjy.]
![thedailywhat:
This Is All Kinds Of Wrong of the Day: A woman in Afghanistan who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crime of being raped by a relative has been pardoned by Afghan President Hamid Karzai after she agreed to marry her rapist.
The woman, identified only as “Gulnaz,” was convicted of adultery after reporting that she had been raped by her cousin’s husband. According to Gulnaz’s lawyer, marrying her rapist was not a condition for release, but she has agreed to do so in order to “legitimize her daughter.”
“In my conversations with Gulnaz she told me that if she had the free choice she would not marry the man who raped her,” attorney Kimberley Motley said.
Gulnaz had been raising her daughter, who was conceived as a result of the rape, in jail.
Her rapist was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but later had his jail time reduced to 7 years. Gulnaz also had her 12-year sentence reduced to 3 years. Authorities said she would not serve all 12 years, but would still have to spend time in jail for not reporting the rape soon enough.
[cnn / bbcnews.]](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lvjou8NMBL1qzpwi0o1_500.jpg)
This Is All Kinds Of Wrong of the Day: A woman in Afghanistan who was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the crime of being raped by a relative has been pardoned by Afghan President Hamid Karzai after she agreed to marry her rapist.
The woman, identified only as “Gulnaz,” was convicted of adultery after reporting that she had been raped by her cousin’s husband. According to Gulnaz’s lawyer, marrying her rapist was not a condition for release, but she has agreed to do so in order to “legitimize her daughter.”
“In my conversations with Gulnaz she told me that if she had the free choice she would not marry the man who raped her,” attorney Kimberley Motley said.
Gulnaz had been raising her daughter, who was conceived as a result of the rape, in jail.
Her rapist was sentenced to 12 years in prison, but later had his jail time reduced to 7 years. Gulnaz also had her 12-year sentence reduced to 3 years. Authorities said she would not serve all 12 years, but would still have to spend time in jail for not reporting the rape soon enough.
Everyone in the apartment complex I lived in knew who Ugly was. Ugly was the resident tomcat.
Ugly loved three things in this world: fighting, eating garbage, and shall we say, love. The combination of these things combined with a life spent outside had their effect on Ugly.
To start with, he had only one eye, and where the other should have been was a gaping hole. He was also missing his ear on the same side, his left foot has appeared to have been badly broken at one time, and had healed at an unnatural angle, making him look like he was always turning the corner. His tail has long since been lost, leaving only the smallest stub, which he would constantly jerk and twitch. Ugly would have been a dark gray tabby striped-type, except for the sores covering his head, neck, even his shoulders with thick, yellowing scabs.
Every time someone saw Ugly there was the same reaction. “That’s one UGLY cat!!”
All the children were warned not to touch him, the adults threw rocks at him, hosed him down, squirted him when he tried to come in their homes, or shut his paws in the door when he would not leave.
Ugly always had the same reaction. If you turned the hose on him, he would stand there, getting soaked until you gave up and quit. If you threw things at him, he would curl his lanky body around feet in forgiveness. Whenever he spied children, he would come running meowing frantically and bump his head against their hands, begging for their love. If you ever picked him up he would immediately begin suckling on your shirt, earrings, whatever he could find.
One day Ugly shared his love with the neighbors huskies. They did not respond kindly, and Ugly was badly mauled. From my apartment I could hear his screams, and I tried to rush to his aid. By the time I got to where he was laying, it was apparent Ugly’s sad life was almost at an end.
Ugly lay in a wet circle, his back legs and lower back twisted grossly out of shape, a gaping tear in the white strip of fur that ran down his front. As I picked him up and tried to carry him home I could hear him wheezing and gasping, and could feel him struggling. I must be hurting him terribly I thought.
Then I felt a familiar tugging, sucking sensation on my ear - Ugly, in so much pain, suffering and obviously dying was trying to suckle my ear. I pulled him closer to me, and he bumped the palm of my hand with his head, then he turned his one golden eye towards me, and I could hear the distinct sound of purring. Even in the greatest pain, that ugly battled-scarred cat was asking only for a little affection, perhaps some compassion.
At that moment I thought Ugly was the most beautiful, loving creature I had ever seen. Never once did he try to bite or scratch me, or even try to get away from me, or struggle in any way. Ugly just looked up at me completely trusting in me to relieve his pain.
Ugly died in my arms before I could get inside, but I sat and held him for a long time afterwards, thinking about how one scarred, deformed little stray could so alter my opinion about what it means to have true pureness of spirit, to love so totally and truly. Ugly taught me more about giving and compassion than a thousand books, lectures, or talk show specials ever could, and for that I will always be thankful. He had been scarred on the outside, but I was scarred on the inside, and it was time for me to move on and learn to love truly and deeply. To give my total to those I cared for.
Many people want to be richer, more successful, well liked, beautiful, but for me, I will always try to be Ugly.Ugly was absolutely adorable. And such a beautiful heart.
First cry of the evening, how sad. What a beautiful little creature. Knowing me he would have probably been my pet.
(via catp0rn)
