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The world obliges me to do something, so I create.
 Society wants me to belong, so I observe.
People force me to react, so I rebel.
They want me to stay still, so I paint.
Life requires me to live, but I am dying. . .

Fascism is not welcome to animal rights movement

7/3/2014

86 Comments

 
It's very sad to write this statement and I have never thought that it will be needed to point out that animal rights movement has nothing to  do with nazism, fascism, racism and other bigotries. It just was so clear. Obviously not for others. . .
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Animal rights movement always has been against all kind of oppressions. Or at least it seems so. But right extremists try to join the movement and bring their views again and  again, they often see animal rights as a perfect platform for their propaganda. The message is clear, there is no place for fascism and racism. And never will be! And still debates are going on: should we let nazis to join animal rights movement or not?
First of all, how did this idea come to someone's minds? How could someone who stands for animal rights even have such concerns? How can we simply like that forget all the history and let fascists stand with us for one cause and at the same time spread their hate? Do we so desperately need big numbers on demos? Are there hundreds of nazis waiting to join the movement that we so terrified and simply cannot say no?
Often people tell me that things are changing, we do not kill others just because of their race or sexual orientation, and those so called nationalists do not hate everyone who is not from their country, some even have friends of different race or sexual orientation. Wow, such an argument! My only recommendation to that is to learn about analytic thinking, find out what fallacy in discussion stands for and do some research. Shorty: no, the fact that You know someone from oppressed group does not make You a supporter from the whole group. (Putin has a homosexual friend (according to him), does that make him LGBT community supporter and the rest does not matter? Obviously NOT, same goes here).
Yes, many forms of hate have softened since World Wars, but even if it is become somehow uncomfortable for individuals to express their bigotry openly (most of the time), it doesn't mean that it does not exist. The change of form did not make it disappear. This fascistic hate  still spreads around and sadly sometimes on behalf of animal rights/welfare.

Some activists even openly invite nazis join demos or actions to liberate animals, because [animals do not care who helps them] [it should be about animals, leave human politics behind]. Their invites often seem harmless like [of course I'm against racism, but if someone who is not wants to help the cause they are more than welcome]. And here we need to stop and start questioning if everyone is welcome really means everyone. Obviously not. All kind of activism deals with people, animal rights activists are people as well. We cannot simply forget human rights, wipe them out like nothing and collaborate with fascists. We cannot really fight for animal rights when we still doubt the need of human rights (ok, most of people don't, they say they are for human rights, but their actions and words prove differently). And all open hints to invite fascists just show the lack of understanding (or at least I hope so, because another option - understanding the danger of it too well and inviting nazis on purpose seems like unrealistic and way too well planned move; why someone from animal rights would do something like that?!) of the whole picture and idea of the movement.
Others say that we need to be open to everyone and animal rights it's a good platform to educate fascists about issues on human rights. If You really feel like educating them, maybe You should go and educate them somewhere else, like join anti-fascistic events (as many animal rights activists already do). This ignorance or lack of understanding certainly helps to assure that fascism sticks around and it will be even more difficult to stop it.

Nazi sympathisers play an important role in the whole scene. Any kind of sympathy just gives encouragement to those who spread their violence. Because of their unwillingness to cooperate with those who search for ways to bring justice, those sympathisers also share responsibility for spreading the hate. But there are thousands if not millions of individuals who would not dream of committing any kind of hate crime (in this case "hate crime" can be misleading, as it not always comes from "hate", many times it comes from lack of understanding, desire to be accepted, fear of loosing power, economic motivation, etc.) or hurt someone on purpose nevertheless contribute to fascism by sympathizing with those who do perpetrate hate attacks.

There are countless numbers of individuals in the movement who remain just passive spectators to this bigotry because they benefit in either a psychological or any other socio kind sense from the status quo. When  asked they would say it's wrong and perhaps would feel uncomfortable standing surrounded by fascists, but still would do nothing about.  Although lacking in prejudice, these spectators also lack the courage required to pay the price for doing the right thing. It seems that many people do not like to step out from their conformity zone, but  activists, people who already already are speaking up and fighting for animal rights, already stepped out. . . . So, how does it happen that so many activists don't take a clear stand against fascism? Don't they see the connection between human and animal rights? Don't they see that oppression is always an oppression? . . .
Sadly, even if most of them believe in principles of equality, they may feel powerless to change the situation. And at the same time, while fascism does not touch them directly, they will do mostly nothing. The consequences of this "neutral" side may be ambiguous, but the intentions are clear enough.
Now it's time to choose the side. There is no between and by being just a passive spectator You are contributing to the cause of hate.
Fascism is not an opinion, it's a crime!
Thank You for reading, and hopefully some of You will make a connection.
Copyright © Lex Kartanė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
86 Comments

what is the purpose of friendship?

6/2/2014

39 Comments

 
I always wonder what is the meaning of having a friend. Why do people need to have them. And how do You know that someone is Your friend?
As long as I can remember I struggled to understand the meaning of friendship and all the complexity that comes with it. And there was a time I desperately wanted to have real friends. And there was a time I wanted to have no friends and no interactions with others at all.
And even now I'm wondering if my friends are really my friends.
All of my friends lied to me. Maybe they simply forgot things. But still, how can I trust them?
I'm so scared when people say that they will do something and they don't. Did I do something wrong? Are they angry at me?
Why do they do that? How is it possible to forget something You planned? There may be thousands of reasons why did they lie and all those reasons scare me.

For my friends I'd do almost everything. I give them all my trust and put a lot of time and effort into friendship, because I want it to work. And that's the problem. People don't do that. They just want to have fun. and their understanding of fun is SO different. I love everything to be planned and prepared. I think about possible conversations and possible answers. Like in chess I plan so much ahead. Because of that more than half of my friendship is only in my minds. Things those never happened here and never will. And that is fantastic! Like having 6 people in one person.
And still I like to have my friends and spend time with them. But at the same time I like to speak about things with people who are not my friends. Sometimes it's even easier, as with friends You have to take so much into account, because You do not want to loose them just like that.

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But in the end it is always the same. One wrong step. One wrong word. One wrong action. And everything is over. And You cannot bring it back. Never. And every time I say 'no more. . .', I'm perfectly happy on my own. Friendships cause so much pain. Sometimes I think that the only real intention humans do have is to lie and manipulate others. Most of the time it is hard to believe as people can be quite good trained (they like to hide their intentions and even deny them), but sooner or later, it appears in one or another way.
And when I ask myself, why do I still have friends? I know how it's going to end. . . They will make me to trust them and leave or make me to leave. It will hurt.  And does not matter how different they are, does not matter how special they look like. It will end, because it always does.  And always will. . .

Does it really worth to have friends?
I don't know. And many times I think that not, thinking and planning friendships takes so much time and energy that could be used somewhere else. And then, something awesome happens, so awesome, that You do not doubt: it was worth and You will always remember them despite the fact how mean they were to You.

and You, why do You have friends? and what does friendship mean to You?
Copyright © Milda Bandzaitė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
39 Comments

 Know autism better. 1

16/1/2014

22 Comments

 
There are more autistic people around You than You may think.
And even if person is not autistic, why not to try to understand them instead of calling a creep for simply acting differently?
Here You can find my another post about autism "I'm not the one who needs to be fixed, it's You who is wrong".

World loves to tell me what to do. And even more particularly what not to do. Do not speak, it says to me. You talk too fast. You talk too much. You talk about wrong things. And when I stay still, it asks to me to speak. It blames me for not interacting with everyone around. World just loves to tell me how I should live. And many people require me not just to live, but behave the way they want me to.

So, my part one of problems autistic people face or more particularly I face, later maybe there will be some more.

I do not own any rights to those pictures, they all are from Autistic Problems Tumblr. Going through all those pictures made me to think, wow people actually have the same problems like I do. I'm not the only one.
The chances that someone You know is autistic are pretty big, so accept them as they are and do not try to change.

Physical contact.

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This is very simply: do not touch other people without their permission.
Do You feel like giving a hug? That's fine - just ask before and be prepared that sometimes You will hear no. And NO always means NO.
I like hugging and other physical contact only because of the social message behind it. I feel happy when members of my favourite band hugs me - not because I would enjoy the actual act of hugging, but because I know the social meaning behind and this social meaning means a lot to me.
But would not like a stranger hugging me into the street. Anyone I do not know touching me is a nightmare. I do not go to hairdressers because of that, I ask people I know and trust to cut my hair (with demo against fur trade as an exception).  Being in the place surrounded by a lot of people is a disaster for me.
So yes, please, do not touch other people without their permission.

Obsessions.

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Sadly that's so true. People are interested (sometimes) to hear about my special interest for the first time, maybe for the second, but after hearing about the same thing again and again, they are literally asking me to speak about something else. The thing is that sometimes it's not up to me to stop before it's finished. . .
One person said that I'm like a train (and I like trains!) when I speak about things I like. I cannot stop.

And even worse is to fake that You are interested: like to ask for my second favourite number and after explaining which number it is and why it's my second favourite number forget about that in a couple of minutes. That shows that You do not listen and do not care what I have to say. Well, why bother to speak then?
But I still think that things I like are so awesome! And if someone is up to speak about perfect numbers - oh well, I love to speak about perfect numbers, especially about the first perfect number.

Food issues.

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A lot of autistic people have food issues.

For example I cannot stand some kind of food touching each other. I don't eat spicy food or put sauce on it. Also I would never eat something that looks or smells differently than I expected. I am surprisingly picky about vegetables, particularly for a vegan, I cannot stand the texture of most of them.
Sometimes I feel that the list of things I eat is shorter than a list of things I don't.
People are so obsessed with food that it makes very hard to be around them while they are eating. Most of them try to make others to eat something they do not like or comment on their eating behaviour. If You know someone who is autistic, please, do not do this mistake and respect their choice. 

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How You can help person who has similar issues with food:
  • don't assume that You know better what person likes and dislikes, if You like pasta with sauce it does not mean that others will. I do not put sauce on my food and it's perfectly fine for me.
  • don't try to make person to try things they do not want to. I'm scared to death to try unknown food most of the time. It takes abnormally amount of energy to eat something I'm not prepared to.

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  • don't assume others want to eat something different. I love to eat the same things all the time, when I still was in school there was a time I was eating pasta every day for years. And it felt good and safe.
  • choices. Sometimes for autistic people it's very difficult to make choices. For me it's particularly difficult when it comes to food. I'm panicking to decide what to eat in restaurants, public places or at other people's houses. The best person can do to help in this situation is to suggest what to order, ask to separate food, ask to remove something from the meal or to add something. And the best to order the meal, because some people like me are really scared to order things for themselves.

Knowing everything about autism.

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Or rain man.
Or any other film with character who has autistic traits.
First at all, it's not possible to know EVERYTHING about something, and also comedy shows are not reliable way to learn about autistic people and their experiences.

So, please, even if You watch almost all films with characters who have some autistic traits, don't assume that everyone is like them. I love to finding those traits in characters, but no, not every autistic person is like that.

Ignorant people are the biggest problem. People who try to make others to be like them. Think and act the way they call "normal". People who judge others for being different or liking strange things. Why is it socially expectable to be mad about football, but not about number 6?

Maybe You will think after and will be able to understand and accept others as they are.
Thanks for reading.
Copyright © Lex Kartanė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
22 Comments

A Jar of Queer Feelings

1/1/2014

1 Comment

 
I'm happy to announce that 3 of my artworks are featured in this wonderful book, so feel free to get Your own copy to discover 36 artist and writers. More information here.
"A Jar of Queer Feelings is a queer no budget collaborative media project started by Sarah Magdalena Love in the summer of 2013. 36 artists and writers have contributed to the first edition of this book series resulting in a collage of queer life that touches on various dimensions like family, sexuality, politics, gender and liberation through various art forms, personal essays and poetry. The ebook was published for christmas, a print version will be released in January 2014. All proceeds from sales will benefit Gendered Intelligence, a charity that fosters debates around gender, educates, organizes social events and raises awareness for the ways in which heteronormativity restricts everyone. 

The copy right for every work in this book remains with the author/artist, all of which have kindly offered their contribution without receiving any payment. I strongly encourage you to check their biographies and get in touch if you are interested in seeing more of their work. "

""The universe is lot only queerer than we imagine, but it is queerer that we can imagine."
J.B.S. Haldane

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And there is another great thing about this book:.
Everyone should be able to enjoy art and poetry - but if You can't afford to buy a copy of it (and it's really not expensive. . ., but let's say You are really struggling to survive), Please send an email to hello @  sarahshantiyoga.com and she will email You a free copy of the book. Awesome, isn't it?

But if You able to spare some more money, feel free to do so. All money raised will go Gendered  Intelligence, a charity that fosters debates around gender, educates, organizes social events and raises awareness for the ways in which heteronormativity restricts everyone.

Thanks for Your attention,
dear human beings.
Have a wonderful and productive 2014!


1 Comment

I'm not the one who needs to be fixed, it is You who is wrong!

25/8/2013

60 Comments

 
This time I decided to write a little bit about autism. Many people are aware that I am autistic, and for those who are not - well, from now You are. Very often when people hear that I am autistic for the first time, they can't believe that I do have it or opposite - that it s so obvious that there is something different about me. Whatsoever, both of those reactions are pretty insulting. I hope that it's just me who gets them and not other people, because it really can hurt. If You want to know more about autism, visit WrongPlanet and You will find plenty of information. As well You can ask me, I'm very happy to answer any questions You may have.
I may not be perfect, but I'm right!
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So, yes, I am autistic. As well I do have brown eyes and dark hair. And I do have two hands and ten fingers. Can You believe that? And inside my body I do have a liver and even lungs. Can't change that either, sorry! Some people are autistic and You should get over it. And yes, I'm clever and I'm able to hold a conversation. Why I do not look lack of empathy? Maybe because my empathy comes from my intellect that is way better than from Your emotions, those are changing every day or even every hour. No, I do not try to be like some characters from Your favourite TV shows, and mostly likely I even do not know them. Yes, I'm able to hold eye contact, but still can't get why it is needed and I chose not to do that, because I prefer to concentrate on what You are saying and not on other moving objects. Yes, I remember what You told me six days ago, I remember what You told me one month ago and most likely I remember what You told me two years ago, and that does not make me strange, I just pay attention when You are talking, because You are talking with me, aren't You? It's not my problem that You can't remember and I have no intentions to make these things up. Why do I ask so many questions? Simply because without asking I will never get an answer. No, just because I'm nice does not mean that I would like to change body liquids with You. No, I'm not bored to speak about the same things again and again, actually I love that! Yes, I do have feelings. No, I'm not over reacting. . .
Most of the time I feel like I do belong nowhere. No one knows what is wrong with me, but everybody knows that I am the biggest mistake in this planet. I can learn everything about humanity and social interactions, because I have brains, can make connections and notice things very well, but all of it will never be a part of me. And even when I am with most wonderful people I don’t feel one of them despite the fact that they are obviously showing how much they like me.

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And I feel a lot of pressure because I'm autistic person in neurotypical world. As a person who stands for autism rights I want people to accept autism and end the discrimination towards it. And it's really hard, because society does not want to take me seriously. Not speaking about the part of humanity that ignores my existence at all.
And I still don't think that I'm the one who is wrong and needs to be healed, fixed or whatsoever. Most of the time I love being autistic. I have amazing minds and I'm able to separate my emotions from the rest of my minds. I know why I'm doing one or another thing and never ever did something just because everyone did that or just because that's the way You should do something. And one of the most wonderful things about being autistic is the fact that if I like something or someone I like it unstoppable (and that means really a LOT). I can spend hours and hours speaking or thinking about the same object and it never gets boring. Actually, the effect is opposite. More I think or talk about something, more I like it. I can watch my favourite films hundreds of times and after every time I like them more and more. When I speak about my obsessions, the rest of the world simply does not exist. So, yeah, even if to have autism means that other people will never get me completely and I will always be stuck in my doubts what is more important: to be the way I am or to fight for a good cause. I would never choose not to have it. Because even after hours of crying and giving up on humanity, there is something I always can rely on. The possibility to like something the way I do.

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And I hate organisations like Autism Speaks so much. Maybe they did a lot of good and educated society about autism. But with their searches for magical cure, they are basically saying that I shouldn't exist. I must be erased and replaced with someone else who is perfectly fitting into someone's imaginary pattern. And just because my existence makes a lot of people feel uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. Don't You think that if You can't stand the way I interact, the way I think or the way I react, You have some problems and not me? There is not only one way to be, and not only one way to interact with others!

My problem is not me, my problem is the world that can't stand the fact that not everyone is the same and not everyone has to fit into fucking patterns someone created to control the society.

When someone asks me what does it feel to have autism, I simply can not answer. Can You answer what does it feel to be neurotypical or to have brown eyes? Is there a special feeling of being something? Is there a special feeling for having nails? You just do have them or don't. The same goes to autism.

Why am I writing all this? Well, maybe because somewhere out there exist other people who do not fit into the pattern of someone's imaginary "normality" and who feel the same way I do. It's time to realise that it's ok to be the way You are or want to be and You never have to explain Yourself to others. If they can't get You, that's their problem. You do not have to be an example for anyone. As well, it's time to realise that fucking social rules are nonsense. If You want to interact about things You love, You can do it without useless 11 minutes talk about weather and prices of food. Do You know who even create this rule? I would say it was a meteorologist or someone else who was obsessed with the weather. . .

So, thank You for reading and hopefully You will think about after.
Copyright © Lex Kartanė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
60 Comments

World Elephant Day and where we went Wrong

12/8/2013

12 Comments

 
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Today is World Elephant Day. Elephant is kind of the symbol of all the animals who are spending their lives in captivity to entertain human beings. They are torn from their natural environment, locked in too small cages and forced to perform tricks. And all just that a few people can enjoy themselves! Humane live in captivity is not possible for elephants (and other animals); neither in a zoo neither in a circus. In their original habitats elephants daily walk up to 20 kilometres. Therefore it is very easy to imagine how bored must be these animals in too small cages, without the opportunity to live the life they originally would. According to recent statistics 200 elephants are currently living in Germany. All (except one) circus elephants were born in the wild, captured at a young age and transported to Germany...  Just use google or any other search tool and You will find a lot of information about that.
I'd like to take this occasion to call to all the people and make them to think about non-human animals who have to suffer in captivity. I hope for a day when all of animals are free. . .

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And when someone says that I can't decide what is the best for animals, just because I cannot ask them or because they would have different opinion than I do, I have to admit that many times they are right. Many animals would have different opinion than I do. Well, what I can say, ask average human if (s)he would like to be completely free? Or let's back to the near past, when it was believed that slaves did not want freedom. So, was it ethical to end slavery? Now, I imagine all of You thinking about ethics and getting the idea that not, we can't free the slaves, they do not know better, and it's ok to keep them. They can't survive on their own, they need to have the master (of course the good and fair one, who does not beat them and so on). But to free them? No, no, no, they do not want freedom. . .

And even if elephant I know could tell me what she wants, and would choose to stay in captivity, it would mean absolutely nothing to me. And not because I do not respect her opinion. Of course I do! But we have to admit that in some situations someone's very important Opinion is meaningless. When oppressed women are coming back to their husbands, who rape and beat them again and again, are we saying that it is ok because they chose to come back? Are we saying that this life is ok and we can't change anything, because they simply do not know better? Shouldn't we try to free them and teach them to have a life of their own? Don't we understand that this is only because they know no better, they have nothing else and the love they love their husbands is the same love slaves loved their masters? Of course we do (or at least people claim so). So why can't we see the parallel between this situation and animals in captivity?

It is very humanoid to own everything around You. Everything around teaches that this world was created to You. No one cares that we build roads on someone's house. No one cares about snails and run over them. No one cares about worm who is sinking in the pool. And no one ever would step into the ice water in the middle of winter just to rescue it (except those crazy people like me). Even religions teaches You that Man owns the world. To separate from that idea on Your own You need to have a very strong personality. If You are not surrounded by people who think so, it is very hard to make a decision on Your own and to be the one who stands up the first. It is easy to follow others. But to stand up alone, to dare to speak and admit that You were wrong is hard. It is fucking scary and so hard. You need to believe in what You are doing infinitely. . .

Many animal rights activists believe that people in zoo or circus do not love animals. How can You love someone and let them suffer? How can You love someone and ignore their pain? To understand that paradox You need to separate Your personal feelings and facts. So, yeah, I won't be popular between animal rights activists (not only because I would not listen to animals' opinion), but I believe when a person from circus says that he loves animals. There is no one way to love. Love is not a thing that You can put into strict definition. You can't say that only this type of love is right, and the rest is wrong. Anyway, many parents who beat their children still love them. They just do not know better and believe that this is the right thing to do. It is very wrong to cause pain to others, does not matter what circumstances. But how can we judge someone? People should understand that not another person is bad or wrong, but his actions. People love to dehumanise others. Everyone who is different in one or another way, everyone who do not follow one's moral norms is considered as scum, freak, villain and very often labelled as a bad person. Animal rights activists dehumanise animal trainers from time to time. And opposite, people from circus dehumanise animal rights activists. Why? Because the fact that both are the same people are just too disturbing. Most of humans feel very close connections to each other, so no one wants to accept that the killer is just a person like You with feelings, wishes and minds. . .

And still if You want to change something, You have to understand that everyone is different, and there is no one truth. I wish that there were more animal rights advocates out there, I wish that people would finally realise that it is ok to be different and by criticising someone's action, You do not attack the person. We all want to live in a better (one or another way) world, but still so stick to our own truth that cannot realise that there is a lot of place for many of them and they do not necessary contradict each other. . .

Ok, have a wonderful World Elephant Day!

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And I simply cannot not to share the text about the protest that was my favourite protest of the year 2012 (originally I wanted to add the link, but website where it was published is closed due some circumstances) - World Elephant Day in Kaufbeuren:

"Protest am Welt-Elefanten-Tag, 12. 8. 2012, vor Circus Krone in Kaufbeuren
Am Welt-Elefanten-Tag, 12. August 2012, fanden in vielen Städten Demonstrationen vor Einrichtungen statt, in denen Elefanten ihr Leben in Gefangenschaft zubringen müssen. Um 12 Uhr fand sich eine Gruppe von sieben Aktivist_innen vor dem Circus Krone zusammen, der seine Zelte in Kaufbeuren aufgeschlagen hatte, um dort zu protestieren. An diesem Tag sollten zwei Zirkusvorstellungen gegeben werden.
Ziel des Protests war, die Zirkusbesucher und Passanten über die für nichtmenschliche Tiere unwürdigen Umstände der Tierhaltung in Zirkussen aufzuklären und die Forderung nach Abschaffung von Tierhaltung in Zirkussen bekannter zu machen. Dazu wurden zwischen den Eingängen zum Zirkuszoo und zum Zirkus selbst Plakate aufgehängt, die mit Slogans wie "Artgerecht ist nur die Freiheit" und "Kein Applaus für Tierquälerei" die Anliegen der Aktivist_innen unterstreichen sollten.
Die Aktivist_innen teilten sich in zwei Gruppen auf, um sowohl die Besucher des Zoos als auch die des Zirkus ansprechen zu können. Die Aktivist_innen verteilten Flyer an die Passanten und führten mit Interessierten und mit Zirkusbesuchern Diskussionen. In den Diskussionen ist das Argument, dass es nichtmenschlichen Tieren in anderen Tierausbeutungseinrichtungen schlechter ergehe als im Circus Krone, sehr häufig gefallen -- als ob das Leid eines anderen nichtmenschlichen Tiers das Leid eines anderen rechtfertigen würde.
Zwischen den Vorstellungen machten die Aktivist_innen eine kleine Stärkungspause und unterhielten sich mit Schere-und-Papier-Tricks, die neuesten Erkenntnissen der Möbiusband-Forschung entstammen.
Danach ging es in die zweite Runde der Informationsveranstaltung, die im Wesentlichen wie die erste verlief: Es wurden viele Diskussionen geführt. Um 18 Uhr beendeten die Aktvist_innen die Aktion, mit dem Wissen um die guten Ergebnisse dieser Aktion: Es konnten viele Personen auf die Umstände nichtmenschlicher Tiere in Zirkussen aufmerksam gemacht werden. Außerdem entschlossen sich einige Passanten, die ursprünglich eine Vorstellung besuchen wollten, das unwürdige Spektakel des Tierzirkus nicht mit ihrem Geld unterstützen zu wollen, und machten kehrt. "

© Jonathan Ott, 26.08.2012

PicturePostcard I created for Elephant Haven
What next?
  • Visit our project Boykott Circus Krone to find out more about our actions concerning the biggest animal circus in Germany and probably in the whole Europe.
  • Visit Elephant Haven website, and in case You feel like supporting a very great project, feel free to do so! I find it very important to have elephant sanctuary in Europe and support this initiative whenever I have time.
  • Raise as much awareness about animal rights as possible every day.
  • Organise protests in Your area, write letters to local media and educate others whenever You are able to.
  • And of course, boycott all zoos and circuses with animals.
There are many many other ways how You can dedicate to this very important topic. The fact that You already think about is already a big step to this direction, because most of the people don't.
I'd love to write about, raise awarenesses, participate in every action and help organising things concerning animal and human rights, but I'm just one person, and there is not enough time for me to do that. But everyone of You are the same human beings as I am, and You can do many great things! Anyway, feel free to share everything that is relevant (or not) to the topic, I appreciate every single mind. Unfortunately it's simply not possible to react to every email and note I get, but I read them all. Keep writing to me. Thank You!
  • Live vegan. Think vegan. And act vegan.

Copyright © Lex Kartanė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
12 Comments

Dreamy elephants

19/7/2013

2 Comments

 
If You feel like helping a starving artist, the best way to do that is purchase my works. Thank You!
I decided to sell works from the series "Dreamy Elephants", so You have a chance to purchase really unique aquarelles on canvas.
Balancing between fantasies and reality, pleasure and pain “Dreamy Elephants” series provides a view not only to the suffering and dreams of beings in captivity, but as well introspective depths of the human kind. By the special technique, individual styling, stories full of hope and at the same time so desperate AIWS creates a surreal simulacrum of the captivity world. It reveals scenes out of a dream, but it always comes back to the reality, where happiness is nothing - just the impossible.
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Price: starting from 300 EUR (depending on the image)
I accept payment via PayPal or usual bank transfer.
Each artwork is signed on the front side (upon special request signed and fingerprinted in blood).
100% money will go to the starving artist (aka me).
For any questions or additional information please contact me at: info@aiws.lt

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To order an artwork please send an email to info@aiws.lt.
If You are interested to purchase any other other work of mine, send an email to info@aiws.lt. Most of works from website and social networking sites are available.

Copyright © Lex Kartanė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
2 Comments

A great mind must be androgynous

11/7/2013

24 Comments

 
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I'm so tired of people who claim to be respectful to different opinions and life styles, but still discriminate everyone who do not fit into their imaginary pattern. I cannot understand why if person is not heterosexual, the rest of humanity feels the necessity to start questioning all aspects of everyday life, beliefs and sex experience of that person.
For example, relative to heterosexuals, and even relative to homosexuals and bisexuals, humans expressed more negative attitudes toward asexuals and desired less contact with them. Moreover, of all the sexual minority groups studied, asexuals were the most dehumanized! Asexuals were dehumanized not only mechanistically, but as well animalistically. They were seen as relatively cold, emotionless and unrestrained, but as well as impulsive  and less sophisticated. Surprised? I'm not, conclusions just showed what I always knew: most of humanity is simply lack of understanding.
If someone claims to be asexual, that means that this person is asexual and all questions should be over. It does not mean that person did not find the right partner or the sex was not good enough. You do not need to have sex with marguerites to be sure that You are not attracted to flowers (or do You?), so why another person should try to have sex if feels no necessity?

Asexuality also needs to be included in queer theory because it challenges the notion of biological essentialism. It namely challenges the essentialist notion that every human being has a need for “reproductive” sex or rather, heterosexual sex, and that every person is “made” that way. Asexuals challenge this notion in the same way lesbians and gay people do. Asexuality questions whether sex should even be viewed in society as something special, whether it should be seen as normative and the only way people can relate. By questioning the very essentialness of sex, asexuality dismantles the idea of a “normative” sexuality or sense of sexual expression and opens the world to a possibility where all forms of sexual expression or lack of sexual expression are accepted because there is no template for “normal” sexual expression.  It “distorts debates about whether gays and lesbians are ‘born’ or ‘choose’ their identity” because it deconstructs “the underlying assumption that people have sexual inclinations of some sort; second, that these inclinations persist throughout the lifespan; third, that identity is stable; and last, that sexual practices can form identities” Fahs
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Statistic in the work of Cara C. MacInnis showed that those who disliked homosexuals also disliked bisexuals and asexuals (and other queers). But what really sad is that asexual people are not fully accepted by LGBTQ community;  very often it is claimed that asexuals seem to be “perfectly normal human beings” trying to claim an orientation. Perfectly normal? what is that at all? If someone does not have sexual desire, that means just that person feels no sexual desire and has nothing to do with Normality. In fact, asexuals also suffer from heterosexism in society, they are currently even more invisible than any other LGBTQ groups. . . I agree that the discrimination asexual people experience is different from the one homosexual people get, but there are a lot of similarities. Asexuals as well get suggestions to be healed, their existence is denied (in fact, more often than any other queer group). And most importantly asexuals have a common cause with other LGBTQ  people - to challenge the prevailing heteronormative presumptions.

"Sex is. There is nothing more to be done about it. Sex builds no roads, writes no novels and sex certainly gives no meaning to anything in life but itself." Gore Vidal
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Another group that gets similar problems in queer world is pansexuals. Many people even did not heard about them! And still many deny their existence. Pansexuals are erased, ignored or disrespected. . . Well, to be pansexual is not the same as bisexual. There are more genders than cis-women and cis-men. Pansexuality teaches to accept and embrace the fact that there are more genders in the world.
I'm kind of lucky that I met so many bisexual, androgynous and transgender people in my life. I'm very lucky that when I was young I had a possibility to spend my time with my queer friends instead of mainstream. I'm kind of lucky that I never had to question other people's sexuality and never doubt the genders they introduced themselves.

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I'm going to Christopher Street Day (CSD) on Saturday (that was created in memory of the gay uprising in New York’s Christopher Street in 1969). And so much looking forward to that!
Many people told me that there is nothing to improve for homosexual people's rights in Germany. But they forget that there are a lot of others people who are neither homosexual neither heterosexual. There are not only monosexual people in this world. There are not only two genders.
way to go till EVERYONE will be able to live their own lives without being judged, threatened and abused.

Gender is more or less optional. . .
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Well, most of humans are simply lack of real possibility to understand others, and one of their greatest hobbies is to intervene in other people's lives. Everyone who thinks differently tries to destroy safety or just wants to show how special they are. Haha, no one asks for exclusive rights, just for respect and understanding that everyone is different. And it's OK to be different. It's OK challenge the society. And everyone should be free to choose their gender.
And love should be about LOVE, not GENDER!

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And another thing that has happened to me is fabulous Jérémy who came to South Germany. Thanks to wonderful Japanese culture not only for promoting queer rights and androgynous people, but as well for letting me to meet Jeremy. We "knew" each other for about 5 years and discussed about Japanese culture, Visual Kei and queer rights from time to time, but I was really surprised when he came to Germany and suggested to meet. Normally I do not have intentions to meet with strangers, but for J I did an exception, because with his own existence he fights the norms of the heteronormative society. That is a great challenge and everyone who does that is awesome.
Perhaps I just like to disagree with society.

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So, I would like to thank Jérémy for posing and spending time together. You are wonderful and so beautiful! Everyone who dares to say differently, should go and fuck themselves or whatsoever. And there is no such rule that real men do not wear make-up or cannot have long nails. Decision to be a man, a woman or to have any other gender does not start with penis or vagina, it stars in one's brain, and everyone is free to choose who they want to be. And for the rest of humanity (that is not able to make their own choices) we can just feel sorry about. Thanks for the inspiration!

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And when we had a great photo-shoot!
Copyright © Lex Kartanė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
24 Comments

Should I kill myself or have a cup of coffee?

30/6/2013

4 Comments

 
For those who like to follow me, my life, interested in my works and so on, it's a very good place to do that. In meanwhile all other blogs got lost, were deleted or forgotten, so from now, You can read some "news" here. Who am I You may ask. I'm a weird invention, that got stuck in this planet (by accident or not). I like to critise mankind, search for the justice and do not belong here. What else do I like? I like to discuss and cannot stand argumentation fallacies (but I use them sometimes on purpose as well, just the rest of world seems not to notice), I'm obsessed with the first perfect number and Alice in Wonderland Syndrome as well as works of mister Douglas Adams. I like to drink tea, but only with people I love or on special occasions (or on my own of course!), because Tea For Two is kind of an answer to the Universe.
I was going through my old interviews and found this quote from an interview I gave to Vociferous magazine long time ago "In philosophical point of view, everyone’s death is an apocalypse for him. You don’t know if world will continue without you, maybe this world is just a creation of your imagination." And I find that it is still very interesting to think about this.
What else? I'm excited about Dirk Gently (he is brilliant! If I would know someone like him in real life, that person would be my favourite person ever and I would do almost anything just for a possibility to have social interaction with him!). And it seems that his "holistic" methods are quite universal not only for detective investigations, but for a normal life as well. At least in my life quantum mechanics are working pretty well.
As well, I'm planning to visit Icon of Coil concert in the near future, continue to work on my old projects and start some new.

About humans: The only real intention humans do have is to lie and manipulate others. Sometimes it is hard to believe as people can be quite good trained (they like to hide this intention and even deny it), but sooner or later, it appears in one or another way.
So, like one person asked in his book, should I kill myself or have a cup of coffee?
What do You think, fellow earthlings?

Just that I do not drink coffee. . .

And something very different (my works from this spring).
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As well of course You are more than welcome to check my other social networks:
Facebook
Twitter
ModelMayhem
DeviantArt
and perhaps many more : )
Copyright © Lex Kartanė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
4 Comments

my art exhibition in Munich, Ecce Homo or why am I so clever?

29/6/2013

12 Comments

 
"Why do I know more than other people? Why, in general, am I so clever? I have never pondered over questions that are not really questions. I have never wasted my strength. I have no experience, for instance, of actual religious difficulties..." (borrowed from Nietzsche)
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Last week I had an exhibition in Munich, so bellow You will be able to find some information about it.
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Mit berührenden Bildern und Fotographien von schmerzhafter Schönheit, führt die Künstlerin den Betrachter in die Welt des Tierversuchs ein. Kombiniert mit informativen Textpassagen, enthüllt Milda Bandzaitè die Wahrheit hinter der klinischen Kälte des Tierversuchs: ethische Grausamkeit und wissenschaftliche Absurdität.

© Ärzte gegen Tierversuche e.V.

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Wahnsinnig traurig und berührend - und andererseits bekommt man es gleich mit der Wut zu tun und ist schlichtweg schockiert.

© ClaudiGoesVegan
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Thanks to everyone who came to show their support and interest in my works. Even more thanks to those who shared their ideas, thoughts and many other things with me during that time. Special thanks to: Jonathan, Laima, Nicole, Michael and Jasmin.

Through my art I try to make people think about the absurdity of many things that were created by mankind. I would like people to think more about their actions by themselves and not to follow the mass blindly. If one chooses to do a wrong thing, it should be done by his/her own will and not just because the rest of humanity does the same wrong thing. I believe that art is one of the ways to make our world and the planet a better place.

Despite the fact that I always criticize mankind, I still kind of liked You, human beings.
I hope that people in Munich liked me a little bit as well and will be looking forward for the next time.

Eine sehr empfehlenswerte Ausstellung mit sehr berührender Kunst von Milda.

©TariTime
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Fragment from my work "Brain Fusion" (Project "Vivisection")
a Conceptual Artist from the Wonderland

©GraphicArtNews

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Experiments on animals are quite common and popular, but not many know about the common laboratory Homo Sapiens that is an ideal experimental animal for several reasons: abundance of literature published pertaining to them, ease of handling, high fertility rate and disease model for various disorders and diseases.
Someone pointed out, that it might be unethical to perform experiments on humans, but I disagree. We do not violate any rights of human beings, simply because they have none to violate at all. They are not morally self legislative and cannot possibly be members of any truly moral community  or possess rights. Although from time to time I raise those moral questions to myself as well.

There is no harm (only ethics) involved in behaviour studies, but how about studies for medicines, cancer and others? Humans have to be killed for various reasons during those experiments, including the collection of blood or tissues, disposal at the end of an experiment, especially where humans are experiencing pain which cannot be alleviated. It is believed by some scientists that humans are one of the relatively few species to have sufficient self-awareness to recognize themselves in a mirror. Although mirror test really cannot be a reliable source for measuring consciousness. 22 years I observed human race and learned a lot about them. I can tell that there is no big difference between human’s and sheep’s mental abilities.
It is easy to motivate humans during experiments; researches showed that the primary motivators and stimulators are food, easy entertainment toys (like TV) and sexual intercourse. You, human beings, are all the same. But I still find it interesting to observe and experiment on You.


So, thank You for reading and being interested in my art!
Copyright © Lex Kartanė

All rights reserved.
All works are copyrighted and not to be used without the permission of the author.
12 Comments
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    AIWS

    AIWS is a strange invention in this planet - a machine with a brush, pen and camera in its hands. It just observes and pictures the sad and cruel reality of everyday life. If You do not get it, do not worry too much, it just means that You are average. But of course You are more than welcome to read, think about and even share Your very important thoughts. Just remember: the majority of humanity does not interest AIWS at all, so please, do not feel offended. It's not You, just Your mediocrity.

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