Intrigue and Unsolved Mysteries

In German Herrschaftsverband (please note the spelling) literally means something like association of rule. It is used almost exclusively to describe the European Union, though the term is older.

I've seen sovereingty association used as an English translation, but I can't imagine that the term would convey much to English-speaking specialists in politics.

The term Herrschaftsverband is an obscure sociological term used to convey the concept of power differentials within a social unit or organization that is very rigidly hierarchical. It can be used to describe the gap in political, social, moral, legislative, economic, and other forms of power between disadvantaged groups and their more advantaged counterparts. One of the most common examples of this is economic in which we could say that there is distinct Herrschaftsverband within the U.S. economy with a great deal of the wealth being held by a small upper echelon. As a sociologist, this word is one of my few rewards, as it's ridiculous fun to say.

The US and allies of the US can have nuclear weapons while other countries do not because of one golden rule:

-The best predictor of future behavior is by studying past behavior

While all countries have played their part in destruction and war over the centuries,

Countries such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia have been aggressors, broken treaties with other nations, and ignored basic international laws within the last 30 years.

If you are unable to trust a country, there is no way any nation in their right mind would approve and support the creation of something so powerful and potentially harmful.

BUT: If you look at the past behavior of United States, it is well known that US is the ONLY country to have used nuclear weapons during war, killing millions of civillians.

For that, US is the only county that SHOULD NOT have nuclear weapons since everybody is "unable to trust" that country (with good reason).

All systems, from the simple cell to the biggest organizations, have resistance against a change. This is part of the inbuilt survival mechanism; otherwise the system would easily fall apart or is vulnerable against influences coming from the outside. The once established structure, grown over long time, gives stability and so security, from which individuals within this system, gain their own profit by being part and identified with it. Personality is a system, which functions in the same way: The individual is identified with the once established structure; build by mental concepts and all intellectual knowledge. The same with the emotional structure, which is mostly unconscious and contains all traumas and received influences during lifetime. From this background reactions are triggered, reforcing the established structure. Part of the system is the material form, with which the individual also is identified and the same with all material belongings. The tendency is to add more and more, getting richer or widening ones power by adding more knowledge or emotional excitement. Anything is welcome which serves to make the system more stable and secure. The individual does anything to get confirmation for its existence on all levels, mostly all doing is directed to gain.

A change that will not enrich or confirm the system in its existence will be rejected. Even though a change would be an evolutional step and bring the system to a more advanced level, what might be called a transformational change. By doing this step, resistance and other obstacles might vanish, but to do such a step, the system must grow by itself beyond ones limitation through a growing process, which includes all levels of ones being. Manipulation or force, which is usual used, will not work on the long run... How to make a transformational change happen, is another question. There are ways to support and help, but the system must be ready for it.

BeiYin

In Greek mythology, Hymen or Hymenaeus was the god of marriage and the marriage feast or song. In Anatomy, Hymen is a thin fold of mucous membrane found at the orifice of the female vagina, also called the vaginal membrane. Hymen is found in many female organisms in addition to human females. It is usually believed to be torn by sexual intercourse. Additionally, hymen can also be ruptured by any number of other activities including medical examinations, injury, masturbation, certain types of exercises like biking, horse-back riding, dancing and introduction of a foreign object, etc. Sometimes a hymen can break without the women even knowing it. Some women experience a small amount of bleeding due to breaking or stretching of the hymen. Hymen can have various forms, thicknesses and degrees of flexibility and not all of them significantly obstruct the opening of the vagina, so that menstrual fluid can leave the body. Conversely, one in 2000 women are born with an imperfect hymen and in such cases a woman's hymen is imperforate, and as menstrual discharge cannot then escape, surgical intervention to break it is necessary to protect her health.

Virginity is a term used to describe what a person has when he or she has not yet engaged in sexual intercourse. Meaning that a male or the female can both be virgins until they have had sexual intercourse. With the standard usage of the term virginity, it has been more commonly applied to women than to men. Until recent past the term virgin was used to simply describe a female unmarried person or a young girl, because a female with untorn or commonly referred to as unbroken or intact vaginal membrane is the proof of her virginity. A physical evidence which is so inappropriate to rely on as the absence of a hymen, however, is not necessarily an indication of participation in sexual intercourse, since in some women the hymen is either absent from birth, or sufficiently vestigial not to be affected by sexual penetration. During the Middle English period, the word "maid" referred to a virgin person, whether male or female, who had never been married. Depending on the persons belief and interpretation, any form of sex, can be considered to be the reason for losing virginity.

This one organ that we are talking about, the vagina, involves a number of phenomena in women, like sex, love, rape, menstruation, mutilation, masturbation, birth, virginity and orgasm. Some of these are common to men too, but not all of them and not to that intensity. All these issues have stemmed various controversies in various cultures and religions. Most of all the concept of virginity has been a source of continuous stress for women. For men loosing virginity does not change anything physiologically, but for a women it does, and for some women it changes their whole world.

Scission means, the act of cutting or severing; division or fission. Circumcision is the surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis, or prepuce of the clitoris. Male circumcision is prehistoric, as old as Stone age and the Egyptian hieroglyphics, and evidence of the practice dating back to some 5000BC. Theories include that circumcision is a form of ritual sacrifice or offering, a sign of submission to a deity, a rite of passage to adulthood, a mark of defeat or slavery, or an attempt to alter esthetics or sexuality. Or is it just a less brutal way of continuing the ancient custom of sacrificing newborn children, or the first born male sacrifice, as known to have been done by Carthaginians or Phoenicians. All that openeth the matrix is mine; and every firstling among thy cattle that is male. All the firstborn of thy sons thou shalt redeem. (Exo 22:29-30 NIV). Let no one be found among you who sacrifices his son or daughter in the fire, who practices divination or sorcery, interprets omens, engages in witchcraft (Deu 18:10 NIV). This redemption tax of five sicles, calculated also to remind the Israelites of the death inflicted upon the first-born of the Egyptians in punishment of Pharaoh's stubbornness (Exodus 13:15-16), went to the endowment-fund of the clergy. I just want to prove that sacrifice of the first born was a recurring practice before the famous monotheistic religions came. Islamic tradition also says it was practiced by Sarah on Hagar and that afterwards both Sarah and Abraham circumcised themselves by order of Allah. It was wide spread in the Middle East and was first introduced as a religious rite by Hebrews. For Jews it represents the fulfillment of the covenant between God and Abraham (Genesis 17:10-14). Some however argue that Jewish circumcision did not assume its present form until as late as the Maccabees (165 BC). Christians were not obliged to be circumcised and was first recorded biblically in Acts 15, but there was never, however, a prohibition of circumcision. The Virgin Mary was likewise said to have been circumcised according to Robert Briffault, a 20th century French anthropologist, surgeon, historian, social critic, and novelist. Some say that the origin of the requirement of circumcision in Islam is a matter of religious and scholarly debate. It is mentioned in some parts of the Hadith, but not in the Qur'an. Some Islamic scholars think that it is obligatory. Moreover, there are some who interpret verses in the Qur'an to imply that the requirement of circumcision is based on the covenant with Abraham. Those who support circumcision sometimes explain their views in terms of the perceived medical benefits of the procedure. Sometimes, Circumcision may be undertaken as a body modification of the genitals to change the look of the penis to appeal more to certain aesthetics. Some have propagated the possibility of better hygiene but this aspect has also been rejected by scientists. It is to be noted that males do not loose their virginity after circumcision. The do not loose their sexual drive after circumcision. They do not loose the proof of being virgins. They do not have to stop from having sex after the circumcision. Conclusively, male circumcision has its goods and bads, and many have debated on this concept, but it is not a compulsion set by any religious or medical books of this world. It seems more ritual or cultural than anything.

Female circumcision, known to be older than male circumcision, (also known as female genital mutilation FGM, or female genital cutting FGC) is usually performed for cultural and social reasons by family members and sometimes others who are not members of the medical profession, with no anesthesia. Also called clitoridectomy, it involves partial or complete removal of the clitoris, prepuce, or labia of a girl or young woman. Female circumcision can be type I, type II, type III or type IV, depending on the severity of mutilation. In Type III (called infibulation or pharaonic circumcision) the vaginal opening is sewn with sutures after the circumcision, (sometimes with thorns in Sudan) to make the opening small equal to an opening as small as a matchstick-diameter, left for urine and menstrual flow. After the surgery, the girl's legs are tied together for around two weeks to prevent her from moving the wound. Liquids are heavily rationed until the incision is healed. During this primitive yet major surgery, it is not uncommon for girls, who are held down by female relatives, to die from shock or hemorrhage of the vagina, urethra, bladder, and rectal area may also be damaged, and massive keloid scarring can obstruct walking for life. After marriage, women who have been infibulated (Type III FGM) must be forcibly penetrated. "This may take up to forty days, and when men are impatient, a knife is used to widen the opening. This practice is supposed to ensure the virginity of a bride on her wedding day. It also prevents the woman from achieving sexual pleasure during coitus. The reasons given for clitoridectomies in Egypt are 'cleanliness,' and 'so that girls will not run after men." Special honeymoon centers are built outside communities so that the "screams of the brides will not be heard". There is a also bloodthirsty rite associated with infibulation in which the husband runs through the streets holding the bloodstained dagger to declare he has 'opened' his wife for conception. What joy can there be in conception if the women don't have the sensitive tissue to enjoy it and rather get stabbed in the vagina every time to get pregnant.

I think God apparently created the clitoris for the sole purpose of generating pleasure. It has no other purpose. Thus God must approve of its presence. What your Lord provides is far better, and everlasting. And so, it should not be removed or reduced in size or function. I have immense sympathy for women who have the "cruelest cut" in the interests of making them "good mothers". FGM has been practiced among certain cultures, especially in parts of Africa, Middle East and Western Asia since the BC. Today, an estimated (127m) one hundred and twenty seven million women have undergone the sexual mutilation. It is performed in many African countries, including Sudan, Somalia, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Chad. It is also a tradition among Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia, and in a number of countries in the Middle East, including Egypt, the UAE, and parts of rural Saudi Arabia. Coptic Christians in Egypt and animist tribes in Africa as well as Muslims, undergo the ritual. It has probably been performed for at least 1,400 years (some references estimate 2,000 years), and started during what Muslims call "al-gahiliyyah" (the era of ignorance). The Qur'an, Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and Christian Scriptures (New Testament) is silent on the subject. The Sun nah (the words and actions of the Prophet Mohammed) contains a reference to female circumcision. 'Um Atiyyat al-Ansariyyah said: A woman used to perform circumcision in Medina. The Prophet Mohammad said to her: Do not cut too severely as that is better for a woman and more desirable for a husband. This passage is regarded by many Muslims as having little credibility or authenticity. One interpretation of this passage is that the woman was going to proceed with the circumcision anyway, even if the prophet had prohibited. There is no evidence that any of Muhammad's wives or daughters were circumcised. The Muslim Women's League comments: "According to Sayyid Sabiq, renowned scholar and author of Fiqh-us-Sunnah, all hadiths concerning female circumcision are non-authentic. FGM was also sometimes practiced in English-speaking nations as well after the first half of the Twentieth Century, ostensibly to stop masturbation. In the nineteenth century, women in the United States and Europe were also circumcised sometimes because it was believed to relieve epilepsy, hysteria, and insanity. Today, an estimated one hundred million women have undergone the sexual mutilation. In the West, the procedure is outlawed in Britain, Canada, France, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States. But legislation against FGM can be counter-productive in some cases. It might force the practice deeply underground. Women may not seek medical care because their parents might be charged. FGC or FGM enters human rights discourse primarily on the basis of three issues: informed consent, patriarchal oppression, and violence against women. The United Nations has supported the right of member states to grant refugee status to women who fear being mutilated if they are returned to their country of origin. Canada has been the leading country so far in awarding refugee status to women with such fears. Also, the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child is ambiguous about FGM. On one hand, Article 24, paragraph 3 states: "States Parties shall take all effective and appropriate measures with a view to abolishing traditional practices prejudicial to the health of children.". But Article 29 paragraph 1.c calls for: "The development of respect for the child's parents, his or her own cultural identity, language and values, for the national values of the country in which the child is living, the country from which he or she may originate, and for civilizations different from his or her own."

African feminists generally reject the imported women's rights discourse that universally adopts an assumption of male dominance, and prefer instead to realize their gender roles on their own terms. The violence against women claim is complicated by the fact that the ritual is primarily continued by women and often against the wishes of a growing majority of men. The issue of informed consent mirrors the debate about male circumcision though with far more intensity. African feminists are aware that this issue is a convenient tool for powerful political units to manipulate in pursuing hidden agendas. Many women from African backgrounds in the USA, have been known to have asked for reinfibulation after each delivery. The practice of female genital mutilation is not universally approved by the medical profession and is considered by many to be a human rights violation.

There have been various methods used in the world to ensure female virginity. In the past, during middle ages, urine tests were conducted and it was believed that a virgin's urine is clear and sparkling. It was also believed that women's breast should always point upwards. These tests were considered unromantic and thus magical objects were used to test virginity. A common object was the magic drinking horn. Women who attempted to drink from it and were not faithful to their husbands would spill the wine inside of the magic horn. There is a centuries-old Indian custom where a skein of thread is used to detect the presence of an intact hymen. "Impure" brides are beaten to reveal the names of their "lovers" and then these lovers are forced to pay large amounts of money to the bride's family. Sometimes the brides would name any man that comes to mind to avoid torture. Other tests used are "purity by water" or "Agnipariksha" (trial by fire). In the purity by water test, the woman has to hold her breath under water while another person takes one hundred steps. If she is unable to do this, she is not considered a virgin. In the trial by fire test, the brides have to walk with red-hot iron in their hands with just a plate made out of leaves and dough to shield her hands from the heat. If her hands are burnt, she is considered to be impure. There are countries like Turkey, where virginity testing is common and sometimes women have committed suicides before taking such a test. In South Africa, there is a common myth that having sex with a virgin can cure AIDS. This has resulted in infant rapes and most women started hiding their virginity. Some people think that promoting virginity could be the solution to increasing AIDS victims. Many women in Southern African tribes are volunteering for virginity testing to prove to the world that they are pure and free of AIDS. Sometimes a single glove is used to test all the volunteers. Amnesty International consider forced virginity testing to be egregious form of gender-based violence constituting torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.

Is virginity the reason behind prostitution, the oldest profession of mankind. Is the existence of hymen the root cause of all virginity related issues in this world. Is virginity a reason given to men to keep women oppressed in one way or other. Does the element of virginity ensure propagation of human species. The path of life is the path of the clitoris. The hymen has to be broken at one point or the other. Who says it should be broken by sexual intercourse only. It was unfortunately designed to break and bleed to an unreturnable condition. Female sexuality is not something to fear or destroy. We do not need to cut up or stitch up our partners 'vagina' for her to be faithful to us. Lets issue a 21st Century Commandment, "Thou shalt not mutilate another person, nor encourage nor allow genital or other self-mutilation for religious, sexual or moral purposes". When is a generation of women going to rise up, not to fight, not to war, but to honor themselves and each other. This very fine and intimate membrane, so called honor, is personal to women and no one else has the right to make decisions about it. Why to face the misfortune of someone judging you at the most important day of your life just because you didn't bleed, or make the bed sheet red. Why to let someone go out on the street and announce the most intimate details of your person.

I guess, if the society or the cultures or the religions or the governments do not recognize the problem then women should recognize it in the shape of hymenscission. A newly defined term or a phenomena, that allows them to break their own hymens themselves soon after birth or whenever they wish to, to prove to the rest of the world, that if they don't trust in their will to protect their own honor and dignity then the world does not deserve to experience it never ever again. Those 127 million mothers instead of enforcing FGM can start enforcing hymenscission. Men can go and find hymens somewhere else.

According to sociologist such as William Thompson and Joseph Hickey professional class persons and most middle class persons overall tend to be more direct, articulate and vocal than their working class counterparts. (2005) Middle class persons commonly exhibit a better use of grammar and lack regional accents (with the exception of those whose native language is not English). Often, unless otherwise inendet, middle class speech tends to incorporate more abstract concepts and relies less on personal commentary than that of working class persons. (Jensen in Zweig, 2004) A 1989 study by sociologist Erica Hoff-Ginsberg found that upper-middle class mothers had more and longer conversations with their children than did working class mothers. (1989)

Many speech characteristics like other cultural attributes among persons across different social classes can often be traced to their occupational tasks. (Gilbert, 2002) Middle class persons, especially those in the professional (aka. upper) middle class tend to conceptualize, instruct, consult and supervise. (Ehrenreich, 1989) They, therefore, need to be able to present ideas in a clear, concise, contructive and engaging manner. Futhermore, they need to exhibit a sense of crebility and authority on the subject. (Thompson & Hickey, 2005) Working class persons, on the other hand, are commonly employed in highly routinized positions and tend to be closely supervised. As a result, being direct and concise may not be as much of the essence.

References:

1. Thompson, W. & Hickey, J. (2005). Society in Focus. Boston MA: Pearson, Allyn & Bacon.
2. Jensen, B. in Zweig, M. (2004). What's Class Got To Do With It?. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
3. Ehrenreich, B. (1989). Fear of Falling: The Inner Life of the Middle Class. New York, NY: Harper-Collins.
4. Hoff-Ginsberg, E. (1989). Effects of Social Class and Interactive Setting on Maternal Speech. 14 June, 2007 taken from http://Eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=RecordDetails&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=ED309843&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=eric_accno&objectId=0900000b800472a5