Celebrities back tampon rebels of Zimbabwe

The Sunday Times ^ | May 7, 2006 | Christina Lamb

[MadIvan]

Zimbabwe, where cruelty and absurdity go hand in hand.

Regards, Ivan

[MadIvan]

Ping!

[modest proposal]

god thats terrible

to tell you the truth i woulda just shut up about the tampons rather than get tortured about it. less painful bleeding

[SlowBoat407]

Ah, another "benefit" of driving out the evil Europeans. The joy-joy times in Zimbabwe just keep on rollin' ever since the bad ol' white man was driven out.

[Minutemen]

with all due respect, what did women in the 3rd world do before Johnson & Johnson invented the "tampon"?

[This Just In]

I am one who enjoys light hearted just, but this image is callous, considering the suffering and humiliation involved.

One thing is not clear to me regarding the article, which fails to explain exactly why Thabitha Khumalo has been treated in such an inhuman way other than the fact that she is speaking publicly about their crisis.

Does this expose government corruption? Is it against their country's law or traditions for a female to speak of such things publicly?

My prayers to those individuals.

[This Just In]

I asked that same question.

[modest proposal]

its amazing the things we can do so easily in america that people in other countries cannot.

makes my skin crawl to think about being completely controlled by idiots in power

[LeoWindhorse]

at what point is that ape Mugabe going to dragged out into the streets and strung up from meat hooks like Mussolini ?
Actually better than he deserves.

[Anti-Bubba182]

The only thing that will cure Zimbabwe's problems is military intervention and a new goverment. Zimbabwe has no oil. It won't happen.

[winner3000]

This is what happens when the eeevil pharmaceutical companies are forced to pull out.

[A message]

Yes on your first point.

makes my skin crawl to think about being completely controlled by idiots in power

That's why in the end we vote against Democrats.

[AnnaZ]

Poor, poor woman. Poor, poor women. What a horrible hideous country. One of, unfortunately, too many.

[modest proposal]

yes the evil western world; manufacturers of absorbent hygenic products

[AnnaZ]

“She told me she was going home from work because she had her period and could no longer afford sanitary protection or cotton wool.”

[Fairview]

what did women in the 3rd world do before Johnson & Johnson invented the "tampon"?

I don't know what they did in Africa, but in this country they used old rags torn up and wrapped up in a piece of cotton cloth. This construction was then pinned inside their drawers, and washed when it was saturated. Not very pleasant, comfortable, fragrant, or hygienic.

[This Just In]

If that makes your skin crawl, as it should, I would suggest that we, as a country, could very easily travel down that road if we're apathetic and complacent in our view of government, policies, and powerful political leaders and what they stand for.

Cuba's a good example. What had been a thriving country is now an island where the average citizen lives in poverty.

I thank God for America, and so do the Cubans that are fortunate enough to escape and live here.

[neodad]

When I was on active duty and we visited foreign ports, one of the most popular items that the chaplain and volunteers took to schools and orphanages were tampons, pads, etc. Never really understood why, but I guess this story helps explain it.

[modest proposal]

I guess you do what you do to get by.

The american indians had huts the women went into and stayed while they had their period.

personally I don't use tampons anyway...well very rarely. So I am sitting here wondering why women would roll up newspapers rather than just line their britches with newspapers.

the former sounds awful

[Rastus]

I am one who enjoys light hearted just, but this image is callous, considering the suffering and humiliation involved.

If you are referring to the image from Dune above Ivan's name, I assure you he is not posting it as some form of comical commentary. It appears above his name in every thread he posts, sort of like a signature or a tagline.