Last Updated on: 24th May 2019, 05:13 pm
I simultaneously think this is hilarious, awesome, and doomed to fail. Yup, I’m a big fat pessimist.
There’s a new way that human rights activists are trying to help folks in Burma. The campaign is called Panties for peace! Nope, you’re not hallucinating, I wrote that down.
This is the plan. Canadian women wanting to help should send panties that they have worn to the Burmese embassy, who wil then, I guess send them to Burma. There, when members of the junta see them, they will shrivel up in fear like the witch in the wizard of Oz. “I’m shrinking! Melting!” Why is that? They fear women’s panties, and see them as strength-sapping. That in itself shouldn’t make me convulse with laughter, but oh it does. Every time I think about it, I just start laughing again. I have to realize that every culture is different, and they’d probably look at us and laugh their asses off at some of our fears. But I can’t stop laughing. I can’t.
Now, onto the awesome part. I think it’s great that people have come up with a non-violent way to fight back. If it works, I will stop laughing and start dancing with joy.
But here’s the doomed to fail part. If Burmese generals aren’t letting food get to people, what’s going to get panties very far? If burmese military folk are so deathly terrified of these things, wouldn’t they destroy them on sight? I’m worried this will do even more damage. Maybe they’ll assume everything coming from here to there, including food and clothes, is women’s panties and destroy it without looking. I know people have to try anything at this point, and I can’t fault activists for trying something new. I guess they have nothing to lose.
So, women, if you’ve got some spare used panties you just don’t know what to do with, you now have a plan.