POST # 3: IN HONOR or MEMORY

I would like to take a moment here at the very beginning to honor some of the millions of people who have suffered and/or died due to religious-inspired stupidity and bigotry.  The list that follows includes mostly women, whom I highlight as the traditional target of religious persecution.  Clearly, the three Abrahamic religions were invented by Men.

Though it goes without saying, the list below is FAAAAR from an exhaustive catalog of those persecuted and/or killed in the name of superstitious nonsense.  I hope to make updates to this list a regular feature of this blog.

Episode 1: The Salem Witch Trials, 1692

Hanged on June 10
Bridget Bishop, Salem

Hanged on July 19
Sarah Good, Salem Village
Rebecca Nurse, Salem Village
Susannah Martin, Amesbury
Elizabeth How, Ipswich
Sarah Wilds, Topsfield

Hanged on August 19
George Burroughs, Wells, Maine
John Proctor, Salem Village
John Willard, Salem Village
George Jacobs, Sr., Salem Town
Martha Carrier, Andover

September 19
Giles Corey, Salem Farms (pressed to death)

Hanged on September 22
Martha Corey, Salem Farms
Mary Eastey, Topsfield
Alice Parker, Salem Town
Ann Pudeator, Salem Town
Margaret Scott, Rowley
Wilmot Reed, Marblehead
Samuel Wardwell, Andover
Mary Parker, Andover

Other accused witches that were not hanged, but died in prison:
Sarah Osborne, Salem Village
Roger Toothaker, Billerica
Lyndia Dustin, Reading
Ann Foster, Andover

For a much more comprehensive list of victims, including many who escaped, were acquitted, etc., go to Wikipedia at this link.


Episode 2:   Recent victims of religious persecution

• Alia Al-Mahdi (nude Egyptian blogger)
• Sila Sahin (Turkish Playboy model)
• Lama Al-Ghamdi (5 year old girl raped and murdered by her Saudi cleric father)
• Malala Yousafzai (Pakistani girl shot by Taliban)
• Amina Tyler (topless protester in Tunisia who provoked the ire of Islamists when she posted pictures of herself online with the words “My body belongs to me, it doesn’t represent anyone’s honour,” and “F*** your morals” emblazoned across her bare breasts.)
• Asmaa Mahfouz (Egyptian video blogger, helped spark revolution)
• FEMEN (international women's rights group)
• Pragaash (all girl rock group in Kashmir, disbanded after fatwa declared)