I'm an atheist, in Dallas, not Portland. I'm also an anarchist, specifically an anarcho-syndicalist. By the way, "libertarian socialism" is not an oxymoron. That describes anarchism, and indeed the entire spectrum of the anti-authoritarian Left (democratic socialism, council communism, anarchism, et cetera.)

Why should we respect superstition? Why should religion get a free pass? I agree with Sam Harris's "conversational intolerance." If something is scientifically/archeologically/historically/logically incorrect, we should say so, relentlessly, *especially* if it's regarded as some kind of religious/spiritual truism. The nonsense in any and all religions should be mocked and ridiculed (cleverly) at every opportunity, to demonstrate their inherent pointlessness.

You use the "argument from religious experience" as evidence for the existence of your God. That's subjective. It isn't evidence. This is also part of the "God of the gaps" fallacy. Because you don't have an explanation at hand for these phenomena, you're inventing one.

Regarding the original article: There's a simple answer to this: Anti-Prom!! Nobody spends much money. There are lots of leather, spikes, color, boots, et cetera. It's held at wherever the local bands play all-ages shows, or any place that will do in a pinch. Lots of ska-punk and other good music. People dance, people party, people have a good time, with no pressure. Come alone, you won't be lonely.

Don't blame various "cultural elitist" targets for this kind of thing. You should know perfectly well that, say, Ani DiFranco and Britney Spears seldom had an overlapping audience. The people who give and take Women's Studies courses aren't big fans of Bratz trash.

For the millionth time: is it really that hard to see that a great many American women reject the Madonna/Whore dichotomy? Even if you never watch TV or get online, just walk around town/campus/wherever!

Smallfox, you're quite right. Does anybody have any idea on how to convince people that the world isn't more dangerous?

Maddog, earlier you mentioned the racial disparity in discipline cases. I've read mentions of that before, but I've never read an exlanation. I don't quite understand it. Could you elaborate?

Do you understand that all American women aren't the way you depict? They aren't all humanoid Bratz. Go to an indie-rock show, or an independent film, or the area around a high-quality university, et cetera.

Cool chicks reject all of the girly, trashy stuff we're talking about here. I would understand if you were writing from the "Third World" (an outdated term, and, interestingly, you don't specify where you're talking about) and thought that all Western women were Britney Spears. You aren't, you've clearly lived here for a long while, and yet this image persists. Lots of American women (not enough) are closer to Regina Spektor than Britney Spears. That's the way to combat this sort of thing: present a positive alternative, not a regressive, prudish reaction.

Heil Hitler?

It would stand to reason, based on your letter. It's just a matter of time before Anti-Racist Action puts a crowbar (or something similar) into your face. We don't believe in ignoring people like you or holding "diversity rallies" on the other side of town. No.

1) We go where they go: Whenever fascists are organizing or active in public, we're there. We don't believe in ignoring them or staying away from them. Never let the nazis have the street!

2) We don't rely on the cops or courts to do our work for us: This doesn't mean we never go to court. But we must rely on ourselves to protect ourselves and stop the fascists.

3) Non-Sectarian defense of other Anti-Fascists: In ARA, we have lots of different groups and individuals. We don't agree about everything and we have a right to differ openly. But in this movement an attack on one is an attack on us all. We stand behind each other.

4) We support abortion rights and reproductive freedom. ARA intends to do the hard work necessary to build a broad, strong movement against racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, homophobia, discrimination against the disabled, the oldest, the youngest and the most oppressed people. We want a classless society. WE INTEND TO WIN!

(A)

People lie in sex surveys. More data is needed.

Everybody here seems to agree on this. Nobody says they agree with the sexualization of children. So who's buying it? Who participates? How does it keep happening? That's the bigger question, and the bigger problem.

Do you ever go to the mall and feel really out of place?

It's all a bit like what New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael said about Nixon. She was convinced he couldn't really be the winner, since nobody she knew voted for him.