Letters to the Editor
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I WILL BE THE FIRST TO SAY
that anyone, ANYONE(!!), who makes threats of physical violence against anyone else, regardless of the gender of the two people, should be taken to task for their threat. Whether this means deleting the posting, citing the offender, or reporting him or her to the police, I cannot answer. This also counts for ad hominem attacks, insults, namecalling.
Having said that, I have long considered Salon to be a cool place on the internet. Being centrist libertarian, socially liberal and fiscally conservative, I appreciate that Salon has a range of articles that appeal to my own interests. More importantly, I like the libertarian attitude that everyone is open to posting responses to articles. I can tell you there is nothing more boring and antiAmerican than going to some site where only fawning comments are left and all others deleted. It is phony and it is not in the spirit of open exchange of ideas that is the American community and the basis for how our country amd culture was set up. If Salon wants to become a sycophantic puff piece place, fine, I can live with it, but my vote would be to continue Salon the way it is now, while at least curbing the genuine violent and ad hominem commentary.
Having said that, as the child of the curious East Coast brand of liberal feminism, I have always been well aware of what women desire out of society, how they expect to be treated, etc. I have not had problems with this. I believe women should get equal treatment under the law and in the court of public opinion. Where I began to differ years ago was on one key point, that the 'facts' about society as described by feminists do not match the reality. Sure some men have it easy, usually by being either filthy rich or by being in key positions in politics or industry. Most men are not in either of these positions. Where more men today are looking and questioning is the unquestioned assumptions made about them and their roles and the hidden side of female power, the side that has been kept from the discourse by feminists, the side that states that women have many privileges available only to them that they can freely wield against men. The next decades are about society, men and women, tearing down the old inaccurate feminist constructs and recasting gender and society in hopefully a more accurate model. It is my opinion, but I think many would agree with it.
I am glad I have only been referred to by name in one letter out of 44 pages. I know this is not because I do not supposedly fit into the category of people under question, but because people want to ignore me because I am a supposed troll (what is it about namecalling I mention?).
I have always been careful to post hopefully informative comments about my personal feelings and experiences and thoughts, thoughts that run counter to the general flow of Salon. Some men even agree with me. We all get slammed with insults, namecalling, ad homimen attacks. Everything but meaningful TRUTHFUL, open minded counter arguiments. Anyway, I have gone to great lengths to avoid making ad hominem attacks, threats of any sort, namecalling, etc. This is to be expected, my ideas are not yet mainstream and there is much opposition amongst the intellgentsia to any man having an opinion that does not regurgitate current feminist pc ideology.
But I do dare say my ideas are what is coming as more and more people try to recast and reinvent gender relations in a more positive light. One where the two sexes are truly talking, both feel empowered to express themselves, and there is understanding and communication and hopefully a will to address and fix each other's problems. We are not even close to there, and from the typical narrow minded horrid response I get on Salon, I suspect we never will have a better society, where both genders feel their concerns are adequately addressed. It would be nice if America was a place where men are also asked their TRUE opinion rather than just being forced to take on the mantle of responsibility that feminists want them to take on WITHOUT COMPLAINT, as happpens today among thinking men (as opposed to among conservative neanderthals).
Anyway, this is rambling and maybe I will think some more and cull this down eventually into another post.
But I am glad Joan Walsh is addressing this issue, particularly because I do think it would serve the site and community to consider the difference between what is insulting and violently threatening and what is merely intellectually repulsive or offensive because it is a novel or provocative or unconventional thought.
I dare say, if Salon were to only post letters that are polite, pc and agreeable to everyone who reads them, readership will fall, Salon will lose a lot of credibility in the community of ideas, and the fascinating, interesting thing that is the libertine, free internet will be so much poorer for it.
In summary, cite and call out into the open those who would threaten violence or make silly baseless attacks or namecall, but PLEASE do not turn against freethinkers and provocateurs like me who are merely trying to make people respond to mem with meaningful SUBSTANTIVE discussion and counterargument.
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Thank you for this
Thank you from a young woman who is constantly grappling with how to deal with misogyny. Your honesty about the process you go through- wanting to be strong but not wanting it to go un noticed- makes me feel less alone about it.
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why all the back talk on the web?
just a hypothesis. for *ever* men have put up with bossy grandmothers and know it all mothers. for the past half century there've been disapproving female schoolteachers. nowadays there's often a female boss who doesn't seem to measure her speech. startrek even has its janeway. this is all too much for some men. add to this an inequitable society where most have a *lot* of trouble with money (as an earlier poster, a woman i believe, mentioned "class" was an important unmentioned factor). the "modern generation" has a mean sense of humor where making fun of others is cool. the web also has this edge. it's refreshing. too much nicey nice is sickening.