Letters to the Editor
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coming first
women have every right to come first, or repeatedly, but it's best for everyone when we come together. John and Yoko could have told ya that. But Alias Smith and Jive weren't born yet. Amazing how they already know everything. Just ask 'em. The only defensible moral position, politically, socially, or economically, is egalitarian. Biologically, it's just plain stupid. Go to a preschool playground and watch for a while, or some youth soccer games. Different but equal is NOT the same as separate but equal. Y'all come now, hear?
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AKA Smith
That you do not see the racism in that statement is appalling. I guess everything has to be overt for you to grasp its meaning.
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@ AKA
First of all, it was a speech, so I'm not sure you can start parsing commas. Secondly, I was focussed on the fact that she so neatly lumped all of these things together. Fear of the black man, fear of the uppity educated. At the same time, she gave it the glimmer of legitimacy. It's okay to vote by race! It's okay to dismiss those pesky educated experts! Go with your gut, damn the facts! To suggest she chose that phrasing by accident is to belittle how intelligent we both know she is.
I really didn't have a problem with Clinton herself until recently. It seems as though she lost the thread. In the heat of the battle, she's forgotten that there is more to this than just the fight itself.
I suppose that one might decide that the massive shift of black voters to the Obama camp might smack of racism, but I watched as the Clintons, and in that case it was largely Bill, practically shoved them out the door with his comments. Should I also scream "agism" and "sexism" because of the older female demographic in Clinton's camp? In reality, if they'd managed to muzzle Bill, they would've retained a for greater %. At this point it seems as though Clinton has written off the black vote and is positioning herself with the Dixicrats in a last, final bid for votes.
Finally, I get the passion. I do. I feel for you and Show Me and the others who are so invested in Clinton, but I have to be honest with you, you have to stop talking down to the younger generation of feminists. You're losing them. While there are some young women out there who are truly clueless, you are dumping your vitriol on women who ARE feminists, and see the problems. You are cutting them out because they don't see it exactly your way.
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Kate, Still Stupid After All These Posts
Do you friggin' cook, Katie? Beef doesn't have a popup timer. Usually, turkeys like you and billary. She's not a side of anything. She's a bright woman who got her ass handed to her. Your opinion is as worthless as the aforementioned popup timer, mindless and plastic. No real cook uses that crap. I've been the family cook for 35 years, so stick that up your feminist pipe.
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AKA I think you have a real humaity problem
You can overlook the point about language hypocrisy if you want but to pretend bitch and the n-word are the same thing is just bat-shit crazy. I'm not saying you can't use that word- I'm saying I don't - but I don't advocate word policing.
If you think battering, raping and otherwise abusing women represents men's 'interests' again, that is bat-shit crazy. It's not about interests, its about criminal behavior.
Yes, I know, it took society a long time to change attitudes and for some very basic things as these to be ackowledged as crimes - or crimes against a person an not property. But we're not there any more - we have arrived at least in the sense that all of those things are recognized as wrong. Do they still happen, yes, all too often! Maybe if we did worry about protecting men from crime and violence we could end that cycle...
Again, if you want to denigrate me with misogynistic words, I can't, won't and wouldn't try to stop you. I'll just continue to point out that that betrays your chauvinism- putting me in my place because I'm the wrong kind of woman, the wrong kind of feminist.
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Correction to headline of previous post ‘humanity’ problem
doh
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@ TRenee
Sorry, but I reject womanism as the most empowering form of feminism.
Whose feminist movement?
Women's feminist movement. Black women may accept or reject it. However, I still think this is the movement for women that will apply the most powerful corrective to historic injustices against women.
The above statement perfectly illustrates the schism, and later split, between black feminism and white feminism; it also illustrates differences, to some extent, in second wave and third wave feminism.
Yes, I realize this. There is disagreement.
Black feminists and third wavers don't consider themselves the winners of the oppression sweepstakes; we realize other people, matter race, gender or class, suffer from discrimination for EXACTLY the same reasons we do.
No, not exactly the same reasons. There is a difference that cannot be ignored.
ALL OF IT comes from the same place and we must fight for people equally.
In the sense that all oppression is an abuse of power there is similarity. Is this what you mean? Please be more specific.
That's why it's important, for example, to consider Hillary Clinton's privilege when we talk about issues of sexism.
Why? You can argue privilege to Clinton when you talk about racism. However, Obama enjoys the privilege of being male.
I know this is like beating a dead horse with you, but I truly want for you to "get" what I'm saying. How does Hillary's race and class work in her favor? How might a DIFFERENT woman be treated.
By that, do you mean a black woman? A black woman would have it much harder because of racial prejudice as well as being disadvantaged because of sexism and misogyny.
What is bad is that society normalizes this sort of language. Sexism makes it possible to normalize that sort of language in the first place, just as sexism made it possible for Hillary Clinton to be attacked for her husband's infidelities. Sexism against Hillary is longstanding and is a product of putting men first and excusing men for fulfilling what some men like to claim are their irresistible sexual needs.
You should check out the book "Black Feminist Thought." First book I read many years ago about black feminism. Really, I'm serious. You might enjoy it.
Thanks. I might do that.
EQUAL RIGHTS FOR ALL!
Nice slogan, but implies that people with power won't have to surrender some of their privileges. You gotta pie, someone's going to want a bigger slice. The guy who has always gotten a bigger slice is going to complain if he has to take an equal amount.
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@ BryanS from 2:50
Thanks- and sorry- didn't mean to ignore that.
I don't know enough of where you're coming to know if I need to reject or renouce you- but sticking with what you said I totally agree :)
I am dismayed by fundamentalist anything. Now, radical, that's a different thing- I think it can be fine to be outside the mainstream- all of the various human rights causes were at one time. But to think any group or idea should be held above another or a theory is more important than any person's life- well, count me out.