Carol,
Thank you for forwarding this message. It is, indeed, a sobering
eye-opener. However, I think we should remind ourselves that the right
does not have a lock on hate speech... Before everyone jumps on me about
this, I just want to say that I remember during the anti-war movement how
utterly hate-filled some of the rhetoric from the left was. While I
personally found it repugnant and totally at odds with what I stood
for... there was no denying that the speech and actions of people who
in theory shared my political beliefs were dangerous, hateful, and
despicable. Nor can it be denied that they led to acts of violence,
including bombings and other terrorist activities.
The question (IMHO) is not why "leaders" engage in hate speech -- the
rewards of fame and power are obvious -- but why average people find this
kind of speech appealing and compelling. I think the answer is fear...
Fear of changes that in our hearts (and in their hearts too, I think) we
know are necessary. Fear of loss of control over one's life. Fear that
the systems have gotten so large that they will swallow us up and never
miss us.
A while back someone (Shawn, I think) wrote very movingly of the need for
environmentalists to recognize the difficulties facing working people in
this country and to make common cause with them... Perhaps we should
think more seriously about this.
Perhaps we should also reexamine some of the rhetoric coming
from our own "side". I am thinking about things such as references to
"tree genocide". Any reference to a genocide requires that someone/thing
take the part of the victims, but it also requires that someone be cast
in the role of Hitler, the SS, and the lowly recruits who were drafted
as guards in the death camps. A logger struggling to feed his family
cannot hear such references as anything other than hate filled, I would
think.
Jayne
On Sun, 14 May 1995, Carol Meeds wrote:
> > >SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON HATE SPEECH
> > >
> > >"Dear Dumbella: If there was any lingring (sic) doubt that the liberal
> > >mentality is a product of severe brain damage at birth with continued
> > >degeneration from there you certainly dispell (sic) those doubts...."
> > >
> > >Normally I wouldn't read further in a letter like that, much less subject you
> > >to it. Columnists get used to a continuous low flow of venomous feedback.
> > >Until the Oklahoma City bombing, I just chucked those letters out.
> > >
> > >Now I take far-right verbal bombshells (and occasional nonverbal ones)
> > >seriously, whether they're aimed at liberals, blacks, immigrants, women, Jews,
> > >the poor, homosexuals, the government in general, President and Mrs. Clinton in
> > >particular -- or people like me who speak for the environment. The hate-talk
> > >comes not just from nuts on the street, but from people with national
> > >microphones and political power. Since the bombing, many of them have been
> > >sweetening their tone a bit. But their hostility is still there, and their
> > >words are on record.
> > >
> > >Here's a small sample of anti-environmental hate-talk. I apologize to those of
> > >you who will find these words sickening or frightening, but it's better to
> > >shine the light on this stuff than to let it fester away, building up pressure
> > >in the darkness.
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue May 16 04:26:34 1995
Date: Mon, 15 May 95 07:19:03 EDT
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Carol Meeds)
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Carol Meeds)
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: [Fwd: FWD: meadows column 5/11/95 (fwd)]
On Mon, 15 May 1995 21:23:38 -0400 (EDT) you wrote:
>
>Carol,
>
>Thank you for forwarding this message. It is, indeed, a sobering
>eye-opener. However, I think we should remind ourselves that the right
>does not have a lock on hate speech... Before everyone jumps on me about
>
>The question (IMHO) is not why "leaders" engage in hate speech -- the
>rewards of fame and power are obvious -- but why average people find this
>kind of speech appealing and compelling. I think the answer is fear...
>Fear of changes that in our hearts (and in their hearts too, I think) we
>know are necessary. Fear of loss of control over one's life. Fear that
>the systems have gotten so large that they will swallow us up and never
>miss us.
>
I think the reason why people find this appealing is because it
resonates what is inside of them that they don't have the ability to
say. I know when i attend public meetings and someone from the
audience vervally blasts the power structure in front of the room,
they are typically congratulated afterwards with, "You tell them!"...
As to why it resonates, you may be right about fear. Fear of loss
and deprivation. Fear that there is not enough to go around. I think
that is what motivates me in my environmental work. It is fear that
there won't be those quite natural places to go to - or for my
childeren or children'schildren - No fish, no forest. No clean water
to swim in. Whenever some pollution source polutes the ground water
and the City/County provides "public drinking water", This state
thinks that is enough. I mourn for everone's right to have clean
water from the ground.
Carol Meeds
Jupiter, FL
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue May 16 09:27:08 1995
Date: Tue, 16 May 95 08:26:10 pst
From: "Jennifer Norris" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Moonflower Pads
Since I got a lot of requests today for this information, I figured I'd
post this to the entire list. (And yes Joy, I just started my menses
too! --although I think it has more to do with the fact that it's the
full moon, and that's when I start...)
Moonflower Pads
Pt 3 Box 560
Elgin, TX 78621
(512) 281-9539
or
1-800-MOONPAD
They have a brochure/order form that you can request.
Peace, and happy flowing,
Jennifer
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
