Al wrote:
> Mary:
> Okay, now we're getting to the nub of it. I fully agree, women
> have been treated like dirt for thousands of years, and have a
> right to be mad as hell. And some of us males will actually help
> you change things. (Other males are mad as hell about reverse
> discrimination caused by Affirmative Action, and they have a right
> to be since they aren't responsible for what went before. There
> are many victims of the patriarchal system.)
>
> My fear is that all the hostility (good God, look at it all on the
> Internet!) will not make things better. Be mad at the control
> freaks; but don't be mad at men who are trying to help. Whether
> biological or cultural, women in fact do have peaceful qualities
> lacking in many men. Please don't flame this - the nature/nurture
> argument is germaine and an important issue, but don't let it slow
> down the effort to end the patriarchal system. If those of us who
> agree on ending oppression just fight amongst ourselves, the
> oppressors win.
>
> People throughout government and industry and society yearn for
> change. How can we stop arguing about where nurturing, and
> partnership, and other needed qualites came from and get them into
> the system? Many men are sincerely trying to change their views,
> and aren't plotting to keep women down. (Other men, not so.) Can
> you identify your allies and stop attacking so vehemently every
> time they say the wrong thing?
> Al
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "We must love each other, or we must die."
Sorry Al, but it's posts like this that make me want to unsubscribe
from the ecofem list. I appreciate the fact that you want to be an
allie in ending the oppression of women but statements such as this,
> (Other males are mad as hell about reverse
> discrimination caused by Affirmative Action, and they have a right
> to be since they aren't responsible for what went before.
show a strong ingnorance of basic feminism. How do you _know_ that
men are reversely discriminated? Did Rush Limbaugh tell you that?
There have been studies that conclude that this is a rare phenomenon
and your statement is only perpetuating a myth that actually harms
our cause.
I don't expect everyone on this list to be versed in feminist thought,
nor do I expect that we'll agree on everything. But, this is the ecoFeminism
list and feminism should be a given. I personally don't want to continually
educate people on this list about the fact that women are oppressed.
I know that there are many people on the list who sit back and read the
discussions. Perhaps they're here to learn and just want to "listen". I'm
not suggesting that you stop "talking" on the list but, I think that if you
really want to to be an allie (hopefully you want to be an ecofeminist), that
you "listen" to the other women and men on this list. It would also be
helpful to read some books or articles.
Someone on the listed requested a discussion of Val Plumwood's work. I'd
love to see this discussion, her work is cutting edge in my opinion. But,
I only have so much time and when I see remarks such as yours, that perpetuate
myths, I'm so angered that I have to respond. You said, "Be mad at the control
freaks; but don't be mad at men who are trying to help." I have to get
mad when men say dumb things, even nice men who are trying to help. If men
really want to help, they must be willing to listen to our anger.
Sincerely,
Shawn
