OK you guys, I promise to drop this subject, but remain puzzled. As a
scientist (believe it or not) Environmental Health Specialist and biologist, I
am accustomed to being able to locate problems, study them, name them, and
proceed. If I take water samples and find some have high contamination or
read the results of someone else's study, I can feel free to say: We have
more contamination at sites #4, #5, and #8 than at all other sites and need to
deal with this issue. No one throws the label "labrys wielding feminist" at
me, or suggests I am blaming anyone. It is understood that (a.) I am a
professional and (b.) I am pointing out a problem, not creating it. It is also
understood that one's gender has nothing to do with the issue. So what gives
with this? Why can't I bring up results of studies about violence without
having you jump down my throat as a divisionist feminist????? Excuse me, and
a thousand apologies if I am wrong, but it sure looks here as though any real
discussion of this problem was completely diverted by you-all throwing your
arms in the air, howling "Don't blame me, blame her, she's a mean man-hating
feminist!"
This has been quite an experience. It has made me increasingly concerned
about our ability to solve any problems associated with the current definition
of masculinity, if any woman who brings the message is stereotyped as some
kind of nonprofessional split-off family destroying harridan.
Chris, as much as I am charmed by the idea of us making love with the nice
guys...I think the problem of violence in our Country is going to take
thought, political action and community effort. The idea of all those nice
babies is tempting...but, we are already moving towards seven BILLION people
on this planet. I can't help but think that what EcoFem's need to use is our
brains. Love ya, Madrone.
