>>No Miriam, its not just you. Wood Lee's 'patience' can work for him, no
one is keeping him down because of his gender. When he says that women
should just work hard and be patient I'm wondering how many more
centuries of patience does he think it will take until men recognize the
deserving,hard-working, patient women?
>> I'm reminded of a critique Fredrick Douglass had against Booker T.
Washington. Washington said that the slave just needs to be quiet, work hard
and be god-fearing,. Eventually the white man would recognize his good
qualities and free him. Douglass said (to liberally
paraphrase);"Bullshit. I am a man, not an animal and have the right to be
free NOW. I don't have to show anyone that I am not a slave! I demand my
rights now'! He also felt (much like Malcom X that freedom must be
attained by any means necessary). There are many apologist's for the
ruling elite that would just have us be patient and learn to be more like
them. Sopporting that attitude supports the oppression. I myself do not
believe that the victim should have to learn to be more like their
oppressors to eventually be able to attain their due rights. There should
be no patience for bigotry,gender-income gaps, etc. These attitudes are
literally killing people...how many more centuries of patience do you
think is necessary Wood? [EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Is it just me that feels that there is still a patronising element to the
> following remarks? I wonder if Wood goes and tells the men what they 'have
> to' do, and what their 'real work' is?
>
> miriam
>
> > ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
> > This is what I meant by futher complicating the problem. It may not
> > be a good way to put it, but I'm not `blaming the victim' here, as
> > some might have thought. As one netter already said, "It depends on
> > whether you want to get work done, or you just want to vent your
> > anger/frustration/..." (something to this effect). You may prove
> > (probably just to yourself since, as you point out, many of your
> > male colleagues probably can't hear you anyway) that you are as good
> > as them at `their game,' but are you `getting work done'? My guess
> > would be not since you have likely alienated yourself.
>
> > .. this is what gets the work done! And what I meant by helping your
> > male colleagues along. Of course opportunities do not always present
> > themselves readily. Like you said, it's no use just telling them in
> > their face that their style is no good. You have to be creative and
> > create/look for opportunities, be able to adapt like you do to take
> > advantage of opportunities. In the long run, the bridge building
> > will result in a different climate, one which may be more receptive
> > to different styles.
> >
> > This has nothing to do with `being the victim and then being told that
> > it's your fault also' and having to bend over backwards to improve
> > things. It's a matter of whether you want to fight fruitless battles
> > butting heads, or you want to do real work. The obstacle is
> > considerable (which is the case with almost any real problem I
> > know of) so the real work is hard and tiring, but I believe it's the
> > best way to get results, as slow as they may come by. It's always
> > the case that pioneers would sow the seeds so that the progeny may
> > harvest. Expecting `instant satisfaction' (relatively speaking)
> > would only result in disappointment. We are in effect talking about
> > raising the level of human conscience here, and that's a tall order.
> > I wouldn't take things like that for granted.
>
--
Michael Golden
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Department of Biology
Grossmont College
8800 Grossmont College Drive
El Cajon, CA 92020
619-465-1700 x332
