Wow! I got majorly flamed!!
I am writing with dismay prompted by Dancing Hummingbird's mis-reading of
my recent post. In no way am I attempting to "censor" or "shun" anyone
from within or without the ecofeminist movement, nor do any of the
language or ideas expressed in post about my feelings re: the earth as mother
suggest such.
In response to my post which is copied to the bottom of this document,
On Sun, 12 Mar 1995, Dancing Hummingbird /aka Joy Williams wrote:
> >
That is your choice, Amanda. But don't try to censor those of us who see
> it in a different way. Just because you don't understand this, does not
> invalidate it, nor does it mean that feminists should eschew it.
This post seems to me to be extremely defensive. I am not interested in
censoring anyone, I am not invalidating any opinions, and I do not think
that feminists should eschew anyone's perspective. I speak for myself only,
and you will note in my post, NEVER say what anyone "should" or "shouldn't"
believe or practice, as Dancing Hummingbird suggests. Further, my belief in
the ideological problems with viewing the earth as a female mother in need of
protection DO NOT stem from a lack of understanding, as the condescending
tone here suggests; instead, I believe that Dancing Hummingbird is
actually invalidating my beliefs by insinuating that I have not yet gained
the comprehension necessary to embrace her ideas.
> Whether you feel that the Earth is a living breathing organism that gives
> birth to life, (which is the definition of mother, by the way), or that's
> it's just a cold dead rock in the middle of space which just happened to
> accidently be a spot where life happened, is up to you. However, to say
> that ecofeminists as a movement should avoid this concept, should avoid
> calling the Earth "Mother" is essentially for those of us who resonate
> with this aspect of evolution and natural science, for those of us who
> are amazed by Her glorious being, telling us that we shouldn't practice
> our beliefs, that we should be censored and shunned by the eco-feminist
> "society."
>
How exactly am I shunning anyone? And what is "eco-feminist society"??
I believe that there is not only room for diversity within
the ecofeminist movement, but that such diversity is essential and the
basis for ecofeminism. In NO way am I attempting to "censor" anyone, nor
do I believe that I don't understand and consequently invalidate
alternative belief systems.
> It seems to me that the moment you do this is the moment when certain
> people in the eco-feminist movement forget that some of the major movers
> in the Black civil rights movement were religious people, who were
> motivated to resist due to their strong belief in their faith. SHould
> the blacks have told them to "be quiet" as well?
As well as what? I never even suggest that ecofeminists should "be
quiet," and I am insulted by the insinuation that simply because my view
of the earth differs from Dancing Hummingbird's that I would not be in
support of the Civil Rights movement.
> Or were they valid only
> because they are a majority faith, (Xtian), while we who are a minority,
> who while fighting to save our Mother will seemingly have to also fight
> against religious discrimination by those whom we ostensibly share the
> same goals?
>
> Are you saying that we shouldn't stir up the pot too much?
>
I am certainly not part of a majority faith, nor am I a stranger to
religious discrimination; in fact, I have felt such discrimination on
this list based on my materialist beliefs.
As stated in my original post, I strongly support and participate in
radical activism and actions; however, I would posit the fact that racism
and sexism and environmental destruction flourish today is because we have
not "stirred up the pot" enough! We need to challenge the theoretical
and ideological underpinnings of oppressions.
>
> There is strength in diversity.....weakness in monotony. I have no
> problem with having aetheists in the fight with me, whatever makes them
> tick, (though I can't imagine looking at the glory of the creation and
> not feeling a connection to it, not feeling that there is a greater
> intelligence than mine at work here, but that is my own difficulty), as
> long as no one tells me that:
> "We shouldn't call the Earth "mother" because that might create problems"
> "We should be careful if we do rituals because people might think we were
> Pagans or Witches" or
> "We shouldn't mix the spiritual and the political"
I certainly never implied that I would not want to be associated with
Pagans and Witches, and if some ecofeminists want to mix the spiritual and
political, that's great - I support whatever sparks people into direct action.
However, that doesn't mean I can't question the ideological bases for
such action as well as trying to come up with a cogent analysis of unity
within the ecofeminist movement. I don't think that we should just
"fight" together; I think we should move deeper to look at why we are in
the mess (from an ecofeminist perspective) to begin with!
> Don't silence those of us who find value in bringing the spiritual into
> our reasons for our motivations and our struggle and our speech.
>
> You know, if you don't like it you can't have any, but don't censor or
> call into question why some of us are motivated to do what we do. Just
> because you might not grok it, doesn't mean it isn't valid and doesn't
> have a place in the greater picture.
I know that this is redundant, but so are these false attacks against
me.
For anyone who is still reading this long post, I thought I had better
copy my original post for anyone who wanted to interpret what I was
talking about for themselves.
-amanda
____________________________________________________________
I just wanted to express my feelings on the popular sentiment of many on
this list of the earth as mother. As an ecofeminist, I find this
sentiment counter-productive to the utopian world-view I am working
toward. I think that the representation of a female earth aggravates
masculine/feminine dualisms and gender roles that I would rather not
uphold. Similarly, I find that while I strongly support that radical
actions of groups such as Earth First!, I question their motives. I often
feel that the ideological basis of various spiritualities and organizations
(such as Earth First!) uphold the victimizing ideas that females must be
protected and fought for (most often by "gallant" men). For example,
Dancing Hummingbird recently wrote:
> And our religion, for most of us is the key to our
> motivation for healing the Earth, for fighting for Her, for DYING for Her.
> And I know quite a few people, in this life time, with EarthFirst! and
> other organizations who have come close to that....and THEY KEEP ON
> GOING, just like the bunny. Fearlessly, because they know what the
> spirit of the Redwood grove is, they know what we are going to lose if we
> keep raping our Mother.
I just don't believe that inspiring such an alternative ecofeminist ethic is
going to incorporate the _feminist_ aspects of this ideology (ecofem) if we
continue to martyr sacrifices to the patriarchal capitalist governments
in the us (for example) as saving the ideal women (the earth).
Personally, I am interested in stopping the degradation of the
environment because of a sense of social responsibility, as well as out of
respect for the power of the earth, but _not_ because I see the earth
gendered as female or as personified.
-amanda
_________________________________________________________
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sun Mar 12 17:18:04 MST 1995
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 1995 16:17:21 -0800 (PST)
From: Dancing Hummingbird /aka Joy Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sender: Dancing Hummingbird /aka Joy Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: Dancing Hummingbird /aka Joy Williams <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: the earth as mother
To: Swarr Amanda Lock <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
In-Reply-To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
All right, I overeracted and for that I'm sorry, but you did say:
As an ecofeminist, I find this
sentiment counter-productive to the utopian world-view I am working
toward. I think that the representation of a female earth aggravates
masculine/feminine dualisms and gender roles that I would rather not
uphold.
This is what tripped my button, (and I was already hot
Joy Williams
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scion in the Church of All Worlds
"The Garrulous Grok Flok"
Thou Art Goddess!
