(no subject)

[threeplusfire]

Reading through the internet in the wake of the insanity yesterday, I've found myself frequently upset to the point of incandescent rage by many of the comments I've seen. Most of those comments happen to be from men. As someone who has spent most of my life "running with the boys," it is so disheartening.

A comment I read this morning:

"Except that espousing violence or the suggestion of violence in the face of what amounts to nothing more than irritation or uncomfortableness (sic) is more morally contemptible than anything these socially-retarded boob-honkers could come up with." Shades of the 19th century, when women were deemed to be such fragile moral creatures that they shouldn't be allowed outside the house.

Now. I understand the argument of turning the other cheek, or being the better person. But I find it repulsive to suggest that self defense is viewed in the same light as gratuitous violence. That's fucking bullshit. I also find the idea that this sort of behavior is dismissed as something that results in nothing more than "irritation." Again, fucking bullshit.

I am so angry about this attitude, and permutations of it, that I can barely stand to form a coherent response.

It took until 5:30am to fall asleep. My head is pounding and my throat hurts.

Comments

[sammka.livejournal.com]

OMGWTF. Knuckle sandwich = completely appropriate here.

[meallanmouse.livejournal.com]

I concur. Oh, do I concur. It's why I said it in the first place, and why I stand by the statement.

(And were my husband present, I'd be doing any idiot having tried or done this a favor of epic proportions. But I digress.)

[sammka.livejournal.com]

Really you're doing them a favor whether or not your husband is present. Some people really need to be punched, and I am saying this as a Quaker. A little punching in response to objectively bad behavior never seriously hurt anyone, at least if it's by someone who's not in much of a position to seriously harm the punchee or make them reasonably afraid for their safety, and someone who's not in a group that has a history of violently dominating the punchee's group.

[meallanmouse.livejournal.com]

See - you make sense. And your corollaries make sense as well. So, yes. This equation works for me.

I sometimes wish for people who insist on speaking for women (not all men - never that - just those who think they know better and then brush away the realities many/all women are faced with in all societies in light of what they know is better ) could be stuffed in a woman's body, a small, physically non-imposing woman, and be made to live what life is like in such a setting, for a year or so. To learn what it means to not have the inherent safety which is predominantly active for a (white) male. (The white is in parenthesis, because there's also color/religion/sexual orientation that are factors, but that's like, ten posts or a study and a book, and this isn't where it's gonna happen nor am I qualified to go that deep into it).

Then I remember how unusual and cruel it would be, to rip away someone's sense of safety that way because I would never ever wish that feeling on anyone else. Because I hate feeling like that and I've not even seen the worse of it, not even close.

[sammka.livejournal.com]

So true.

who says WoW isn't useful

[tsarina.livejournal.com]

< random jerk >: *attempts to inappropriately swipe*

< Firewillow >: *stunlocks*

< Riverwolf >: *unleashes hungry pet and arrows*

I just have this mental image of epic PVP if something like this happened in your life. It is perhaps the most humorous thought I've had all day. :P

I really should have an ice lance....

Re: who says WoW isn&#39;t useful

[meallanmouse.livejournal.com]

I adore you.

:: still laughing like a loon at work desk ::