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[threeplusfire]

Some of you will say you know this. But this goes further than just knowing. it's not just about saying "Oh, I know this!". It's about DOING. It's about lifestyle. It's about every day words and actions. It's about changing the world we live in, one word at a time, one action at a time. Over and over and over again, until it sticks.

http://meallanmouse.livejournal.com/1043361.html

Yes. For heaven's sake, live what you talk.

Comments

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

How do you feel about people who declare that all lawyers are scum, and run about tossing that well known quote about killing all of the lawyers, and then watching the news - seeing scumbag lawyers lying cheating and stealing while you are doing the right thing by yourself and your profession.

Kinda hurts, eh?

Not really, actually. My head may not work the same way yours does, or maybe I'm just not very self-absorbed or prone to wankery. Or I have sufficient self-esteem that I don't crave "recognition" from all and sundry; regardless, it's not all about me.

And as for manipulation, a hypothetical Russian judge would give you a 9.9 on artistic merit for this thread, which can be summarized as follows:

delchi equates his angst and suffering at non-existent "male hatred" to being sexually assaulted or harassed (which really deserves no further comment).

Everybody else: [you know, that's not cool].

delchi: [specialness, personal suffering, see what a wonderful person I am and if only you'd all recognize this...]

Everybody else: [Awww... *pets*]

I will give you this; even if you're actually in denial over it, you're pretty darn good at manipulating people. Not that good, mind you, but really, you've done a pretty good job at figure-skating away from your original repulsive comment. Go back and try to read the thread objectively, from the point of view of somebody who isn't inside your head (assuming that you're able to do so, of course); it'll be an interesting exercise.

But, since your ability to manipulate really isn't enough to distract me from your original comment, let me ask you this: how did you manage to get the impression that the meallanmouse post was "soaked in male hate"? As a man, I read that and acknowledge that it's a sensitive issue, that the OP has a valid point, and that sadly, although I am not one of them, there are guys who need to be sensitized to this issue. And most importantly, that the essay was not about my ego and feelings, but rather the need to speak out against misogny and abuse.

In that context, airing any imaginary slights to one's manhood would be contemptible, especially given the even tone of the post. The insensitivity, self-centeredness, arrogance, and Hindenburgesquely overinflated and flammable senses of privilege and entitlement required to take offence at it is are just plain gobsmacking.

And then there's "Seriously, as a male after reading this I feel dirty for being male - and that's just as wrong as the wrongs that are described against women".

Let's take your allegations of your own specialness and wonderfulness as read. You've made all sorts of claims about how great a guy you are, they're in the record for all to see, and there is no need to repeat them for my benefit. Answer me this: as a victim of sexual assault yourself, or so you claim, how can you seriously state that the miniscule affront to your sense of self-worth as a man the linked post caused is "just as wrong" as rape, sexual harassment, or spousal violence? How can you possibly take yourself so seriously as to say that?

How could a sensitive, caring, decent individual make such a morally imbecilic statement?

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

Seriously, as a male after reading this I feel dirty for being male - and that's just as wrong as the wrongs that are described against women.

That's from your first comment. The very first comment in the thread. Before I or anybody else showed up and took issue with it. And it goes contra to your statement:

"Just to clear up something else, I have no male pride."

If you don't have any male pride, how could the linked post make you "feel dirty for being male".

Your subsequent raising of your schoolyard beating strikes me as being intended solely to distract your readers and elicit sympathy. It's a classic technique. If you did have the degree of understanding and empathy on the issue at hand that you claim to have, you wouldn't have written that statement, or, if you'd done so inadvertently, you would have realized that what you'd written was spectacularly offensive and retracted or apologized, instead of doing what you did.

Again, rephrased to negate your evasion: how is the miniscule offense to whatever sensibility caused you to first comment "just as wrong" as rape, sexual harassment, or spousal abuse? How is being made to "feel dirty as a male" "just as wrong as" being raped, harassed, or beaten?

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't suppose I should have expected anything better from you.

To my mind, and the law, there's a world of difference between expressing a bigoted opinion and actual harassment or abuse. It does not take moral genius to tell that actual abuse is far worse than being a bigot; there's a clear difference between prejudice and violence. And finding imaginary prejudice "just as wrong as" violence against women? It takes a certain special lack of moral perspective to do that.

Have I made myself perfectly clear as to what I think about your original thoughts on the matter, and how I remain unconvinced and unimpressed by your subsequent attempts at self-serving justification?

[moljn.livejournal.com]

Well, good to see you finally stand by your original comment, after being quoted it again and again. It's still a vile opinion, though, especially considering you'd have to squint a heck of a lot to call the original post prejudiced.

[lizkayl.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you see me as a sell out who is easily manipulated. I was linked here from a post whose purpose was to encourage men and women to share stories of men and women who have stepped up and done something- so we could recognize them for there actions and so that they could demonstrate for the unaware how to do it right and was still in that mindset. I've also noticed that cutting out every dissenting voice shuts down conversations and turns everyone into "yes-persons".

I agree that the original post didn't seem to me to be anti-male; just telling humanity to step up and quit disappointing us.

The major wrongs described against women does not negate his discomfort. But, his discomfort is not the point of this post. I thought the point of this post was to encourage people to "live what they talk"?

[fearsclave.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't call you a "sell-out". I think that I've made myself abundantly clear as to what I think of delchi, though, and quite frankly, I think that he's done a good job of diverting everybody's attention from his original statement. But you're an adult, and I'm not going to presume to dictate opinions to you.