New York Times, Op Ed--Women at Risk

[bliss_eternal]

Op-Ed Columnist

Women at Risk

Published: August 7, 2009

“I actually look good. I dress good, am clean-shaven, bathe, touch of cologne — yet 30 million women rejected me,” wrote George Sodini in a blog that he kept while preparing for this week’s shooting in a Pennsylvania gym in which he killed three women, wounded nine others and then killed himself.

We’ve seen this tragic ritual so often that it has the feel of a formula. A guy is filled with a seething rage toward women and has easy access to guns. The result: mass slaughter.

Back in the fall of 2006, a fiend invaded an Amish schoolhouse in rural Pennsylvania, separated the girls from the boys, and then shot 10 of the girls, killing five.

-------snip---------

According to police accounts, Sodini walked into a dance-aerobics class of about 30 women who were being led by a pregnant instructor. He turned out the lights and opened fire. The instructor was among the wounded.

We have become so accustomed to living in a society saturated with misogyny that the barbaric treatment of women and girls has come to be more or less expected.

We profess to being shocked at one or another of these outlandish crimes, but the shock wears off quickly in an environment in which the rape, murder and humiliation of females is not only a staple of the news, but an important cornerstone of the nation’s entertainment.

-------snip----------


excerpts from:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/08/opinion/08herbert.html?_r=2&em

[bliss_eternal]

1. Wasn't aware of the information regarding

the Virginia Tech shooter:

Quote:

I was reminded of the Virginia Tech gunman, Seung-Hui Cho, who killed 32 people in a rampage at the university in 2007. While Cho shot males as well as females, he was reported to have previously stalked female classmates and to have leaned under tables to take inappropriate photos of women. A former roommate said Cho once claimed to have seen “promiscuity” when he looked into the eyes of a woman on campus.

Soon after the Virginia Tech slayings, I interviewed Dr. James Gilligan, who spent many years studying violence as a prison psychiatrist in Massachusetts and as a professor at Harvard and N.Y.U. “What I’ve concluded from decades of working with murderers and rapists and every kind of violent criminal,” he said, “is that an underlying factor that is virtually always present to one degree or another is a feeling that one has to prove one’s manhood, and that the way to do that, to gain the respect that has been lost, is to commit a violent act.”

:(

[ismnotwasm]

2. That is an incredible OP

Wow. I'm bookmarking that one

Patriarchy demands that males have constant sexual access to women. It's heterosexist as well as sexist, and we see how Gay human beings are treated or regarded--without me going into detail-- but it goes beyond sexual access doesn't it? Who owns who in the classic master/slave dialectic? Most folks don't understand misogyny, or they think they don't participate "I don't hate women" "I love women" "I get along better with women better than men"

I think it must be some sort of huge psychological step for the entitled male to see exactly what goes on around them, where the women hating is, since it *is* so pervasive, as the OP pointed out. When ever it's pointed out in less tragic circumstances, whether in language or fashion or the sex industry, one of the most automatic responses is charges of misandry,(or some sort of sexual dysfunction) which is irony personified IMO.


Who the fuck runs the entire goddam world, gender wise? Hint; It's not females. Rape as war crime is an expected outcome and seen as an isolated war crime rather than a symptom of societal sickness for example. I could say something about blood, or bleeding, the necessary shape of guns and war itself, but.. Naw.

Anyway, great article, thank you :yourock:

[bliss_eternal]

4. What a great point...!

Quote:
think it must be some sort of huge psychological step for the entitled male to see exactly what goes on around them, where the women hating is, since it *is* so pervasive, as the OP pointed out. When ever it's pointed out in less tragic circumstances, whether in language or fashion or the sex industry, one of the most automatic responses is charges of misandry,(or some sort of sexual dysfunction) which is irony personified IMO.

I wonder if making a women's studies course, mandatory, for males in school could help? If it was a required prerequisite to university study similar to foreign language?

Maybe something like this could start to chip away at some of the psychological armour. :shrug:
At the very least, it may help some of the dudes to reach a point of questioning the status quo--their inherent priviledge, entitlement, etc.

[femrap]

3. Great op-ed by

Herbert. This guy always hits the nail on the head. I've never understood why rape isn't classified as a Hate Crime.

Another horrid event was in Montreal...years ago. A male engineering student killed, I believe it was 14, women engineering students.

When a woman does the job of a man, this makes some men so distraught. They realize they're nothing special...after all a woman can do the job.

[bliss_eternal]

5. That sounds awful...

...the Montreal incident. :scared: If you know enough details to find an article about it, please share.

I only recently encountered Herbert's work and see what you mean. :thumbsup:

[noiretextatique]

6. Montreal Massacre

Case Study:
The Montréal Massacre

Summary

The Montréal Massacre of December 6, 1989, in which 14 women students at the École Polytechnique were systematically killed and 13 other students wounded by a lone gunman, is indelibly imprinted on the minds of Quebeckers and others who struggled to comprehend the worst single-day massacre in Canadian history.

Background

Since the beginning of Québec's "Quiet Revolution" in the 1960s, women had been making increasing strides in non-traditional occupations and educational programs. In the 1970s and 1980s, growing numbers flocked to the École Polytechnique, the School of Engineering at the University of Montréal. While most men in Québec and elsewhere accepted and even welcomed these transformations, a minority felt themselves disadvantaged by attempts to encourage women's new roles and opportunities.

One of these was Marc Lépine, a 25-year-old Quebecker and child-abuse survivor who, as an adult, was described by acquaintances as a moody loner. Lépine had sought to join the Canadian Armed Forces, but was rejected. He had also studied for admission to the École Polytechnique, but was not accepted -- a decision he apparently blamed on "affirmative action" policies promoted by feminists and their sympathizers. In the suicide note he would leave on his body, Lépine provided some insights into the virulent mindset that fuelled his rage against women and feminists:


Please note that if I am committing suicide today ... it is not for economic reasons ... but for political reasons. For I have decided to send Ad Patres the feminists who have ruined my life. ... The feminists always have a talent for enraging me. They want to retain the advantages of being women ... while trying to grab those of men. ... They are so opportunistic that they neglect to profit from the knowledge accumulated by men throughout the ages. They always try to misrepresent them every time they can.

http://www.gendercide.org/case_montreal.html

[noiretextatique]

7. and then there's this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4015410

[ismnotwasm]

8. Few things piss me off more

We have those who give bullshit lip service to 'legalizing' prostitution and flat out ignore what dangerous and deadly work it is. Or actually give a shit about the health and safety of the prostituted female.

And I don't care WHAT motherfucking country it's in or how legal it is in that country. It's still dangerous. There's still sick fucks out there preying on these women.

Personally I'm all for decriminalizing the prostitute and making it a crime to purchase one. Let the buyers go to jail for a while, not these women; who had to at some point, make an economic decision available only because of misogynic economic injustice and a sad and sorry demand

I've lost friends along the years to violence--and one very good friend to a serial killer-- from tricks or johns or clients or whatever the fuck they call them these days. I have never met one single prostitute, and I've met my share, who has not had to fend off some asshole who think a few bucks gives him the right to abuse women.

[bliss_eternal]

9. oh, kind of like...

this:

(warning--graphic photos w/in :scared:)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=105&topic_id=8678968

where the rape apologists were out in full force. apparently it's fine to rape, beat (and yes even kill) a woman that is a prostitute.

don't let me forget the, "...women abuse men, too" crowd. :eyes: i'm still trying to ascertain the exact function they serve.

is it merely to be a thorn in the side, of anyone who dares to express disgust with dudes that feel entitled to do this? or is it because they truly believe such a point is relevant to the issue? maybe it's that men as a group are just do damned oppressed, and need people like this to stand up for their rights in society.

whatever the reason, they piss me off.
:grr::mad:

[noiretextatique]

11. this is making my blood boil

i don't know when you signed on bliss, but few years ago there was a HUGE war here about rape. several assholes were tombstoned because of it, including one really, really creepy guy who i am convinced is a rapist.
he posted a "rape fantasy" in a thread about a woman who was raped and beaten :puke: there are still many creeps here, like the ones in that thread. but that one guy disturbed me so much that i warned all my friends never to meet him in person. and you know what? i had alerted on him many times before that, like the time he claimed it was "natural" for men to rape :puke:

as to the shamwow creep story: clearly the woman acted in self-defense. i can't believe that woman who brought up the "women abuse men" bullshit in that thread :argh: sure...there are a bunch of prostitutes who abuse poor little men who only want to get their weenies sucked by an "object" :eyes: then the accusations of "man-hating"...i must line in a parallel universe. i hate men who rape, brutalize, and kill women, so if you aren't one of those men: i don't hate you. unless of course you are a rape apologist. in my view: rape apologist = rapist. :grr:

[bliss_eternal]

13. i truly felt like i was in an alternate universe....

...the night i posted in that thread. all the "clearly she bit him, and he only defended himself" crap ass comments. :wtf:
though i was appreciative for the commenter that linked to his history (the movie he made). clearly the guy has issues.

omg. how the hell did i miss the "rape wars"? that sounds like another alternative universe. and certainly not something one should experience on a "progressive website."

the really disturbing thing is that it took as much as it did to get those guys banned from the board. :banghead:

quite some time ago, i was responding to a thread featuring a story about a young girl who was raped by a much older man, she'd met whle posting on the internet. no sooner than i posted how vile i found this "trend", several people (male and female) responded saying it could have been consensual. (and no she wasn't 16...or another age considered by so many to be close to 18.)

i totally lost it. :grr::mad::banghead:
only to have one super special dude pm me, with an age of consent website link. :scared::puke:
a webste documenting the exact age a child is considered legal to provide sexual consent, all over the world. oh yeah--and he told me i was "shrill." :eyes: he wasn't banned for at least another six months. and certainly not for his creepy ass pm to me.

um....excuse me, but ONLY a sick piece of filth, would seek out such a website. we all know why. :puke:
if this was my website, i would have banned him for that alone.

[musette_sf]

14. i think i remember Mr. "Age Of Consent"

i certainly remember alerting on some freak who posted links to this garbage.

i am truly amazed at how long a virulent sexist male can continue to live on under a single ID in DU.

[bliss_eternal]

15. oh gross....

...he posted that crap on the boards, too? (sigh) well, i feel better knowing it wasn't reserved just for me. i too marvel at how long these guys remain.

i recently put one on ignore, that you and i waged battle w/in a thread (a few months ago). i noticed he has a habit of creating (and/or posting in) threads on feminism, women's issues, etc. he actually started one of feminism, though he obviously had no clue how to define it. :eyes: just some piece of prick lint that needs to argue w/women to feel all macho and dudely.

hey, musette_sf. :hi:
good to see you!

[ismnotwasm]

16. That was terrible, just horrible.

That's the thing; We have people who don't understand the nature of inherently violent nature of sex work being fucking cheerleaders for it, then those same people are first in line to blame the victim workers.

I was thinking, I'm sure I've posted about this before, but I know a few people who go to sex clubs that include SMBD. These clubs are kind of interesting, although I can't say I totally understand them (the women and men I know personally ALL have past issues they evidently work out sexually, so my personal knowledge is merely anecdotal) They do take care of their own at the one I'm thinking of, they do set limits and safety nets for their activities, as well as provide education.

I guess my point is, is if someone has a need to be sexually aggressive or dominant, there are places to do that without beating the shit out of some poor little girl. I also suspect that if some few of these kind of assholes faced their personal sexual demons they'd find they weren't so dominant after all. My final opinion of the matter however is that I think the majority just truly hate women, pure and simple.

[noiretextatique]

12. i agree 1000%

criminalize the purchaser :applause: yes...it's dangerous work because of the crazy, sadistic assholes who think they are buying an object :grr:

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bliss_eternal]

10. damned feminists...

...fuckin' his shit up, ruining his life....of course, they deserved his wrath--those chicks totally had it coming.

:sarcasm::puke::cry:

thanks so much for the article and link, noiret.
:hi:

[iverglas]

18. I'm going to be lazy again ;)

We discussed Sodini a bit here a while back:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=341&topic_id=14532&mesg_id=14561


I may have mentioned, several years ago in the course of my work I had to do an intensive reading of the coroner's report on the victims of the Montreal Massacre -- in two parts, the first an analysis of the emergency services' response, and the second the individual autopsy reports -- the socks and sweaters the women were wearing, the paths the bullets took through their bodies, the tearing and shattering of their organs and bones ... It's hard to describe how it feels to do that. Overwhelmed, I guess. By the reality of it.



Oops, my apologies, I just noticed this was a dredged-up thread ...

[BlancheSplanchnik]

19. WOW! This actually got addressed in front of THE PUBLIC?

Not relegated to a tiny corner of the female universe, where it would sink into oblivion?

I literally have to catch my breath! I even feel a little emotional, like the relief you'd feel after being locked in a cage and ignored forever....

I was just going to post because I'm pissed about more cultural misogyny, again, but if I rant on GD, being that it's a trivial instance.................well you know the thoughtful consideration waiting for those different (penile-ly deficient) than oneself over there....

This NY Times piece is major stuff, though--it deserves to go to GD, imo

the phrase about "the rape, murder and humiliation of females is not only a staple of the news, but an important cornerstone of the nation’s entertainment." is really REALLY compelling.


EDIT: DAMMIT, I was so shocked, I didn't even notice it's "old news"
oh fukkit --- the situation is no different now, it still deserves to be front and center.

[whathehell]

20. So, can we post it in GD?....It deserves to be..especially since they're

laughing themselves silly there over another rant by Bill Maher...His point was sound, but, quel surprise!..He used Tiger Woods' BDSM "text" to one of his mistresses to make the point...Same old Bill!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

21. I was JUST trying to decide whether to remark that Bill's rant was sure sexist....

slap those repubs and call them bitch..... Nancy Pelosi, the first WOMAN to actually do something.....
(One of the reasons I like the Rude Pundit so much is that he does over the top raunch, --he'd have bill shaking in his boots and spilling his vodka-- and is equal opportunity about it. Plus, he's got no problem praising a woman who does a good job and doesn't need to be shocked that she's a woman doing a good job. And he doesn't have a problem recognizing that it's wrong to screw women over.)

but I just didn't think it would be a good place for a battle......

fuck. I'm so tired of sexism... seriously.

[whathehell]

22. I know...but if we don't continue to push back...It will never end.

I did call the idiot "extending" Maher's rants to calling for "bitch-slapping"...I got a response I've not yet seen...I can only imagine:eyes:

[BlancheSplanchnik]

23. I agree, and yet I sometimes have reservations

swooping in to scold really damages more than helps, at least that's my opinion.

Posting an article like the OP here is more effective.

But also, sitting at a keyboard getting worked up to a hot boil and pouncing on people doesn't seem to be very therapeutic! I know this because I've been doing it a lot and all I end up with is feeling stuck in resentment and helplessness.

So I've been thinking of better ways to deal, myself.....no answers yet
but drat, now I have to get going...have a Buddhist meeting to go to!

[whathehell]

26. I get what you are saying...especially when you get little support..either from

other women here, or sympathetic men.


You think "scolding" really damages more than it helps?...If you're made to FEEL like a "scold" perhaps so....Posting on here only though, is like "preaching to the choir", dont you think?


Enjoy your Buddhist meeting..I used to be one!

[seabeyond]

27. i think the sneers, insults, put downs for speaking out against the sexist bullshit

hit us hard and fast in some respects, especially when it comes from those we love. that refuse to see the damage the sexism causes, because of the desire to hold on tight to the male privilige or just because the men have learned that this is what "being a man" is all about, and identify it so tightly with their masculinity. a conditioning that they allow blindly without challenge. which in essense points to the fools they are being.

then i think about if i need to back off.

and then i think.... no

i wont

if we put any of the "jokes" in terms of racism, we would be appalled. if maher had used chaining blacks like slave, sending to fields to do bidding.... it wouldnt be so funny

i would not allow any bigoted, racist, homophobic "humor" to stand on its own

why should i or any other person that sees themselves as progressives embrace doing this to females at every turn. including many females.

logically, my brain has such a tough time wrapping around this. i have not been able to adjust my brain to "lighten up", its a joke, not a big deal, just boys will be boys

[whathehell]

28. You are oh so correct...Blanche...We need you out there!

There's a thread on Bill Maher and his obvious mysogyny....One poster keeps avoiding the point.

..I'll pm you on it.

[ismnotwasm]

30. More like scolding the damaged methinks

The way I see it, the damaged like to redefine terms to make themselves more comfortable. Terms like 'sexism' or 'misogyny' 'Racism' 'class ism'

As is often pointed out there's nothing quite as obnoxious--or destructive, as the entitled white male, refusing to face their entitlement (I use to think they were simply incapable ala "SCUM" manifesto, then my last kid moved out. I ain't mommy, they grown and they are capable)by using that same power of entitlement to change the definitions when entitlement is threatened. To be fair, it's a type of defense mechanism and others use it. The simplest and most basic question then becomes, who has true power? Or Who runs governments and Who decides policy for Others? Once the who has power question is answered, the next is, how willing are they to share? We see that answer all around us. Not a whole hell of a lot. Why we end up with fear based politics and subjugation of, and denial of basic human rights to women long, long after that bullshit should be past it's due date.

[bliss_eternal]

31. great point...

(scolding the damaged)...:thumbsup: truly an act in futility. pointless and exhausting.

speaking of the damaged, i see bill maher was being discussed. :eyes:
may i just say, i don't fully understand how (or why) he comes up in pro-woman discussions. :shrug: the man is an ass, w/major women issues.

yet another pro-porn, pro-abortion (in case he ever needs to get one for someone), libertarian, sexist tool of dude nation. he who said,"....women prefer diamonds to books." um...yeah, bill--maybe spend a little less time at the playboy mansion and we'll talk. :eyes:

[seabeyond]

25. fuck. I'm so tired of sexism... seriously.

i felt exactly the same.

[seabeyond]

24. i loved what maher was saying, then get to the bitch slap her and tell her what to do.... no openin

mouth and just what a fuckin shit.

and the people praised him. not a single person bothered about using a female to fuck and shut up and do what i say

not a single person seemed to be effected.

the mainstream norm of bitch slappin and fuckin a female and shut the fuck up

i hear what you are saying

[whathehell]

29. Thank you, seabeyond....

We need more like you here. :hi:

[bliss_eternal]

32. maher is a tool....

....of massive proportions. he only dates models, porn stars and strippers--yet makes it his business to alwayshave something negative to say about women. :eyes: like we'd rather have diamonds, than books.

maher can suck on it. anyone who believes maher is worthy of quoting, may want to review his various (negative) stances on women. or maybe not.