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Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!sdcsvax!sdcc7!ma155acq
From: ma155acq@sdcc7.UUCP ({|stu)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Re: Only a few nuts rape? (Sonia Johnson)
Message-ID: <1331@sdcc7.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 4-Dec-84 17:20:43 EST
Article-I.D.: sdcc7.1331
Posted: Tue Dec  4 17:20:43 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Dec-84 06:08:50 EST
References: <10011@watmath.UUCP> <136@ihu1m.UUCP> <> <1949@nsc.UUCP>
Reply-To: ma155acq@sdcc7.UUCP ({|stu)
Organization: U.C. San Diego, Academic Computer Center
Lines: 31
Summary: 

In article <1949@nsc.UUCP> srm@nsc.UUCP (Richard Mateosian) writes:
>
>Shortly before the election I heard a talk by Sonia Johnson entitled
>"Why I'm Running for President".  The reason was that no other candidate
>reflected her point of view: all of the world's major problems arise
>from the basic concept of "having power over".  Our acceptance of this
>concept as fundamental to all relationships from interpersonal to inter-
>national grows out our society's promotion of the power of men over women.
>
>The principal tool for enforcing the power of men over women is terror --
>the fear of rape being just one example.  Thus, all men benefit from the
>fact that women fear rape (benefit in a narrow sense), and the man
>who would not consider raping a woman benefits just as much as the rapist.

"Benefit in a narrow sense":  That's an understatement!  I do not believe
that average man (the non-rapist) benefits *at all* from the woman's fear
of rape.  The fear of rape is a disadvantage for both sides.  Men
have not gained their "power over women" by the use of rape (how they
did it, I don't know.  But I will deny that it was rape).  If anything,
this fear seems to be a disadvantage for men, because they can always
be accused of being a "potential rapist."  Especially when it comes
to relationships between the two sexes.  I usually find that women
are more hesitant to become involved with another man because she
has to decide whether he is a "potential rapist", and this is hard
on the man, as well.

		Victor Romano

------------------------------
Who are these men of lust, greed, and glory?  Rip off the mask and let's see.
			-SuperTramp