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From: rberlin@birdland.Corp.Sun.COM (Rich Berlin)
Newsgroups: soc.feminism
Subject: Re: Feminism is a fine word, thank you
Message-ID: 
Date: 1 Oct 89 06:44:01 GMT
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maslak@unix.SRI.COM (Valerie Maslak), Message-ID: <4014@unix.SRI.COM>:
> Anyone else think that this is a good topic for soc.feminism, rather than 
> this group?

Yes, I do.  This msg is a crosspost, so soc.feminism knows where it
came from.  (2 subject threads, folks: the one above, and "There
should be a different word for this...")

gary@cgdptah.ucar.edu (Gary Strand), in <4537@ncar.ucar.edu>
> pw: Pamela K. Whitehurst
> gs: Gary Strand
> 
> gs: I don't expect feminism to deal with the problems I face, because
> gs: sexism directed against men is outside their 'charter'. As such, they
> gs: are fighting only half the battle, and by implication, are seeing only
> gs: half the problem.
> 
> pw: Fighting one battle does not imply being unaware or unsympathetic to
> pw: another battle.
> 
> But you see, it's all the same battle. Why is it then that feminists
> choose to fight half the fight?
> 
> pw: It does not imply that one does not or cannot give encouragement or
> pw: even support to those who are fighting other battles.
> 

Let me make a somewhat stronger statement than Pamela's.  Not only is
there no inconsistency here, but the encouragement and support she
mentions are common in our everyday life.  Whatever your feelings on
the matter, consider the example of unions honoring each others'
picket lines.  It couldn't be otherwise: even though the cause belongs
to someone else, we honor it because we share something of importance
with those who are actively engaged in the struggle.  The bell tolls
for all of us; there is no other way.

And there is no other way with the feminist organizations.  It would
be crippling for them to assume a posture that says to men "we're only
interested in taking care of women."  If self-interest is established
as the rule, and the status quo truly favors men, what can men be
expected to do but fight to preserve that status quo?

The feminists I "grew up" with seemed to understand this quite well.
Now I hear people telling me otherwise?

-- Rich