brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) (09/15/85)
This has always amazed me. Many feminists call themselves pro-choice (like myself) when it comes to a certain other issue. They're known to say things like "People should't shove their personal morality down other people's throats." and "It's my body and I can do what I want with it." Yet an even stronger phrase like, "It's my mind and I can do what I want with it!" means nothing to some of these people, for they would join the ranks of the book-burners. Of course this time, they say they can point to studies that show a coorelation between certain types of literature and a greater tolerence for violence. So that's enough to ban, right? I have news, and it's news you had better learn fast. Don't say it's enough to ban. Don't give away such a powerful weapon to the enemy. Here are some examples of what might happen. I don't say there is such a coorelation, but what if somebody showed a relationship between women entering the workforce and increased male unemployment. What if a further coorelation showed up between increased unemployment and various forms of violent crime, including rape? What if somebody showed that women's lib was responsible for the increased divorce rate. What if they went further to say that the increased number of "broken homes" has lead to an increase in violent crime. Do these relationships exist? Who knows and who cares? Like me, you would hopefully be saying, "There are some prices we just have to pay for equality and freedoms." Don't give the opponents of freedom this weapon. Everything feminism has built for women would have been impossible without freedom of expression. Don't cut down the forest to get a better view of the trees. -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. - Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473
lmf@drutx.UUCP (FullerL) (09/16/85)
Feminists are divided on this issue which you would probably know if you were reading the feminist media. Feminism is a diverse movement.