I am amazed at the passions aroused by this debate, and fascinated by the
various responses.
On one level, there is the orthodoxy versus orthopraxy debate. "You can
believe what you wish, as long as you say the acceptable things" versus "You
can do whatever you want as long as you think the right way." Some folks
have taken one side and some another.
Curiously "Anon" publicly takes the latter position. He continues to present
Mary Daly's work in class, using her as a leading feminist thinker. The
story of the incident was related to me in private.
As to the use of the f word, I tend to believe his recollection of this
event. The reason is simple. I have known this man for eight years, have
seen him in the grip of negative emotions (like anger), but the strongest
expletive ever to leave his lips (outside of his relating of this story) is
"Jeez"
I am equally fascinated by the fact that cp now does not defend Daly with
regards to her actions, but with regards to her use of an expletive.
Is it so much more defensible to attack a person or deny them a chance to be
heard than it is to use a swear word?
That seems to go against the feminist stance. Surely women have been
fighting for the right to be heard ? Turning the tables and saying that we
do not wish to hear the views of men because men would not listen to our
fore mothers or to us in our youth accomplishes nothing. After all, the men
now under attack by women of Daly's mould are rarely the ones who were the
attackers! Gender-based warfare seems to feed naught but anger and future
retribution, a never-ending circle of "an eye for an eye" or a new version
of the Hatfields and the McCoys!
Peace,
Silke Force
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