Re: dogma protests
erespess@nji.com
Sat, 04 Dec 1999 02:12:08 -0500
> But it does seem to me that touchiness about
> one's own race is a lamentable admission of insecurity
> in the same way that protectiveness on behalf of
> another's reflects a rather nasty condescension.
> Are blacks - or women, or homosexuals, or Scotsmen -
> so delicate that they must be minded like children?
Scottie, Scottie, Scottie...
You've said this in my general direction before, and I fundamentally
disagree with the way you interpret my voice on this. You assume
that when I (or anyone else, I don't feel picked on) speaks up on
this issue, I am being condescending because I am not black. I think
that is malarkey. When men have spoken up in my presence about
something they felt was sexist, I did not feel condescended to. Not
at all. They were expressing their opinion. If those same men spoke
because of an assumption that I was not capable of speaking for
myself, then there would be a problem, but that's not always the
case. If someone on this list feels that I have been condescending,
I would hope that they would tell me (publicly or privately).
But Scottie, aren't you doing the same thing by implying that I am
being condescending? Can't others speak for themselves? Of course
they can. You are just calling it as you see it, which you have
every right to do.
I speak up about this not because I feel like black people (or women,
homosexuals, or Scotsmen) need my help. I speak up because it is
what I believe. This is a very personal issue for me. I don't have
to be black to have a problem with what I perceive to be racist
comments.
As for Dogma, I loved it. I'll probably see it again this weekend.
Elizabeth