Well I seem to have drawn the ire of a couple of feminists in one of my earlier posts today by commenting that their defeat on the backdoor abortion bill was actually good for them.
The undeniable fact is that Canada’s feminist movement is weak as evidenced by the socon juggernaut plowing through their ranks ever since Harper took over the reigns of power. On issue after issue, be it funding for the SWC or the Court Challenges Program, they’ve been swept aside in defeat.
These defeats should have opened the eyes of feminists to just how pitiful their movement has become. But they didn’t. Nor has their latest defeat. The two feminists I’ve been arguing with–and a lot of others I’ve been reading over the past two days–seem to think a past victory on abortion should have settled the issue once and for all and it’s simply unfair that they should have to fight it again.
They simply have no idea how ineffectual their movement is and how unprepared it is to fight this battle. Consider the following for example. Unrepentant Old Hippie posted this just yesterday after the vote on Bill C-484.
Let the asskicking begin
There are 27 Liberal MPs who need to have their treacherous asses kicked all over Parliament Hill, those who voted for that despicable travesty of a Bill C-484:…Dan McTeague
And this post from today shows how that asskicking is progressing.
Praise for Dan McTeague
Ouch! I doubt Dan will be able to sit for a week after that asskicking.
Here lies the problem. The supporters are not on the same page. Calgary Grit is a progressive Liberal but I doubt it even entered into his mind when he wrote his post that McTeague is on the wrong side of this very important fight. And without the Calgary Grits of the country solidly lined up behind them, the feminist movement is certain to suffer defeat after defeat.
I could go on, but suffice it to say that this latest defeat is exactly what the feminist movement needed. It should serve as a catalyst for the movement to rebuild itself so it can effectively fight the many battles that lie ahead. The only question is whether or not they’ll put their delusions aside long enough to recognize it.
I don’t like it, either, Robert, that you’ve placed judgement on feminism as you have. It demonstrates, to me, a very weak analysis of the situation. And, it seems to me that it is not feminism’s fault that our movement lacks a strong voice in the MSM. It is the result, in fact, of successive years of neoliberal government policies federally and provincially that have forced women’s organizations to shut their doors and cut back their services and activities. Find my March 2007 article in Canadian Dimension for more on that.
Harper’s attack on SWC was close to the last nail in the coffin for progressive women. He removed lobbying from funding eligibility (along with the word, equality, of course) and that was, traditionally, the way for women’s groups to bring the wishy-washy Liberals onside. Without capacity for lobbying, most women’s groups are silenced. Either way, their hands are tied. Either they do the necessary work for women in their communities and forfeit lobbying monies or they engage in lobbying and forfeit monies to do the necessary work in their communities.
It’s definitely a damned if you do, damned if you don’t scenario.
Calgary Grit is a touchstone for … remind me? And women are responsible for what he thinks and writes and does?
Oh, gosh. I can just hardly wait for the free vote on slavery. I’m breathless to know what Dan McTeague’s position is on that.
Thanks for the condescension, Robert. It’s such a refreshing new experience for women. We really needed to be slapped around a bit. Correct us some more, Robert.
it seems to me that it is not feminism’s fault that our movement lacks a strong voice in the MSM.
Fuck me. What is it with the left and their belief that the MSM owes them something. Wake up call. The MSM is never going to give the left more than lip service. But that no longer matters since half the population now gets their news from the internet and starting up an online news outlet requires nothing more than a website and a handful of competent writers. The god botherers have figured that out with Lifesite. Why can’t the feminist movement figure it out?
Without capacity for lobbying, most women’s groups are silenced.
Then the lobbying portion of these women’s groups should splinter off into their own group.
Calgary Grit is a touchstone for … remind me?
He’s just the tip of the iceberg. Dan McTeague is the most rightwing MP in the Liberal Party. He even has his own anti-abortion bill tabled in Parliament. Yet he’s the man of the hour right now in Liberal circles.
Correct us some more, Robert.
This isn’t about correcting you. This is a reality wake up call. The Liberal Party is not going to ride in and save the day.
Right. The whole political consensus on the North American continent has been moving rightwards on just about every turf for the last generation and for well-known reasons, but it is women who are being pinned to the board as the failures? Come again?
Robert, do you ever consider who you are talking to when you hand out orders about what we should be doing? Have you read any of us lately?
Boy, it really takes a huge sense of male entitlement to play sadistic devil’s advocate games this way, Robert. It ain’t witty; it is just a waste of our time. We’ve got work to do. Get out of the road if you can’t understand.
Boy would be the word, too. Thank heavens there are some real men around who get it.
We need a good Enemies List of anti-feminists (all promoters of anti-rationalism, as far as I’m concerned) paraded in our media who are more deserving of concerted (but principled) attacks and who seem to be operating completely unconfronted these days. I’d suggest principled character assassination but I’ve come to the conclusion most them don’t have characters to assassinate anyway.
Condescension? Your whole post reeks of it, skdadl. And explain to me how being implored to honestly address failed or ineffective policy is to be “slapped around a bit”? Puh Leaze!
I earnestly hope you’re not an indicator of the intellectual strength of the feminist movement or the army of reactionaries lined up behind the McTeagues and Harpers of our world will mop the floor with you.
Have you contacted Antonia Zerbisias at the Toronto Star asking for her help in highlighting the difficulties the Feminist movement is having being heard over today’s raucous, adolescent, war-centric, Alpha-male-dominated political culture? She writes a widely read column that deals with women’s issues these days. And I’m sure there are other intelligent and informed women writing for the media across the country who would be willing to help get your message out if they were approached intelligently and provided with the background research and stats needed to write up convincing and passionate briefs on what needs to be done to alter our society’s disastrous steps backward.
Or would you rather shoot the messenger of bad tidings? It’s so much easier, isn’t it?
There might be some food for thought for you in a little ditty I had drilled into me as a teenager:
“Successful people do the things that unsuccessful people don’t like to do.”
It’s funny because Antonia Zerbisias is an (all things considered) relatively active member of BnR and she has long since been “contacted.”
Decco, you are so totally out of the loop it ain’t funny.
Antonia writes regularly to our message board (Bread and Roses), and she left a message last night on a blogpost of mine (at POGGE).
You dare to give us advice when it is clear you haven’t done the first bit of research and reading yourself?
This really is a waste of breath.
Get out of the road if you can’t understand.
Snort!
For anyone, especially liberal bloggers, who think Fern is getting worked up over this private member’s bill for nothing consider this. The Liberal Party is infested with anti-choicers who will vote with the Conservatives to pass this assault on women’s rights. Anti-choicers such as Liberal MP Derek Lee of Scarborough-Rouge River who stated in the bill’s first reading, “I believe that we should act now to pass this law.” Or anti-choicers such as Liberal MP Paul Steckle of Huron-Bruce who has introduced his own private members bill, Bill C-338 that would criminalize abortions after 20 weeks.
I understand too well, skdadl.
Just a couple of points I need to make.
The traditional corporate media.(Calling it the MSM instantly marginalizes the blogs. And like it or not honey, WE is the mainstream) has special protections within the charter. Those were not put there to protect their right to make as much money as possible, they were not put there to protect the medias right to fellatiate current governments. They were put there to protect our right to be informed. To help the public.
Feminism has become the evil F-word in many circles. It has become one of those words which conjure up evil images of unshaven hairy legged feminazi’s with no sense of humour. Stereotypes are hard to shift. We are trying to reclaim the F word. This is a battle we wage daily with words.
In the meanwhile, as well as writing on our blogs: we write to the media, we do participate in contacting MP’s. (without swear werds even!)
We do attend meetings and rallies, and we do YELL!
But we have grown tired of some of the big boyz of the internetz lack of solidarity and the willingness to toss women and children under the bus. Very much so.
So instead of just the media, and the government, we find ourselves fighting this kind of battle over and over again in the progressive blogging community as well. It is worrying. And disheartening.
Antonia has been a huge media support. Heather Mallick is another.(they are attacked regularly in their comments sections) But look WHO they work for? The Star, and the CBC. Do you see a pattern? Compare that to the “women” writers on the National Pap and the G&M?
Berlynn’s point is most excellent. Women’s programs have been gutted. The court challenges program as well has taken away an avenue to challenge the establishment.
Our own government has taken advocacy away in the courts in the form of legal aid!
Dunno about you, but I ain’t got that kinda cash.
BnR is always working at informing people and getting the activists together.
Im at ACR. We have come up with Creative solutions to several problems. We will continue to do so.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way. But for crying out loud, don’t blame us for all this. We have so many directions we need to act on, so many fires to put out. Grab an extinguisher! Help out.
But please don’t lay all of this at our door. We simply don’t have time.
Robert, if your “snort” is meant to imply that you are some original source to be referenced, that you alone have known all the time where the enemies were and what the score is, well, that again is just par for the course where arrogant and overconfident males are concerned.
Gosh. Women just didn’t know these things until some guy came along to tell them. Women have been naive about the Liberal Party all this time. Women underestimated the opposition.
It’s not like an intelligent person would say, rather, that the opposition is bigger than that, has been growing since the 1980s, on this and on other turfs, and that no one, however smart, is going to turn this thing around alone. Women are smart. Women have been working. Yes, we lose a lot, but then so do you; so does everyone on the left. And that’s not because we don’t know what’s going on.
For chrissakes, Robert: I joined my first women’s lib group in 1968. How about you? I have known the Liberals were snakes since before then. So what actually was your point? Just that your voice needed not only to be heard but to drown out others? That you should be a leader in any conversation you care to join? Because that’s sure how it sounds, Robert.
Try reading Dave and Chet and Mike, among others. They don’t sound like that, Robert.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way.
How is someone writing a blog getting in the way?
Getting in the way is voting for some reactionary who’ll support the kind of legislation that has embodied this latest stealth attack on the right to choose…something I didn’t do in the last election when I voted for the older, male LIBERAL candidate who won the election and voted “nay” on C-484.
Good thing I didn’t vote NDP in Sackville-Eastern Shore.
So what actually was your point?
That the feminist movement in Canada is a 98lb weakling getting sand kicked in its face by the socons and will remain a 98lb weakling getting sand kicked in its face by the socons until they face up to reality.
Dunno about you, but I ain’t got that kinda cash.
How many feminists are there in Canada? 100,000. Let’s say there are 100,000. If each gave $1 to the feminist movement that would be $100,000. If each gave $10 that would be $1 million. Do you have $10? I bet you do. Now all you need is a feminist movement to give it to.
While we can assume that no man will donate, since they don’t consider women’s rights to be all that important.
I can’t believe you actually bothered writing that. Don’t you have anything better to do?
Oh, this is so ridiculous! Another case of men who think they are progressive telling women how they should behave! Why, oh effing why, do you presume to have such privilege? Because you’re smarter? Because you know better? Because you’re a man?
Good grief, Old Boys, put some tape over your mouth and get to work. We have a government to defeat and you are distracting us from the work of that. And furthermore, you are hurting our movement, not helping it so get your toys and your privilege out of here and get your own sandbox!
Wow, so first of all, Robert, you post something that says, “Feminism is stupid because Liberal bloggers are still supporting the Liberals.” I mean, Calgary Grit praising Liberals? Knock me over with feather there!
The bigger victory would’ve been the bill being defeated and the ability to rest easy for a bit. However, I’ll take these other victories: 1) Peter Stoffer, evidently getting some edumacation from his boss and his colleagues after a deluge of letters from feminist New Democrats. 2) Stephane Dion’s pink party ruined publically after the flaccid, ineffectiveness of their party is exposed as their so-con wing turns up to support this bill, while the rest of them are nibbling on pink-tinted mini-burgers.
But for you to suggest that these minor victories are superior to the outcome of shutting this bill down right away is offencive. It says that you think that women’s liberty is a suitable thing to risk in order to score cheap partisan points against Harper.
PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSST Ti-guy…
I know. its hard to miss. where i wrote…
In the meanwhile, as well as writing on our blogs: we write to the media, we do participate in contacting MP’s. (without swear werds even!)
We do attend meetings and rallies, and we do YELL!
Its really far more helpful to the convo if you don’t cherrypick. really.
…Meanwhile, this guy’s comments section is curiously serene.
Well Robert. I already do give money to womens causes, and greenpeace, and the Red cross when I have it.
Sorry? What was that you said again?
Its really far more helpful to the convo if you don’t cherrypick. really.
Helpful? None of this is helpful or…or hurtful. No one is forced to come here and no one who matters reads this. That’s my point. I’ve been hearing the same things since the early 80’s (when it all started going bad for feminists) and it won’t matter one bit how I behave because I’m not the problem.
Ti-guy, why would you expect us to waste time commenting on some rightwing blog, when chances are they’ll delete comments they don’t like anyway? Just to give some turkey more hits? They come trolling on feminist blogs often enough. Look at Unrepentant Old Hippie and In the House and Senate and Canadian Cynic.
Well Robert. I already do give money to womens causes, and greenpeace, and the Red cross when I have it.
Great. I’m sure they’re all good causes. Unfortunately none of them will help you in your fight against the socons who want to take away your rights.
why would you expect us to waste time commenting on some rightwing blog
Fair point. So what is your pathetic excuse for not commenting on Calgary Grit’s site? Why have none of the feminists here bothered to ask him why he’s praising an MP who just voted to take away your rights?
1) Peter Stoffer, evidently getting some edumacation from his boss
I hope you’re not getting your info from rumourmonger National NewsWatch.
2) Stephane Dion’s pink party ruined publically after the flaccid, ineffectiveness of their party is exposed as their so-con wing turns up to support this bill,
Snicker. As I pointed out, they’re throwing a party for Dan McTeague right now.
But for you to suggest that these minor victories
Feminists in Canada haven’t had a victory–minor or otherwise–in quite some time, Kurri. See, this is the delusional world I’m talking about.
Ti-guy, why would you expect us to waste time commenting on some rightwing blog, when chances are they’ll delete comments they don’t like anyway?
Well, I personally find haranguing them more satisfying. But you can move up the food chain if that doesn’t help. Those bloggers are just repeating the crap they’re hearing from their opinion leaders.
That’s why there is a need for a good, tight enemies list: the leading lights among the Blogging Tories and other venues in the new media, the prominent figures in religious institutions, the so-called “family values” crowd, the rogue’s gallery of anti-feminist women in the media, the PR firms churning out cartoonish and insulting depictions of women, The University of Calgary Political Sciences Department…
The people who are materially leading or who are getting in the way, in other words.
skdadl Said:
I certainly am out of the loop and it is kind of funny, judging by the reaction to my out of the loopness.
Judging by your passion, you’re not out of the loop. So tell me how effectively your strategies are working for you. I would think recognizing and adjusting the failures and/or weaknesses in your present approach would be more important to you than scoring points off a man who honestly wishes you well. (But then again, I am a man and can’t be trusted to be more than another condescending lug standing in the way of progress, can I?)
I’m glad to hear that Antonia is onside, though your point differs from mine in what way?… Have you got a strategy in place to involve as many influential women as possible in your struggle for control of the message? And if not, why not? Antonia and Heather do not a movement make. That was my earlier point – that it seems more needs to be done to involve as broad a female cross-section as possible in your movement if you’re ever to experience success. If that planning is now in place, you might want to mention it, if for no other reason than to give hope to those depressed by this latest step backward by the Neanderthals in our government and to inform the uniformed amongst your readers.
As I mentioned earlier - I’m out of the loop - this is not my area of expertise. My whole point in posting was to toss out ideas – to help - not to instruct you on what needs to be done, heaven forbid! I’m a middle aged and content man, partnered with a successful woman who manages to get things done without becoming rudely aggressive with those who offer her unsolicited, well-intentioned, (if uninformed) advice. As a matter of fact, none of the women in my life would react to me the way you did. I’ve had zero experience in the past 20 years dealing with those who suspect my intentions because of my gender.
It’s moments like this that remind me how I’ve been lulled into a false sense of security by the sanity and security of my personal relationships. The rest of the world doesn’t necessarily work the way my small corner of it does, does it?
This feminist struggle for equality is your self-appointed gig, not mine. I tilt at different windmills. Despite my ignorance on the subject, I’m supportive of your goals, your rudeness notwithstanding. Explain to me how tearing a strip off a man who’s on your side of the issue, rather than directing your ire at the assholes who are damaging our collective future, helps you or your cause. I can’t speak for Robert, but in my opinion, that’s a self-destructive pattern that has been repeated for too long by those particular women conditioned to think of all men who don’t slavishly agree with them as their enemy, or at the very least, of deserving contempt.
If you’re looking for allies in your struggle, you’re going about it the wrong way. You’re reminding me of those across the aisle from you. You’ve adopted their aggressive methods and their dismissive attitudes. How’s that working out for you?
But who cares what I think - I’m just a condescending male more interested in domination than in anything constructive.
Did I get that right?
arthurdecco, go back and read the opening post. Start with the title: “The Delusional World of Feminism” and go on, noting particularly the use of words like weak, ineffectual, pitiful, etc.
Are you men stupid enough to think that this is constructive criticism? It’s not; it is basically bitchslapping. It is not helpful.
I do see some interesting suggestions in the comments. But who’s going to notice with all the bullshit surrounding them?
“…You’ve adopted their aggressive methods and their dismissive attitudes…” Look in the mirror, you damned condescending hypocrites.
Sorry if my choice of wording offends you. But how else can I describe a movement that is dying. You need to face reality, Holly. The Canadian feminist movement doesn’t have a single recognizable spokesperson. It has no fundraising capabilities; the Bread and Roses forum can barely manage to raise $400 to pay for its website for another year. These are all signs of the end and a handful of bloggers are not going to be able to defeat the socons.
I hope you’re not getting your info from rumourmonger National NewsWatch.
No, National NewsWatch would now be one of 5 places I’m hearing this, on and off the record.
Might I suggest, Robert, that what point you had was ironically lost in the delivery (the same thing of which you are basically criticizing others?).
Instead of calling people “delusional”, which, from male or female, rarely gets a positive response, you could have perhaps titled this post something much more dry. Like, “Potential strategic oversights on the part of the feminist movement.” And then said that, as an outside observer, you think it is important that Canadian social movements have the mainstream of the Liberal party and/or blogosphere onside and have not put in the requisite effort to do so.
I mean, I think most people who disagree with you now would have disagreed with you even otherwise (me included), but we would have had a much more constructive and less name-cally discussion if you hadn’t landed your first critique as a blow.
Instead of calling people “delusional”…
Hah, this must be your first visit to the blahg.
Not quite, but you can’t have been expecting a constructive reaction… I mean, opponents, yes, but apparent allies?
There are 34 SEPARATE womens rights group in Canada, all of which recieve funding at the federal level. Perhaps an amalgamation is in order to pool the funding so it would be more useful. Take a look at NAWL (National Association of Women and the Law), they folded because they couldn’t come up with $300,000….a group of LAWYERS lost funding of $300,000 and closed the doors…..when was the last time a group of lawyers couldn’t come up with $300,000…..not to mention it was a group of women in a very high tax bracket…..
Ooops, that was me, forgot the thingy….
Wow, I’m impressed, for once it appears Bobby Mac is on the winning side of an issue. Glad to see you’ve left the feminist fanatics to whale and moan and get angry (whilst no one really gives a damn or listens) and started dealing in reality.
The angry, radical old guard of the feminist movement in Canada is becoming more and more irrelevant, and no where is this more clear than by witnessing the rage these fanatics exhibit when confronted with their inability to have an impact on mainstream society.
Wow, I’m impressed, for once it appears Bobby Mac is on the winning side of an issue. Glad to see you’ve left the feminist fanatics to whale and moan and get angry (whilst no one really gives a damn or listens) and started dealing in reality.
“Whale?” Anyway, I’m pretty sure no one’s thinking of attracting troglodytes with this discussion. So you’ve obvioiusly misunderstood and should probably remain quiet, as you have nothing useful to add, I’m sure.
The angry, radical old guard of the feminist movement in Canada is becoming more and more irrelevant, and no where is this more clear than by witnessing the rage these fanatics exhibit when confronted with their inability to have an impact on mainstream society.
I think you recruited and/or radicalised a few more with this. If that’s not what you intended, you should probably examine what is underlying your feelings about this issue.
I may have a few issues with some feminists, but that pales in comparison to what feminism is challenging…people like you.
Holly, where did I claim the original post was “constructive criticism”? And what gives you the right to describe all the men who have posted here as stupid – even if they do consider it “constructive criticism”? Was that scatter shot accusation sprayed out over every man that posted an opinion on this subject because we are men and therefore couldn’t possibly understand the complexities and/or difficulties surrounding the women’s movement?
Who’s condescending, exactly?
Your post suggests you might have some reading comprehension difficulties and anger management problems. Maybe it’s time to get on with life and start acting more like the intelligent and secure women I know and respect and stop with the petulant child act, because that’s getting you nowhere fast.
Is that condescending enough for you? Does that confirm your prejudices? Because if it doesn’t, I’d be happy to expound on my point that you need a serious dose of “Grow Up!” administered before you’ll ever be able to convince those of us you need on your side to get what you want to join with you.
Honestly, I’m flummoxed. The women who have chosen to scold the few men posting here for our condescension and stupidity are making a strategic mistake. What possible good can come out of your destructive defensiveness and inarticulate anger? What are you thinking will be the result of you alienating potential allies? Robert is well-known for his fairness. Ti-Guy is a genuinely sympathetic soul. I’m naturally disposed to support the ideas of the feminist movement, (inasmuch as I’m familiar with them). And yet, the first choice that some of you made here was to denigrate everything we said.
I hope you’re not indicative of the movement as a whole or it’s going to work itself out like Robert has said – your “movement” is going to fade into irrelevancy. And that won’t be a good thing for either the women or men more interested in fairness, equality and co-operation than in hard-core feminist sophistry or the coming dark cloud of regressive patriarchy that so many of our elected officials seem to champion.
We’ve seen some evidence of “…feminazi’s with no sense of humour” right here over the last few days, Pale. And that can only make it more difficult to reclaim the F word through your daily battles with words, don’t you think?
I much prefer Pale’s approach to yours, Hollystick. Does that further confirm your opinions of my Neanderthal nature?
Goody. I wouldn’t want you disappointed by your narrow-mindedness or have you forced to reassess your intemperance, would I?
Ain’t it da truth?
Screw you, arthur decco. Try writing less and reading more.
Not to be a troll (and I am a supporter of the NDP), but I would be interested in Robert telling us how his critique could not be used against “him” (as a supporter) and the NDP who, with the rise of the socons, has seen their influence dwindle to next to nothing.
It seems this argument could be basically made against any progressive cause in the current political climate.
Sid said, “It seems this argument could be basically made against any progressive cause in the current political climate.”
That’s not quite right, Sid. What McClelland said was the Feminist Movement is fragmented and weak. Is there one woman that signifies Equality for Women in Canada? Is there one organization that has the power and recognition of Canadians as representing the fight for same? I’m not aware of such a person or organization. That was the gist of his message as I read it. I know that Jack Layton is head of the NDP and I’m aware of the NDP’s platform (such as it is) so at least the NDP is one up on the Feminist Movement in that regard. I don’t regard his comments as condescending. I read it as a pragmatic comment. Tactically and strategically there is no cohesive force in the Feminist Movement. You can say whatever you want to his message but you can’t alter the reality of it. Progressives (Women and Men) are engaged in a war against both the power and the inertia of the male dominant society. All McClelland has done is point out that one of the major players is waging this war ineffectually.
Robert-Not trying to tell you how to write.or how to think.But your post was rather arrogant.Nothing wrong with pointing out that activists of what ever strip need to find,or re-think ways to get their message out in a timely and relevant manner.
But again,words like delusional etc etc only invites misunderstanding,[and will sure as shit get peoples back's up in this case I believe rightly so],and weakens your overall point.
Anyway just a thought.
Hmm, hi Robert, happy belated international women’s day. See you started a fire storm - so unlike you.
Paul Steckle is my lib MP who can be counted on to support a good neoliberal budget and is so socially conservative that he fits better with the Conservatives - no wonder he voted yes. I’m surprised he didn’t write a personal endorsement.
Alot of the liberal voting women in my area had repeatedly voted for him while holding their noses because he was a liberal. They even said they were feminist. So I see on the ground the ‘drift’ Robert is talking about in an “in your face” way.
Women’s day celebration got cancelled but really i just couldn’t attend - what part of the local legion hall and feminism just wasn’t a fit for me????
That small snapshot of the state of feminism in my rural area gives you an idea of the state of the feminist movement in my area. Make no mistake, these organizers for this event would not see the disconnect between legion hall/women’s movement.
Ditto for the liberal party of Canada.
That said, I think most women are not aware of the shift happening in Canadian feminist politics and are sleepwalking through the demantling of services and more importantly rights. It’s time to get the wolves out of the hen house (bad pun) which means we have to ensure that we do support a national feminist organization that will take up the fight.
I actually liked the idea of 10 bucks for a women’s group wiling to take it on. It would be the best 10 bucks I spent.
Writing my liberal MP - meanwhile - would be a complete waste of my time.
Alot of the liberal voting women in my area had repeatedly voted for him while holding their noses because he was a liberal. They even said they were feminist.
And what have you done to scold them, good and proper about their lack of commitment to ideological correctness? Or are you suffering lapses in that respect as well?
Writing my liberal MP - meanwhile - would be a complete waste of my time.
Hmm…
Robert, you have written a compelling and important piece here. All Canadian feminists should see Bill C-484 as a wake-up call and warning. I’m not going to chastise feminists for their actions/inactions or whatever. However, I think Robert’s point (without putting words in his mouth), is that with each victory they gain, that social conservatives are growing more confident in Canada, and are starting to up the ante. Socially progressive/libertarian Canadian ignore this reality at their peril.
Well done, Robert, I mean that sincerely.
Social conservatives located in both the Conservative and Liberal party I might add John.
And to Tri-guy, yes I did call both on their voting pattern. And no it’s not about ideology, but about principles and values - equality for all.
Robert you are a member of BnR. What an odd thing to throw our site fund raising into this issue.
Interestingly I haven’t received your donation.
Perhaps you just aren’t that into feminism.
Aww geeze. I looked again..
And oh MY goodness!
Great. I’m sure they’re all good causes. Unfortunately none of them will help you in your fight against the socons who want to take away your rights.
Since you have no idea who I do and don’t donate money to, thats an arrogant and assinine statement.
My my my.
I think you know you stepped in it here, and are reaching waaaaaaaaaay too far to make some? kind of point. Not sure.
Keep digging.
Interestingly I haven’t received your donation.
I spent 10 minutes looking for a paypal link or any other info for donating but didn’t find it.
Since you have no idea who I do and don’t donate money to
Actually I do have an idea of who you donate money to. You told me.
How odd because a paypal button is located in the footer of each template.
Robert, you have written a compelling and important piece here.
Thanks, John. Unfortunately the feminists here are all taking it as a personal attack against them so I doubt much will change. Maybe it’s time to start our own feminist movement.
This is what I got when I clicked on it.
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One of the main things that I dislike about the feminist movement (not of feminism itself) is the total outrage if a man dare comment on anything feminist. It’s blatently on display here, and it worries me.
Robert makes a good point, and the “oh no he’s a man!” reaction is causing us to ignore this piece of good advice.
We’re not helping the cause when we alienate well meaning males.
Paladiea,
It has at least partially to do with the fact that women, especially women within the feminist movement, know full well what threats they face and how dire they are, and might get a wee bit PO’ed when a man with, apparently, no sense of his own privilege wants to give them a lecture on how ineffectual they are and why, after the women in the movement have been working so hard and long building and sustaining a movement, and doing battle against the forces of evil.
That’s my sense of it at least.