I wasn't going to post today but I just opened an email from my daughter and I had to share this with you. My daughter, Supergirl I, who is a student at Mount Holyoke College, joined her sisters at nearby Smith College in organizing a protest of a anti-gay speaker invited there by the Young Republicans group. The protest is featured in today's Feministing post.
The method of protest is controversial because the speaker was booed and yelled at, which many people ojected to. I say YELL LOUDER. Please free free to disagree here or at feministing and I will engage in dialogue with you about why I feel they should protest in this manner.
She is of course, very excited that a protest she attended, is being covered by her favorite blog. She wrote a good response, too. Her handle on Feministing is lesbianllama.
Right on, Supergirl!
LearnFromMasters YouTube channel
5 days ago
Heheh, we done good! ;)
ReplyDeleteRight on, indeed! I don't always agree with methods used in protest, but I am heartened by the very fact that young people are protesting rather than sitting back and muttering about whatever. Get out there and let them know how you feel! Yell just as loudly as you can!
ReplyDeleteI am of a mixed mind about the shouting. That said, I think the protest is great.
ReplyDeleteThe reality of free speech is that even someone like that has a forum for it, which while maddening is in my mind appropriate.
However, free speech entitles us to be able to speak out against that which we cannot uphold.
FWIW, why someone like that ends up at Smith is beyond me. Clearly there are other forums for someone of that mindset.
right on!!!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's wonderful to see people getting active and standing up for what they believe is right. We have been a passive society in recent years, asleep for too long.
ReplyDeleteYeah! SG1 makes the point, I think, that the right to speak does not determine the reaction to that speech, nor is public speech totally free of restrictions. We need more activities like this.
ReplyDeleteSo it's official; it wuz you and CR? I thought I'd picked that up between ya, but wasn't sure.
i read her response. very good. yeah, you guys done good! ; )
ReplyDeleteKudos to your daughter. We need more youbg people like her to get up and shout. Remembering the sixties I have often felt despair about our younger generation not out protesting against societies wrongs. I will despair no more. YOU GO GIRL!
ReplyDeleteOOPS. Wrong spelling on young.
ReplyDeleteCR: She's great kid. I just hope she can pay back her college loans, since it's not likely she'll ever make any money as a lawyer.
ReplyDeleteFran: I hope you come back to the thread, as I'm hoping SG1 will leave a comment here. I spoke with her today and there are reason for the shouting that I didn't know about - apparently it wasn't planned that it would go that way.
Bobbie: That's how I felt too. There are a lot of young people who, either because of sexual orientation or philosophy, are really standing up to the system that won't afford them the same rights as heterosexuals and getting angry when they're lumped into the categories of terrorist and pedophile, not to mention a "scourge on the earth".
You don't really know how hurtful it is to people until you live with and love a person who is treated like a second-class citizen. Or less.
Sherry: Thanks for taking the time to read the comments at Feministing. I like that blog; except those silly women that flank their heading. There are aspects to Post Modern feminism that I just don't get, you know?
Sandpiper: I agree. And students SHOULD have that level of dedication to a cause. Of course, they're louder than older people, too! Some things never change! :-)
johnieb: Hi! Haven't seen about lately! Thank you for your comment. And yes, CR and I are the parents of SG1 & SG2. We were married for 18 years once. :-)
It was great hearing from all of you,
Peace and love,
Pagan
Minnie Blue! Off-topic first: did you ever read my response on the thread I wrote about my daughter's mental illness? I hope you did. In essense, psychiatric nurses were among the most professinal, caring and capable in the field of mental health; some better at their jobs than folks with up to six years more schooling than they. I know you are a psychiatric nurse, so I wanted to let you know. :-)
ReplyDeleteOn Topic: I thought of the sixties, too. I was too little to protest but being exposed to it left a lasting effect. Though SHOUTING probably started some of the riots like Kent State. It has to be tempered with the resolve not engage in violence. I believe in civil disobedience. I think opportunities to learn it should be more available to college students.
Thanks for stopping by, my friend
Pagan
The world still hasn't heard you kids - yell louder!
ReplyDeleteAnd know that the God of Justice, accompanied by all creation, is yelling with you.
God Bless 'em.
Thanks, alcibiades! I'm sure SG1 will appreciate reading your comment!
ReplyDeleteThanks for reminding me about this protest on my blog. I just did a posting about the protest, and a brilliant comment from someone on Feministing which made me think about some issues involving discussing sexual orientation and gender identity.
ReplyDeleteI attended Smith College for two years, and transferred in part due to the level of racism and homophobia at the school. It was a shocking thing to discover, given the school's reputation. This was in the late 80's, and it's sad to see that perhaps things haven't changed there. When I was there, notes were left on students' doors, and a few years earlier anti-Semitic comments had been spray painted on a wall. I loved Smith for many things, but the undercurrent of "isms" (for lack of a better term - encompassing racism, heterosexism, etc.) was somewhat distressing and I was relieved when I transferred out.
ReplyDeleteI think this is just fabulous. Makes me miss my days as a protesting undergrad!
ReplyDelete