Since I began blogging I've been assigned four labels, that I'm aware of, anyway: hippie chick by Cunning Runt, a punk-ass Mona Lisa" by johinieb (I not so secretly like that one) and a sap by a what's-his-face blogger in the comments of someone else's blog.
My favorite, however, is in bold below. It's an excerpt from a comment at Godless Liberal Homo, made by a dude named Christopher.
Pagan Sphinx,
Yes, the Shillaryshere is full of paleo-feminists like you who got sucked into the "if you oppose Hillary, you hate women" bullshit.
Don't you love it?
Regarding the hippie chick thing: I honestly don't think I qualify. I'm slightly too young, firstly. And though I identify strongly with the "hippie belief system" (whatever that is), I've never felt that easy to peg. So, stop tryin' ahready! ;-)
And a note to Christopher:
If by some remote chance you're reading this, I am not trying to insult or bait you, despite our disagreement about Hilary-bashing. I really laughed out-loud at paleo-feminist! I thought you were very clever for thinking of it until I googled it and realized the term didn't originate with you! I am such a dinosaur.
I've never (so far as I know) had such fancy labels as those attributed to me. I have been "that bitch in the Zoning office". And more recently I'm "the mean old lady across the street". It's kind of fun to hear ourselves described in terms we never expected. I'm sure you don't take them any more seriously than I do. They say more about the name-
ReplyDeletecallers than about us.
don't sweat it- apparently, christopher is a left wing troll. he has been elsewhere being nasty on other folks' blogs- so i wouldn't take a thing he says seriously or personally.
ReplyDeletebobbie: no, I didn't take it personally; the whole thing just stimulates my funny bone in a tonge-in-cheek sort of way.
ReplyDeleteAnd in regard to some of the labels attributed to you, I KNOW I've been called worse in the "real world". I can take it... :-)
betmo: there are LEFT wing trolls??
;-)
Hahahahahaah! Sorry I have to laugh. I should not do so, it is unkind.
ReplyDeleteYou are brilliant in all of your Mona Lisa hippie whatever greatness.
I am laughing because I consider it a woman's badge of honor to be insulted by Christopher.
He and I met early on in my blogging days and quickly connected.
Over time I found him getting angrier... and much meaner. Much much meaner.
This meanness rooted itself in a very clear hatred of women. And with this my hahaha moment is over.
This is a person who tragically has serious problems. He truly hates women.
It is very sad. I wrote a post about "you don't have to be wrong for me to be right" and he went over the top because he clearly must be right about everything.
He called me some variety of foolish old woman and took his toys and left... I was shocked to see how swiftly I was deleted from his blogroll.
A few months later we reconciled, as you know I am pretty big on that sort of thing.
It was not to last long. He recently got bent out of shape over something on my blog and once again took his angry woman hating toys and left the sandbox.
This time for good I hope.
While I feel tremendous pity and compassion for someone like that, who must be filled with such ugly, cancerous rage and self-loathing, I cannot abide by their cruel words and taunts.
In the end, you stand tall and we must at some level offer some hope to others with such dark hearts.
I did want this to be tongue in cheek, with my hahahaha, but it is tragic at some level.
I also have been called a few choice words in my life. Politics tend to sometimes bring out very strong emotions. I was once called a liberal bitch but I wore it like a badge of honer!
ReplyDeleteGross out alert, but here's where my head is lately....all I can think of in retort (?) to such a label is the question: Do paleo-feminists squirt oil out of their vaginas and nipples? Because, if so, we should harness that energy and solve a crisis or two.
ReplyDeleteI understand if you have to delete this.
DCup: absolutely no way would I delete your comment. I made some sort of disclaimer on my little bio that supports my right to say what I want in the way I want to say it. I want the same freedom for those who comment here. '
ReplyDeleteI draw the line at hate and personal insults toward others but I'm personally willing to take criticism, correction and even an insult or two. I just don't want anyone who comes here to ever feel offended or threatened.
Always feel free to express yourself here, D. I know where you're coming from by reading your blog and I lurrrrrrrf you! ;-)
Fran: It is sad about people who are so poisoned by hate for others. It's especially sad for you since you tried in good faith to reconcile your differences with Christopher.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughtful comment, as always.
Minne: A badge of honor indeed! Though the more I live, the less comfortable I am with women being referred to as "bitches", even if it's other women. It doesn't mean I fly off the handle if I hear it but I do cringe more than a bit.
Hi Pagan Sphinx,
ReplyDeleteYou took all of this quite well. I know that I've been called a few things in my life, but I've never heard them. I agree with Bobbie that name-calling tells more about the caller than the called. That goes the same for those of us who sometimes...ahem...by mistake call another human being by a name.
Thanks for your thoughtful comment on my blog.
I agree with FranIAm, that guy just hates women. I don't even bother to read what he writes on other people's blog posts anymore. He is one the bloggers who I blame for this fracturing of our democratic party.
ReplyDeleteNot to beat Poor Christopher's dead horse, but...
ReplyDeleteI've been struggling, and I don't appear to be succeeding to any measurable extent, to build bridges with people who see things differently than I do. And in service to that, I've responded to some of The Lad's scathing comments about Ms. Clinton, in which his venomous attitude was untenable to me, despite the fact that I'm far short of a fan of Herself.
But my calls for civility in discourse and a focus on issues and strategies was met with a wall of silence where I posted it and a continuation of The Rant elsewhere.
It's tremendously sad to me to see a person driven into a space where they have nothing positive to add to the conversation, but that's what I see in this young man. His trials as an "out" gay man have left him pretty battered, to the point where he sees escape (to Canada) as his only option.
As a parent who's heard similarly dispirited (though thankfully less rancorous) talk from a socially disenfranchised daughter, I vicariously feel his pain.
But I really wish he would stand and fight along side my Big Gurrrl instead of spitting venom and planning his exit strategy.
Because he's a smart and capable guy, and we need every last sane one of us to win the Battle For Equality.
P.S. (pun intended,)
ReplyDeleteWherever did you find that perfectly appropriate paleo-feminist graphic atop your excellent post???
- R
Crayons: Hi, there. Thanks for coming by and commenting. I enjoyed the artwork on your blog so much!
ReplyDeleteLib: I didn't realize Christopher has such a reputation. Because he's bright and has made some valid points about the campaign, I didn't completely dismiss him at first. But I certainly will ignore his comments from now on. Others have tried and failed in trying to deal with him with fairness and compassion. I certainly would fare no better if I tried, I'm sure.
CR: Until reading yours and Fran's comments, I knew nothing about this man. It does help to know a bit about a person who behaves in this manner. It does help with trying to understand and find compassion.
Thank you. Oh, the image: I'm from the era, so I had it kickin' around. ;-)
pagan sphinx: You aren't the only one who felt the need to blog on the topic that was started by christopher's comments on my blog.
ReplyDeleteThere are some very legitimate reasons to be angry at Demopublicans like the Clintons, yet I don't think any woman will listen to them when they are coming from someone who is attacking Hillary Clinton as a woman, rather than focusing on her actual record and campaign tactics.
franiam: Christopher took me off of his blogroll after I posted a comment acknowledging that Pagan Sphinx had made legitimate points and that anger should be expressed in a gender neutral way in the comments section of my blog.
I know he has received some emails from Clinton supporters that would make almost anyone's ears feel like they would burn off if they were read out loud. I've seen on some of the pro-Clinton blogs just how nasty and racist some of Clinton's supporters can be. I can see why his nerves are raw, though I don't agree with the way he is handling it.
I also remember the terrible way Bill Clinton exploited and abused lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people during his administration. During the Logo/Human Rights Campaign, Hillary Clinton not only refused to distance herself from her husband's policies (which Melissa Etheridge aptly referred to as "throwing us under the bus"), she acted like those of us in the lgbt community should have been grateful for the way we were treated.
I identify strongly with anger among liberals, queers, and peace activists in the direction of Hillary Clinton and some of her supporters. Yet, I am repulsed when that anger gets expressed in ways that needlessly create a hostile environment for all women.
Labels, labels, labels...how people love to 'label'. The only good label is on the middle of an old vinyl record...in fact there were quite a few of them!
ReplyDeletePeace.
SB
Hey, Bear. It's great to hear from you.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I agree! Speaking of records, my daughter Supergirl Two, has just started to collect old LPs and is determined to save money to buy a turntable of her own.
My own vinyl met with disaster, which I can't even discuss without going into regret mode.
Be well, Bear!
Love & Peace,
Pagan
What a discussion! I am very sorry that Christopher has caused such an uproar in blogworld, but it is symptomatic.
ReplyDeleteI am not saying this to add fuel to any fire and I am not saying anything that I would not say directly to him if I had the chance.
Cunning Runt - I disagree (but lovingly so!) with you on a few things.
Our efforts - especially those in bridge building - are difficult to measure with meaning. That is a good thing really, but a challenge.
You may be far more successful than you can see from your vantage on the bridge. Trust me on this one.
It might be years from now when someone that you interact with today has a change of heart. That will matter then and it matters now.
You have influenced me so deeply and profoundly - does that count?
As for Christopher and who we need to carry on. He is not needed IMHO. He could be if he were willing to drop his arms but he seems intransigent about his anger and vitriol.
Read his words on his blog for starters. He uses truly hateful and frankly almost scary language about women.
I am a feminist but not an ardent one, but the way he uses language is a cruel disgrace.
So in my mind, he could be welcome but he would have to choose freely to disengage from his rage and his hate.
Honestly - I do not say this lightly, he is the polar opposite but the same intent as that crazy ass minister in Kansas who says God hates ... I can't even utter it.
The poison is the same even if the words aren't.
My heart breaks for someone trapped in their rage. I know because it could have been me.
LibHom - I realize that he has gotten hate mail, really bad mail, but he has so often - if not started - kept the hate conversation going. It is that simple.
The fact that he gets so furiously angry that he removes us with whim from his blogroll (as if that matters to anyone but him) says volumes.
Sad volumes.
We all have active choices to make. I am angry a lot. I can choose to use that anger well and for good or to name call, demean or belittle.
I have chosen that in the past, I hope to do it less and less each day of my life and to live in peace.
Lofty? Maybe.
A girl's gotta have dreams.
Peace all. Sorry for the long ramble PS!
When I clicked on Christopher's name in the comments, there were no posts on it. I assumed from this that he doesn't keep a blog and was just commenting.
ReplyDeleteHad I know about the location of an actual blog,it would have influenced this post or I perhaps wouldn't have written it at all.
I didn't mean to belittle him. I actually originally did not take him as seriously as some of you, who have encountered him the past, have.
Sweetcakes,
ReplyDeleteI don't remember saying "Punk-ass Mona Lisa", but I like it, too!
Johnieb
ReplyDelete:-)