This is a blog for the community of Sociology 101B: "Sociological Theory," in the Department of Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, Spring 2009.
Is she talking about Proposition K? I tried to find an article describing the prop but almost all of them marginalized the issue and many "journalists" did not seem able to refrain from using innuendos. So instead here's arguments from both sides along with rebuttals:
We, the Living Theory Blog Committee, have found your comment to be offensive and derogatory. To fling an aggressive statement in response to MacKinnon that is disparaging toward women is incredibly infantile, incredibly malicious, or some mixture of both. Not only do we see your comment as misogynistic, but we also view your statement as a complete disregard for constructive dialogue. As such, we feel you demonstrated a flagrant disrespect for the blog community, our dedicated instructors, and your fellow classmates—both women and men.
Lars, your comment trivialized a subject important to many people. A bitch is a female dog. A woman is a human, like you. MacKinnon is a woman. A large proportion of this class consists of women. More than half the people on the planet are women. It is no more right to be a man than it is to be a woman. It is no more wrong to be a woman than it is to be a man. If you disagree with these premises of fundamental human equality then formulate an opinion, but do not fling an insult and then irresponsibly flee the scene of your verbal outrage with such obvious disregard.
The ultimate purpose of this blog is to engage a community of students and instructors with social theory and its application to contemporary society. We realize that people will maintain diverse and differing opinions about provocative issues such as sexuality and prostitution. However, Lars, your comment in both its execution and content represents an unambiguous contempt for a serious discussion about gender inequality and domination that cannot be ignored nor deleted.
Lars, we should now acknowledge that we strongly considered deleting your comment. However, by deleting your comment, we would not erase your sentiment nor like-minded sentiments that serve to precipitate, intensify, and perpetuate abuses and derision applied to many and applied by many. Misogynistic views are very real and we do not fail to recognize how such views represent a substantial hurdle in addressing domestic violence, rape, sex trafficking, and the millions of missing women around the world.
Lars, we also allowed your statement to remain on the blog as a way of including and engaging you as a member of our community since a real dialogue is possible only if everyone who participates in it is willing to show respect for all participants, even those with opposing views. Even though you demonstrated a disregard for our community, we gave you a few days to respond because we wanted to see whether you wished to participate in the conversation or desecrate it. Thus far, you have not responded, but the comment box is still open. You are free to type and post a response at any time.
Lars, while your actions have impacted the Living Theory Blog Committee and the learning community more generally—perhaps more than you intended or realized—that does not change our resolve to continue to contribute to this blog in a constructive manner.
4 comments:
Is she talking about Proposition K? I tried to find an article describing the prop but almost all of them marginalized the issue and many "journalists" did not seem able to refrain from using innuendos. So instead here's arguments from both sides along with rebuttals:
http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/sf/prop/K/
what a bitch!!!
Would you care to elaborate Lars?
Lars,
We, the Living Theory Blog Committee, have found your comment to be offensive and derogatory. To fling an aggressive statement in response to MacKinnon that is disparaging toward women is incredibly infantile, incredibly malicious, or some mixture of both. Not only do we see your comment as misogynistic, but we also view your statement as a complete disregard for constructive dialogue. As such, we feel you demonstrated a flagrant disrespect for the blog community, our dedicated instructors, and your fellow classmates—both women and men.
Lars, your comment trivialized a subject important to many people. A bitch is a female dog. A woman is a human, like you. MacKinnon is a woman. A large proportion of this class consists of women. More than half the people on the planet are women. It is no more right to be a man than it is to be a woman. It is no more wrong to be a woman than it is to be a man. If you disagree with these premises of fundamental human equality then formulate an opinion, but do not fling an insult and then irresponsibly flee the scene of your verbal outrage with such obvious disregard.
The ultimate purpose of this blog is to engage a community of students and instructors with social theory and its application to contemporary society. We realize that people will maintain diverse and differing opinions about provocative issues such as sexuality and prostitution. However, Lars, your comment in both its execution and content represents an unambiguous contempt for a serious discussion about gender inequality and domination that cannot be ignored nor deleted.
Lars, we should now acknowledge that we strongly considered deleting your comment. However, by deleting your comment, we would not erase your sentiment nor like-minded sentiments that serve to precipitate, intensify, and perpetuate abuses and derision applied to many and applied by many. Misogynistic views are very real and we do not fail to recognize how such views represent a substantial hurdle in addressing domestic violence, rape, sex trafficking, and the millions of missing women around the world.
Lars, we also allowed your statement to remain on the blog as a way of including and engaging you as a member of our community since a real dialogue is possible only if everyone who participates in it is willing to show respect for all participants, even those with opposing views. Even though you demonstrated a disregard for our community, we gave you a few days to respond because we wanted to see whether you wished to participate in the conversation or desecrate it. Thus far, you have not responded, but the comment box is still open. You are free to type and post a response at any time.
Lars, while your actions have impacted the Living Theory Blog Committee and the learning community more generally—perhaps more than you intended or realized—that does not change our resolve to continue to contribute to this blog in a constructive manner.
The Living Theory Blog Committee
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