But what can I do? (original) (raw)

WHAT IS FEMINIST.COM?: "Feminist.com is a ten-year-old activist community and portal of resources and information that supports women's equality, justice, wellness and safety. The Feminist.com web site was founded to initiate and facilitate grassroots mobilization, networking and communication around important political, health and educational issues related to women. Our web site is dedicated to promoting and sustaining women's well-being through the principles embodied in our motto: 'Awareness, Education, Activism and Empowerment'."

Concord Monitor Online: "Sadly, women's cause is legitimate, MARY LEE SARGENT

April 20. 2005 8:00AM

It is a rare week that passes without the Monitor reporting the rape, sexual assault, sexual molestation of a New Hampshire woman or girl. Most recently there were stories about the rape by three men of a local woman and about a school official accused of sexual assault.

While most crime statistics have gone down in the last decade, sexual crimes against women continue to rise. More of us are raped, preyed upon, sexually abused, molested, sexually harassed, maimed and murdered by sexually motivated men than ever.

Yet when women stand up and organize against this violence, as the Feminist Action League is doing at UNH (Monitor, April 17), people are outraged by their tactics. Their dramatic statements and free expression generate more criticism than the hideous violence against women that they are protesting.

Although FAL engages in political theater about castrating rapists, I have not read a single report of a real attack on a male or his penis by these activists. They are engaging in free speech and nonviolent protest to make a point and raise awareness.

Ironically, study after study has shown that the pornography industry's violent imagery contributes to actual sexual violence against real women. Yet our Constitution and courts protect the pornographer's free speech.

In the United States, one can publish anything for profit. But if one protests this pornography, as a young woman did at UNH, she is threatened, terrorized and driven out of school.

Women! We must speak out in every nonviolent way we can to stop the violence. Men! We insist that you learn the difference between actual violence and angry and dramatic protests against violence.

Feminist, Homosexual Groups Turn Thumbs Down on New Pope -- 04/20/2005: "The Women's Ordination Conference, a Catholic feminist organization working for the ordination of women priests, said the church desperately needs a healer, but the cardinals have elected a divider: 'This is another example of how the hierarchy is out of touch with Catholics in the pews,' said Joy Barnes, executive director of the Women's Ordination Conference.

According to the WOC, recent polls show that over two-thirds of U.S. Catholics support women's ordination, yet Ratzinger has repeatedly stated his firm opposition to women priests."

Guardian Unlimited | Columnists | Not in my name: "Disgracefully, the European rich quietly ignore the church's outlandish teachings on contraception without rebelling on behalf of the helpless third-world poor who die for their misplaced faith. Those 'civilised' Catholics have as much blood on their hands as the Vatican they support. They are like the Bollinger Bolsheviks who defended the USSR and a murderous ideology that they could do much to change. For today, just remember what lies beneath all this magnificent display."