Thanks lerapt. Nice letter. I’ll bet the stuff in my condominium mailbox won’t top it.
May I say too that injustices against women infuriate good men. We don’t like to see our mothers, sisters, daughters, or wives cheated with artificially low pay (in fact even on a selfish level - higher women’s pay probably benefits men too … particularly when its a wife … but when a daughter earns her own money …
that’s good too!).
The media gatekeepers either accidentally or deliberately seem to prioritize women’s news that somehow justifies breaking a commandment or attacking the Catholic Church as
priority ONE. Or is it my imagination? The word “feminist” may be tainted by now too -
as though a pro-life woman would be some sort of fifth column traitor to her gender and a mindless parrot for her church. <an impression I’ve had - put rather strongly but I’ll leave it.
A woman who is a feminist can look self-serving. A man who is (might be too – for different reasons but) can look less so in that he’d be defending another’s rights. Like abolitionists who were white. Or pro-lifers who have already been born! < couldn’t resist.
But standing up for oneself is perfectly fine if one “loves their neighbor” and keeps within the parameters of justice without wandering into the land of revenge, envy, violence or class warfare.
De-fusing the sexual nature and “loyalty” aspects of the argument - one can “hunger and thirst for justice …” and be ok even if the justice longed for is for oneself.
Feminists aside - we can all “strain at gnats” and “swallow camels” if we don’t keep our priorities straight. A local church in my area has had a big ol’ deal which looks to be using church property to discuss the upcoming ballot measure regarding “Capital Punishment.”
Didn’t go. But suspect it was less dialog than “oppose Capital Punishment.” Many good and high ranking Catholics feel that way. But “approving of it in some cases” is not even a sin necessarily per Church law (notwithstanding the counsels of folks like Pope John Paul II).
Here in California no one has been executed in years (gnat). UNLESS one considers abortion … then the Capital Punishment is the elephant in the living room knocking down the Christmas tree and setting fire to the house (or should I have said camel instead of elephant?).
Social Justice is a good thing. Boils down to loving our neighbor when done right. But since I sort of lectured “feminists” on their priorities - I may as well admit that my church (on a small level) can get priorities flipped a bit too.
All this fuss and Charles Manson and the death row gang are just safe as they were
- but innocent children … ah nevermind.
The only good that comes from this shooting of Malala is that its an opportunity for
MOST people to unify in loud protest - and maybe change the Taliban’s mind about the wisdom of such bullying. And other bullies might take note. Silence seems like assent.
