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by Anonymous User on 10:41 PM September 21st, 2005 EST (#1)
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Rats! Philly.com wants me to register in order to see that.
-Fidelbogen-
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by johnnyp on 10:45 PM September 21st, 2005 EST (#2)
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please post the text here
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by Boy Genteel on 12:55 PM September 22nd, 2005 EST (#7)
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Letters | Abuse flows both ways
MARY SHAW'S Sept. 12 op-ed discusses a very important subject: domestic abuse and the Violence Against Women Act. Unfortunately, just like VAWA, Shaw ignores a large percentage of victims: men.
More than 170 studies, reviews and analyses demonstrate that, worldwide, women are approximately as likely to initiate domestic violence against men as the reverse. (VAWA's "man hurts woman" archetype also does a disservice to victims within the gay and lesbian community.)
Men are, on average, stronger than women, but this often benefits women, as it results in violence against men being treated as less serious, and, in some cases, a joke. The entertainment media rightly treat violence against women with the gravity it deserves, but depict female violence against men as acceptable, cute, humorous, romantic, empowering or even sexually stimulating.
A man may hurt his wife or girlfriend because he believes he can easily overpower her. But, in another house, a woman may hurt her husband or boyfriend because she is fairly certain he isn't going to hit back. Both aggressors are cowards.
Some police departments are fair, but far too many are still trained to "arrest the man" in a domestic-violence situation, no matter who wears the scars and bruises. Some shelters kindly open their doors to all victims, but too many men go for help only to be ignored or ridiculed for not "taking it like a man," an extremely sexist phrase. In fact, VAWA has been used to deny public funding to organizations that specialize in helping male victims. Abused men, like women, need places where they can be treated with fairness and compassion.
A commission designed to help only white people with AIDS would rightly be seen as outrageously bigoted. A bill that seeks to help only one gender of abuse victims is no different. This law should be replaced by legislation that reflects that no one, regardless of size, strength or sex, deserves to be abused.
Men are from EARTH. Women are from EARTH. Deal with it.
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by Anonymous User on 02:58 PM September 22nd, 2005 EST (#9)
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Good letter , BG, and thanks for posting it ( I also have "registration phobia"! ).
Hotspur
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by B_Riddick on 04:28 PM September 22nd, 2005 EST (#10)
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A very well written and fair-minded piece. I liked it.
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by Boy Genteel on 12:57 PM September 22nd, 2005 EST (#8)
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Actually, no. The original article was taken off the website's immediate archives about a week after it ran. I suppose that's their limit.
bg
Men are from EARTH. Women are from EARTH. Deal with it.
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by Anonymous User on 10:34 AM September 22nd, 2005 EST (#5)
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I read it. Great job! We need much more of this kind of activism. It informs thousands upon thousands of people of the issue, including editors, in one single shot, and it eats away at the Lace Curtain. No matter how busy we are, we can send letters to the editor once in a while. Congrats!
Marc
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by johnnyp on 12:02 PM September 22nd, 2005 EST (#6)
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