thoughts and a question

Mar 22, 2009 10:11

We went to the big IMAX theater at Bridgeport last night to see Watchmen. I think it may take a while to digest. The movie was less about the special effects than I thought is was going to be. Very Very dark, with some not very pleasant truths about human nature and a great deal of symbolism incorporated in the story line. Which is I suppose a ( Read more... )

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Comments 15

mrq_laurellen March 22 2009, 18:20:22 UTC
Yes, you do, especially when it comes to physicallity in which, I'm sorry to say, women are NOT equal to men. Equal mentally? Spiritually? Sure. But not physically. Unless you're Janette Goldstien and rip phone books apart with your bare hands in which case, Gawd bless you, go in peace.

In my opinion, it is incumbent on the physically stronger to be responsible with that capacity. And by 'responsible' I mean not beating your girlfriend or kids because you can since they are weaker than you.

I think women have every right to expect protection from that.

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gulenay_barb March 22 2009, 18:33:34 UTC
Not that I disagree with you, because I don't. Absolutely not, women should always be able to feel safe with their loved ones and in their homes. But Don't I have some responsibility to defend myself? Not that I'd be able to do well in a knock down grag out fight. But shouldn't I, knowing that I am physically weaker, be responsible for learning skills and techniques or buying such things as guns to protect myself? Or at least be active in avoiding physical conflict? I'd certainly admit that I am concious of my safety when choosing when and where to go in the city and locking my doors.
In the movie both the victims of violence against women had themselves responded with violence toward the man who then in turn escalated the violence. In neither case did I think the woman was wrong to be angry, ore even to hit him. Or that he was right to respond the way he did. But it does raise the question, how safe should I be by reason of gender alone?

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mrq_laurellen March 22 2009, 19:05:08 UTC
Oh, I think prudence is the watch word here. I certainly don't expect Society to save me, evar, from my own stupidity. So I have learned aikido and how to effectively kick and punch and poke. Nor do I go out of my way to start a fight. Nor do I go into bad neighborhoods at night.

I think that we can expect a reasonable amount of safety until we, ourselves, abrogate it by making stupid choices. If walk up and smack some guy, I fully expect him to smack me back. On the other hand, if he smacks me first, he should expect that I will not fight fair and I will call the police after I'm done kicking the crap out of him with anything that's sharp and handy.

Again, I think it's incumbent on the physically stronger to be more responsible but I certainly don't expect them to be door mats.

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aelfgyfu March 22 2009, 19:08:13 UTC
A seriously complicated issue. Here is how I look at it; everyone is different from everyone else. Even breaking things down into gender is oversimplifying. Age, fitness, size, gender, health, etc are all factors is who someone is and how they can handle situations ( ... )

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gulenay_barb March 23 2009, 00:54:32 UTC
Thanks for putting it that way. It's a nie balance of what we should have the right to expect as participants in a civilization and what we should be accountable for ourselves. thanks for putting your thoughts out here.

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WatchMan ldy_susanna1 March 22 2009, 20:55:06 UTC
Went and saw the Watchman - agree that were very hot sex scenes (If I ever wondered what a blue penis looked like I know now). Very disturbing with the violence against females. Speaking as one who has had to defend herself in a gang violence situation against a crowed of drunken/angry men, I think in certain situations gender flies out the window and a matter of fight or flight ( ... )

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Re: WatchMan gulenay_barb March 23 2009, 00:52:20 UTC
Thanks for weighing in on this Zsu, You have a personal perspective that I don't, and certainly don't want anyone to ever have ( ... )

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p1kap1ka March 23 2009, 01:55:51 UTC
Now, see.. I was also taught never to hit... but that if a fight REALLY can't be avoided, to be the one who escalates fastest, first. Because that also ENDS the fight fastest. Especially since, while technically "equal" in all the ways that matter, I am never going to be as strong as some people - men or women.

The ground rule for me is that you should never hit someone weaker than you, and if someone stronger than you is going to hit you, as a certainty, hit them first, and preferably with an equalizing weapon. (incidentally, it's Silk Spectre, not Siren).

So to answer the actual posted question: I don't think anyone has a right to be protected/defended because of their sex. I think they do have a right to be protected/defended when they are physically or mentally weaker. Which yes, often means women, either as a result of biology or training, but is not necessarily limited to that.

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gulenay_barb March 23 2009, 02:59:21 UTC
Thanks for the correction. And the opinion. I like that frame for the concept. Certainly today's news articles about the African wars near Darfur using rape as a weapon to control and demoralize the population and economy (subsistence farming and gathering, run mostly by women) One idea that stuck in my head was that in a war where the soldiers cannot afford bullets or bombs, rape and sexual abuse is an effective means of demoralizing the enemy. Civilization anyone?

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gulenay_barb March 25 2009, 13:43:12 UTC
Uhm, Ya. I spoke with a guy here at work who went with his 14 year old sone. He said he felt pretty akward. His college age daughter later told him she was glad she hadn't waited to see it at home with the family.
Might be worth chatting with the young lad, see how he's processing it.

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