Child abuse?
Alex Banas, July 5, 1999 - I am a proud father of a 10 year old son. My history with him has been full. But I have always wondered why his mother should have custody and not me. Financially we are fairly even, depending on the year. But always on the poorer side of the fence. At any rate I don't want to get of the subject, I want you to see my proactive interest on the subject you are writing about.
My question is: In the article you stated that mothers are more likely to commit child abuse by about 10-15 percent. But at the end of your article you stated the low number of men that actually get custody. You can see what I'm asking I hope. If more men get custody and the numbers equal out will this greatly impact the percent of child abuse cases perpetrated my fathers.
Editor: That's a fair question and one raised both by the fair-minded and antimale bigots alike.
My answer: I don't know.
Still in print?
J. Steven Svoboda - Attorneys for the Rights of the Child, August 12, 1999 - Is there still a print version of the Backlash being published? If so I am definitely interested in subscribing. Thanks.
Editor: Was, isn't, will be, but not yet.
Creativity and cognition
krimson, July 22, 1999 - I have seen reports in the past showing that overall women are not as creative as men, that they cost employers extensively higher amounts of money to employ, that their cognitive skills are not as acute as men's, and their decision making abilities are not as good.
So the question is this... have you run across any of the studies along this line, or can you point me to any information that will support or dispel these issues?
Did you see that Canadian news report about a initial study back in the 80's which indicated that men were more abusive etc. etc. and several anti male laws were passed? They admitted that the female side of the study was repressed because it indicated that women were more violent then men overall and that they were much more likely to start a fight and escalate a fight to violence than men did.
I work at HP and it is well known that all a woman has to do is make an accusation against you regardless of the truth and you will be fired (without an investigation or even hearing your side of the story). HP is now 65% women, and most of the managers are women. And we wonder why children grow up hating women? Because of mothers who don't care...absentee moms.
Editor: Hm, I've never heard of any of these. However, I grew up a "retard" and American Indian in an all white community during the sixties and the two people who provided me with the greatest solace, sanctuary and security during my childhood were my mother and paternal grandfather. My mother taught me to cherish women, and my paternal grandfather taught me to cherish men. It is my sincere hope all others will share my reverence for human personality and the web of life.
I must say that I was quite surprised by your reply in reference to the backlash. In this day where women are men and men are considered very poorly it is difficult to cherish women. Especially when women are no longer feminine and are more interested in power, control, and man bashing.
I have fallen to the sad thoughts that there are no longer any nurturing women to be the foundation of a healthy family. Where the man walks the circle in protection and the woman fills the circle in warmth and nuturment. This is how healthy and peaceful children are brought into this world.
It has been so long that I have seen a woman who would fit the description as a real person, I have forgotten how to treat one or even cherish one.
Why the defeatist attitude?
John Delaney, July 6, 1999 - Can anyone tell me why American men see themselves as having been defeated by feminism, when it can so easily be wiped out. You are like the elephant frightened by the mouse I would love to hear from any of you who find this as threatening.
Editor: I like your analogy, but it might be more accurate to say it's like a huge herd of elephants being stalked by a pride of lions who are picking off any calf that strays from the herd. A few on the periphery of the herd see the threat and warn the others, but no one listens to them. Meanwhile, the lions continue killing off a calf here and there.
Chief among the pride are False Accusations, Hostile Environment Sexual Harassment, Rape Crisis and Battered Woman Syndrome, who have successfully stalked and killed many.
Analogies aside, it's ironic but just this afternoon I was thinking how, if everyone ignored the pop feminists, they would go away, but the problem is that, as Patricia Schroeder noted a couple years ago, during the 70s Congress rubber stamped almost anything the "feminists" demanded. Since then, folks on the Hill have become less malleable but still very sensitive to pop feminist demands.
Yes, most of the people on the Hill are male, but would a black president make blacks more powerful than whites in America? Of course not. Black mayors and police don't mean diddly to a black kid born into a welfare family, anymore than a white president means squat to a white kid born into poverty. The fact the face of female power wears a male mask means nothing to the boys and men subject to law and policy enacted at the behest of antimale bigots.
Politicians attend those who vote, in the US and Canada, most voters are female, and enough of them support the pop feminists that their lobbyists carry clout. Until men wake up and oppose the bigots, the bigots will own the day.
Same as the Nazis.
There were many years during which, had the German people who did not approve of Hitler's ideas and politics arisen en masse to oppose him, there would never have been a holocaust. Instead, most of them kept their own counsel, and the result: das Deutsche leit.
Thanks for your reply, there is someone awake out there after all.
What I would like to say, Is, that this attack on the image of masculinity is not as you might imagine, it is something that has risen on the back of a wild and ancient pagan spirit. The people who are urging it on are mostly male, the majority of Western females of this age are being used to create a certain situation and when that has been achieved the carpet will be pulled from below their feet.
Unfortunately by that time the western system of civilisation will have collapsed into chaos. And the great man of terror will rule. So don't worry about what is happening at the moment, take heed and prepare for the future
White rights?
Maho, July 7, 1999 - Any similar white rights web page like yours?
While this web page is against sexism against men, it is not hypocritically against sexism against women
Could it be you don't want to be known as the male equivalent of feminists who have become just as sexist and chauvinistic as the men they complain about.
Unfortunately, the only white rights web pages I have come across on the web are racist themselves.
Editor: I oppose sexism. Period. And have frequently stated as much on my site. I have further noted so much is said in opposition to antifemale sexism that were I to never say anything about that but focused solely on opposing antimale sexism, on balance the efforts in opposition to antifemale sexism would so far outweigh ours as to render ours virtually insignificant.
In quantity, that is. In quality, we would hope to do better.
In answer to your question, that is correct, we do not wish to emulate the sexism of the pop feminists.
With regard to white rights pages, I'm uncertain how that came up, I am bi racial - white and American Indian (Cowlitz tribe).
Ph.D. in prejudice?
(annonymous under threat of lawsuit), July 15, 1999 - I recently stumbled upon your site after doing some research about rape and domestic violence and all I have to say is why? Upper class white men whining that they have no rights is not something new. You've enjoyed rights that women have not had since the beginning of time.
Editor: I'm Cowlitz Indian, poor most of my life only recently employed in a well-paying position and I have not been around to enjoy all those mythical rights since the beginning of time, but grew up in the shadow not only of the racism of my white peers (male, female, adults and children), but also of a Congress who, according to Patricia Schroeder, passed virtually any legislation presented under the auspices of "women's liberation."
So perhaps you did not mean me when you were referring to "Upper class white men" who have evidently lived an eternity oppressing women.
Every right a woman has she's worked for and earned. You've taken. Do any of you have daughters? What kind of a world do you want them to grow up in? Do you believe they should enjoy the same rights as you do?
Editor: "The goal: same basic rights, same basic responsibilities, same basic respect for every citizen." July 1997
Do you know that the majority of American women live in fear of rape. And it is not backlash against men, it's the fact that men rape, a lot.
Editor: "Today, thanks to the pop-feminist witch hunters, distrust of men, according to the 1990 Roper Survey, is at an all-time historical high...So many women fear men because pop-feminists have taught them to: "Women are barraged with reports about crime against women." - Women & Crime, Sue Browder, New Woman, April 1991, p 62, Fear: Weapon of the Witch hunters
I have no problem with a group dedicated to helping men (even though your time and energy could surely be used better elsewhere) however, why do you have to hurt and degrade women in the process?
Editor: You're very kind, but not very specific. Unless you refer to asking questions about the hysteria over rape and violence - the day it is widely believed that to question hysteria is hurtful and degrading is the day we are ruled by the mob mentality.
Why do you question things like rape and domestic violence? Surely you'd have to be an idiot to not know how often they happen.
Editor: By the definition used by Mary Koss in the rape survey on college campuses commissioned by Ms. magazine, men are as susceptible to rape by a member of the opposite sex as women. Moreover, surveys (cited, if I remember correctly, in the Myth of Male Power) show this is true.
This is such a fucking joke!!!!
Editor: The relevant point is: we do not deny rape and domestic violence but call into question those whose bigotry blinds them to the fact these crimes are committed by both women and men and need to be dealt with on that basis, else we ignore half the victims.
Do you honestly belive that women are beating their husbands as much as men are beating their wives??? ha!!! that's a joke!!
If you really want to do a service to men why not give them ways to prevent abuse and sexist behavior brought on by men? I guess I just don't understand what you're whining about.
Editor: So, when pop feminists hype inflated statistics about male criminality, that's not whining, but when men point to the growing body of statistics and studies which show women are (remember, you read it here first) as human as men are and subject to all the same foibles, that's whining? Being an equalitarian, I could never agree with that.
You, by refering to people as pop feminists is very dergoatory in itself. shall i call you "the typical asshole man" please don't treat feminists like shit by calling them names because it is very childish and makes you look stupid.
Editor: FEMINIST - A person who advocates or supports equal rights and responsibilities for women; POP-FEMINIST - A person who demands rights and privileges for women and responsibilities and restrictions for men. (See The Backlash! dictionary)
Every day when I wake up and walk down the street I am scared of being abused by men. Do you ever question whether or not you will be raped on the subway?
Editor: We don't have subways around here. However, I must admit to being somewhat appalled by the sheer racism of your question - statistically, black male violence per capita surpasses white male violence by a wide margin, and to claim a fear on the basis of real rates of criminal behavior (let alone the wildly inflated claims of the fear mongers) is racist in the extreme.
Every day I go to work and make 76 cents for every dollar you make.
Editor: I work in a union shop where we all make union scale. However, I understand in the bigoted world of pop feminism "the personal is political" applies to women, not men, so setting my personal male experiences aside, a look at the facts might be helpful and you can review them here:
Women everywhere work a full day and come home and take care of children and a house while their husbands watch television.
Editor: Hm; when Grampa got home he chopped and stacked wood, did repairs, worked their acre-sized garden where he grew most of their vegetables, and did much of the cooking.
In the house where I grew up, both my brother and I were required to assist with the cooking, take turns with the clean up, and we all pitched in with housecleaning and yard work. Interestingly, while my brother and I were expected to do all the same kinds of chores as my sister, she did not have the mechanical maintenance chores we did.
Okay, im sure your ONE personal experience is the same experience for women everywhere and might i recommend a book that i know you will never read: the second shift. i'd hate to suggest you actually learn something about what you speak of. oh, wait, i forgot you've cited youself many times thus far.
Editor: Got it in 1997, read parts of it, typical of the highly biased and distorted writing common among pop feminist "scholars."
Oh, but there's that pesky "the personal is political" thing again. Sorry, I forgot, I'm just a male. We can't use that. So, again, relating to the experience of the general population, as Warren Farrell noted in "The Myth of Male Power," when all work related activities in America are taken into account, men average more hours of work per week than women.
Do you see nothing wrong with this? Please, do a real service to men and make sure they take a stand with women, not against.
Editor: I was unaware taking a stand against bigotry was synonymous with taking a stand against women. Perhaps you consider women bigots. I do not. Well, some women are, but then, some men are, too.
I'm sorry but when I read your e-mail I couldn't help but laugh out loud. When I showed it to people in my feminist classes, we shared a good laugh together. Women are so underpriviledged in this country it makes me sick and anyone who can say differently needs to look at things a bit more clearly and read some information other than your own. I couldn't help but notice you cited all your own material, this is not exactly a clear perspective.
Editor: You asked me if I opposed equality for women. Of course I cited my own material in response.
No you cited your own material in response to the occurance of rape in men and things not dealing with your own opinion. and hitler? what a stupid thing to say for shock value. well, thanks for writing to me and conversing with me, it's been nice. however, if you are going to rely on immature name calling than i really don't have much more to say. i've said it before and i'll say it again: i have nothing against groups working towards equality and dealing with men's issues. however, rarely have i ever seen one of these groups, instead it is trying to take away the power women have gained. if you really want equality for all do you actively participate in womens groups or feminists groups?
Some statistics for you:
- The US Dep't of Justice has estimated that 1 in 12 women will be the victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
Editor: NOW disagrees - they contend it is 1 in 3. Also, according to the BJS, on a per capita basis, most of those rapes are committed by Black men. Not being racist, I am careful what conclusions I draw from that. What about you?
- According to the FBI's crime clock, one forcible rape is committed every five minutes in the US.
Editor: Dramatic but dated. Now it's closer to one report of forcible every 5.75 minutes.
Still, 95,769 forcible rapes is a lot.
Wait a minute, that should be 95,769 reports of forcible rape. As you note below, according to the Center for Women Policy Studies almost 99% of those are found to be false or the claims too weak to prosecute.
Moreover, according to a November 22, 1998, press release issued by the U.S. Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation:
Crimes against persons comprised 70 percent of the 9,861 offenses reported. Among the crimes against persons, intimidation accounted for 55 percent of the total; simple assault and aggravated assault accounted for 26 percent and 18 percent, respectively; murder and rape each accounted for less than 1 percent.
- The rate of rape has risen four times faster than the national crime rate (US House of Reps).
Editor: Ireland disagrees, but asserts the rate of reporting has increased. But then, they have to say that.
IM NOT TALKING ABOUT IRELAND YOU JACK OFF!!
Editor: That would be Patricia Ireland, as in the President of The National Organization for Women.
Moreover, the FBI report states "that for the sixth consecutive year reported serious crime decreased in the United States," including rape, and according to the agency's report from the year before, "the number of rapes (in 1996) was the lowest since 1989."
How can this be?
- Rape has one of the lowest arrest and conviction rates of any crime (Committee on the Judiciary, US Senate).
- Fewer than 40% of reported rapes result in charges against perpetrators, and only 3% of those cases result in a conviction (Center for Women Policy Studies).
Editor: So what you're saying is, rape has one of the highest rates of false accusations. Perhaps if there were penalties for false accusations, the arrest and conviction rates would be higher. Or are you saying false accusations of rape are rare, if they exist at all?
YES DUMB SHIT!!! LET'S JUST SAY THAT ON A SCALE RAPE HAPPENS 99.9% OF THE TIME AND THE REMAINING 1 IS FALSE ACCUSATIONS. HOW CAN YOU BE MORE CONCERNED WITH FALSE ACCUSATIONS THAN RAPE? MAYBE IF SOMEONE WOULD RAPE YOU (CONSIDERING RAPE HAPPENS TO MALES ALL THE TIME!) YOU'D FEEL DIFFERENTLY.
Editor: According to the FBI, men cannot be raped:
Sexual attacks on males should be classified as Assaults or "Other Sex Offenses," depending on the nature of the crime and the extent of injury.
Sexist, I agree. If we're going to do away with terminology which differentiates based on gender (and here I use gender in the same sense as Catharine MacKinnon), then let's do it across the board. But pop feminists don't want to let go of some of those gender-based terms because, like the word rape, it contributes a lot of emotional coin to their cause.
So we ignore that by the definition Mary Koss used for her Ms. magazine sponsored survey as many men as women have been raped because, guess what, men can't be raped.
Sexist, isn't it.
- 2/3% of the illiterate people in the world are women. (class notes)
Editor: Hm. "2/3%" is 0.67%. So what you're saying is 99.3% of the illiterate are male? Okay, you mean two thirds or 67% of the world's illiterate are female. I believe you.
What we also know is that pop feminists have to go outside the United States (indeed, outside most of the western democracies) to demonstrate oppressive conditions such as higher illiteracy rates for women because, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, Table No. 262 Educational Attainment, by Selected Characteristic: 1997, in the U.S. women are more likely than men to have a high school diploma, more likely to have an Associate's degree, and in the younger age groups women are more likely than men to have a Bachelor's degree.
If lower educational attainment is an indicator of oppression, then what does this say about oppression in America?
- world wide women perform an estimated 60% of the work, receive 10% of the income, own less than 1% of the land. (class notes)
Editor: Again with this world wide thing. If you're trying to say western men in general and American men in particular are really terrific because they perform more work than American women do while in primitive countries the opposite is true, then we concur.
If, however, your contention is that because women are used as beasts of burden in the primitive nations that makes you oppressed and me an oppressor, the objective data do not agree.
- 87% of elementary teachers are female and 82% of the principals are male. this gives kids the illusion that males are the ones with power, not women. (class notes)
Editor: "Illusion?" Interesting you should put it that way. So we agree it is an illusion and the women do hold more power. The relevant question then becomes, from whose perspective?
A girl might perceive the male principal as having more power but having been a boy (and I assume you have not so would have no subjective basis from which to address this issue) what I know is my male peers and I always felt the teachers had most of the power. The principal was merely an instrument of the punishment our teachers meted out.
Recently I attended a meeting of the group from which The Backlash! evolved, and learned a new thing: what white male privilege is.
For several years, I have heard about white male privilege and every time I have asked for somebody to explain precisely what it is. The stock response was along the lines of, "To those who understand, no explanation is needed; to those who don't, no explanation is possible." As Ayn Rand (for all her many faults) noted, this is one refuge of those who have no rational explanation.
Today, I finally found out what it is: White men expect to be treated fairly.
That's it.
Why didn't I already know the answer? Because ever since we moved into a neighborhood (I started out in isolation), being Indian I learned fairness was not something to expect. It was an ideal, the way things ought to be, but not how things are. (When you come home from school bloody and bruised because while your white teachers looked the other way, your classmates - female as well as male - took their pleasure by stoning you, you learn to not expect fair treatment.)
One of the guys at the Gang of Six meeting made a remark that led me to initiate a discussion about fairness during which I learned white guys just sort of expect it. I don't. I know a lot of blacks who don't. And I know a lot of white women who expect to be treated with more than the fairness white guys expect.
FUCK YOU!!!!! BESIDES WHAT AN IDIOT YOU ARE, ID REALLY LIKE TO KNOW HOW YOU THINK POOR MEN ARE OPPRESSED? REALLY, I'D LOVE TO HEAR THIS ONE. THEY ONLY MAKE A DOLLAR FOR EVERY 70 CENTS A WOMAN MAKES AND THEY WANT MORE? THEY ONLY CONSTITUTE 89% OF POLITICIANS AND THATS NOT ENOUGH? THEY BENEFIT IN EVERY WAY IN SCHOOL AND THEY WANT AN ALL BOYS
SCHOOL? THEY ONLY 3 YEARS (ON AVERAGE) FOR RAPE IF CONVICTED AND THEY ONLY WANT 1???? MEN HAVE EVERYTHING. READ SOME FUCKING BOOKS OR TAKE A CLASS IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT YOU MORON. I WOULD HAVE AN EASIER TIME UNDERSTANDING YOU IF YOU WERE FUCKING EDUCATED. YOU ARE TALKING TO SOMEONE WORKING ON HER PHD. AND I FEEL LIKE IM TALKING TO A THIRD GRADER....
Editor: Would that be a Ph.D. in Women's Studies, by any chance?
Although I worked to pay my own way through college where I earned only a Bachelor's degree, it wasn't in Women's Studies (as there were no such programs back then). However, you state above that you've read my chapter on Rape which suggests you saw I reference page and verse from several feminist and pop feminist sources.
Moreover, were you to read further you would find quotes and citations from a significant number of feminist and pop feminist books, articles and essays throughout my book as well as my several articles and essays. Since this fact appears to have escaped your notice, what other facts have you failed to see?
Or did you even look?
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