Sunday, July 28, 1996Fallacy of justice
Dear Editor:
When I read the July 15 article that confirmed that the San Bernardino district attorney's investigation against three members of ZBT was not going to be continued, I was outraged. Needless to say, I was also extremely pissed off by Sam Shabot's July 22 letter ("Feminists out to make men pay").
Men fail to realize the stigmatization that is associated with rape. I have had friends come to me and tell me that they were raped, and when I asked them if they wanted to go to the police, they refused. Women are afraid to report it and have their names known because of the way they will be treated during and after the trial.
In the case of the UCLA woman, you could see it coming before the charges were dropped. People around campus were condemning her for being in that situation in the first place. In what has come to be typical of the white male dominated society, the victim was immediately blamed.
It does not matter whether a nun or a prostitute is raped. Rape is rape. Period. As a society, we have come to believe in different levels of rape. But there are not. When someone is violated, regardless of whether or not they put themselves in a bad position, they are stuck with horrifying memories that will stay with them for the rest of their lives.
Shabot claims that women make hysterical demands, but never want any responsibility! Is it hysterical to ask to be treated like a human being, and not like a piece of meat? Is it hysterical to ask that when a male can't live up to his responsibility as a father and husband that they be compensated?
Shabot feels that family law dramatically favors women. Yet why is it that when my girlfriend issued a restraining order against her ex-boyfriend, it was not enforced? I have spoken with the San Bernardino district attorney's office, and I can tell you that they don't give a flying fuck about what happens to women. When I asked them to help my girlfriend and arrest her stalking ex-boyfriend, they basically told me that until she was dead, they wouldn't do anything.
I applaud the woman who had the courage to come forth and tell what happened to her. I am sorry that you had to experience the fallacy that says if you tell the truth you will receive justice. To the rest of the women out there, I encourage you to bombard law enforcement agencies with letters and protests until something is done to protect women and their rights. And finally, to the men: live up to your responsibility and treat women as human beings instead of pieces of flesh.
Richard Copeland
Fourth-year
Business-Economics
Give men a break
Dear Editor:
Regarding the arrest of the three ZBT fraternity members, the Daily Bruin is publishing quotes from many people in regard to this issue, especially in the Viewpoint section, which are unwarranted and often baseless. As responsible editors of the Viewpoint, it would be appropriate for you to first find out where the quotes are coming from, and upon what such individuals are basing their information. I feel that Viewpoint is skewed towards feminists, and as such offers an exclusive platform for those feminists to disseminate their prejudicial conclusions and ideas.
In a recent article from July 15-22, "Rape charges dropped against UCLA students," Heather McCarty, a UCLA student and co-chair of the Womynist Collective was quoted as saying that she would like to see, "the campus ostracize the men." Why punish these three men when they haven't been even charged, much less convicted of a crime? Shall we persecute anyone whom we dislike?
Si Nguyen
Class of 1991
B.A. Economics
Inform yourself before you speak
Dear Editor:
Feminism has garnered much attention in the Daily Bruin lately. Unfortunately, most of the assertions of the writers have been based on misinformation.
First, there was Jessica Morgan' s silly "Creative Feminism Manifesto." Whether or not Morgan knows it, flirting has very little to do with being a feminist or not being a feminist. The dictionary definition of feminism is: "1. the theory of the political, economic and social equality of the sexes. 2. organized activity on behalf of women's rights and interests." Nowhere in that definition is a statement that precludes flirting.
I think Morgan can safely flaunt her femininity without giving up her feminist credentials. The "feminist when it suits me" attitude is much more worrisome. Whether or not Morgan chooses to believe it, either "you're a feminist, or you're not." Either you believe in the equality of women or you don't.
Morgan suddenly drops in the phrase, "militant feminism," apparently to give women who are less interested in social activism an out. All feminists do not have to choose activism. Although Morgan may believe that militant feminism has done its job, there are many who feel we have a long way to go (try turning on your TV set, Ms. Morgan).
This week, I was shocked at the letter from Sam Shabot that followed Morgan's comparatively harmless piece. I kept waiting for the satirical punchline in Shabot' s diatribe, but if there was one, it was too subtle for my eyes.
Shabot bristles at the possibility of all men being lumped together as rapists or macho lechers, but does not blink an eye when lumping together all feminists as "man-hating" or possessing a "make 'em pay mentality." Either Shabot has been acquainted with very few feminists, or he is simply severely deluded.
A feminist can be a lot of different things, and not the same thing all the time. All feminists are not man haters. All feminists are not lesbians. All feminists are not bra-burning activists. All feminists do not work outside the home. All feminists are not women! A feminist CAN be any of these things, or anything else she or he chooses to be.
Shabot implies that women have some choice in whether they can fight for their country. Apparently, he is unaware that men have enacted laws that bar them from doing just that.
Shabot also seems to claim that the main reason women file for divorce is so they can take the money of their husbands. So, the many abused women in this country leave not because they are tired of being beaten, but because they were only out for money in the first place. There are many reasons women leave their husbands and there are many reasons men leave their wives for Shabot to reduce so many human complications to the greed of women shows a serious lack of awareness of the world around him.
I do applaud the Daily Bruin for printing different viewpoints on feminism. At the very least, it highlights the issues surrounding feminism. Also, as in the case of Shabot's letter, it can serve as a reminder of how far feminists have to go and what they have to fight against.
Kara Sjoblom
Facts distorted
Dear Editor:
Mr. Sam Shabot apparently does not like feminists. That is his privilege. As an attorney who has practiced family law for over 25 years, I cannot let go unchallenged some misinformation he sets forth as fact. It is simply not true that California Family Law is pro-women, nor does it "favor women." "Alimony" is now called spousal support and is equally available to either party, regardless of gender. I have obtained it for both.
Community property is simply divided equally. If Mr. Shabot finds that as favoring women, then he disagrees with the concept that partners in a marriage share the benefits and the burdens of that marriage. While it may be true that "most divorce petitions are filed by wives," the conclusion that this is because of "economic incentives" is ludicrous. Most divorced women find themselves in poverty after a divorce. Most men find ways to absorb whatever economic hardship they endure within a few years because of superior earning power. Much of the support that courts award is never paid. It is my experience that women file for divorce more often because they have to take responsibility for the failed marriage and that men are reluctant to do so. That is not universally true, but is frequently the case. It is not even true anymore that judges favor women in custody disputes. The doors are actually open to fair treatment for men. Again, it is my experience that many men would rather cry about unfair treatment than take on responsibility for the failure of their marriage. If men want custody, all they have to do is take care of the child(ren). It really is that simple.
Philip Hoskins
UCLA law degree, 1964