2008 Woodie Awards
The 'point' is justice
By: GUEST COLUMNIST
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: Forum
In his bombastic April 8 opinion column, conservative ideologue Brian Kutzley asks: What's the point? ["Take back the night, but what's the point?"]
Apparently, he has much to learn when it comes to gender, violence and oppression. In the charitable tradition of edification, I proffer the following points of reality to help educate Mr. Kutzley.
The point is that we live in a white-supremacist, Christian-dominated, capitalist, hetero-patriarchy. This means that white, heterosexual, Christian men such as he receive innumerable unearned privileges because of their hegemonic status in U.S. society.
This is not about assigning blame, but about making people acknowledge their privilege and their role in perpetuating systemic discrimination.
The point is that we live in an extremely violent society, and that this violence is neither race-blind nor gender-neutral. It is a tool in the maintenance of structures of domination.
Patriarchy constantly exerts violence to keep women and TBLG (transgender, bisexual, lesbian, gay) people in check. Rape, domestic violence and hate crimes are but three examples of violence being used to perpetuate hetero-patriarchy and instill a sense of terror in all women and TBLG people.
The point is that we honor the dead by remembering them. Many of the hateful acts committed against women, people of color and TBLG people are buried in the newspaper, not covered at all or reported in a sensationalized, inaccurate manner.
This, of course, is not accidental.
Certain groups in society are onsidered "disposable" people. Blaming the victim is practically a national sport in the U.S., not to mention a routine practice among defense attorneys.
Because of all this it falls upon activists' shoulders to do something to challenge this injustice.
We do not exploit their names; we honor them through demanding justice and equality.
The point is that comparing TBLG people to Christians is like comparing apples to oranges. Here's a little factual reminder: Christians are the agents of oppression while TBLG people are the targets of oppression.
Right-wing Christians love reminding us that this country is founded on Christian principles and that this is a Christian nation (sounds like a position of dominance, does it not?) while simultaneously usurping the rhetoric of the left to bemoan their own victimization at the hands of liberals and secularists.
Guess what? You can't have it both ways.
The point is that picket signs and slogans do, in fact, matter. I refuse to allow cynicism to impede the work of activism, liberation and social justice.
Everything we do to change the world matters. Without the picket signs and slogans that Mr. Kutzley so cavalierly dismisses, where would this world be?
Women and minorities have progressed because of picketing, protesting, organizing and speaking out.
And we are not going to stop, either, until this nation fulfills its promise of freedom and justice for all. The point is that we are not victims, we are survivors.
The point is that we do not have an "alternative lifestyle," we have a life.
The point is that we do not invoke victims' names for our gain, but to proudly spread awareness and demand justice.
The point is that respect lies at the core of our work to change society and we will not allow our hard work to be misrepresented, falsified or degraded.
The point is that naysayers like you will never, ever halt our journey to freedom and liberation.
-Joelle Ruby Ryan is an American Culture Studies graduate student.
Apparently, he has much to learn when it comes to gender, violence and oppression. In the charitable tradition of edification, I proffer the following points of reality to help educate Mr. Kutzley.
The point is that we live in a white-supremacist, Christian-dominated, capitalist, hetero-patriarchy. This means that white, heterosexual, Christian men such as he receive innumerable unearned privileges because of their hegemonic status in U.S. society.
This is not about assigning blame, but about making people acknowledge their privilege and their role in perpetuating systemic discrimination.
The point is that we live in an extremely violent society, and that this violence is neither race-blind nor gender-neutral. It is a tool in the maintenance of structures of domination.
Patriarchy constantly exerts violence to keep women and TBLG (transgender, bisexual, lesbian, gay) people in check. Rape, domestic violence and hate crimes are but three examples of violence being used to perpetuate hetero-patriarchy and instill a sense of terror in all women and TBLG people.
The point is that we honor the dead by remembering them. Many of the hateful acts committed against women, people of color and TBLG people are buried in the newspaper, not covered at all or reported in a sensationalized, inaccurate manner.
This, of course, is not accidental.
Certain groups in society are onsidered "disposable" people. Blaming the victim is practically a national sport in the U.S., not to mention a routine practice among defense attorneys.
Because of all this it falls upon activists' shoulders to do something to challenge this injustice.
We do not exploit their names; we honor them through demanding justice and equality.
The point is that comparing TBLG people to Christians is like comparing apples to oranges. Here's a little factual reminder: Christians are the agents of oppression while TBLG people are the targets of oppression.
Right-wing Christians love reminding us that this country is founded on Christian principles and that this is a Christian nation (sounds like a position of dominance, does it not?) while simultaneously usurping the rhetoric of the left to bemoan their own victimization at the hands of liberals and secularists.
Guess what? You can't have it both ways.
The point is that picket signs and slogans do, in fact, matter. I refuse to allow cynicism to impede the work of activism, liberation and social justice.
Everything we do to change the world matters. Without the picket signs and slogans that Mr. Kutzley so cavalierly dismisses, where would this world be?
Women and minorities have progressed because of picketing, protesting, organizing and speaking out.
And we are not going to stop, either, until this nation fulfills its promise of freedom and justice for all. The point is that we are not victims, we are survivors.
The point is that we do not have an "alternative lifestyle," we have a life.
The point is that we do not invoke victims' names for our gain, but to proudly spread awareness and demand justice.
The point is that respect lies at the core of our work to change society and we will not allow our hard work to be misrepresented, falsified or degraded.
The point is that naysayers like you will never, ever halt our journey to freedom and liberation.
-Joelle Ruby Ryan is an American Culture Studies graduate student.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
errol
posted 4/11/08 @ 2:35 PM EST
Joelle, your "The 'Point' is Justice" is a valuable
and hard hitting column that puts forward to progressives and any of our allies what is possible at BGSU, however elusive that goal is. (Continued…)
E. O. Niven
posted 4/11/08 @ 7:00 PM EST
I want to say, for the record, I am not, nor do I consider myself, heterosexual or Christian. Both of these statements have held true since I was in my early teens, at least. (Continued…)
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