Date: Thu, 13 Jul 1995 11:13:56 -0600
From: Lisa Rogers <EQDOMAIN.EQWQ.LROGERS-AT-EMAIL.STATE.UT.US>
Subject:  Digression


OK, yes, I'm still lurking about.

I tried to unsub once and failed, then decided to let it ride a bit.

I'm not entirely clueless or even unappreciative of what some of you
seemed to be doing, but I didn't sign up for this list for that.  I
am an excellent technical writer, but also a versatile writer. 
Perhaps not quite a Cyrano, but anyway, I don't have much time for
that or I'd go sign up for some, look for such an outlet.  And some
kinds of ugliness, however artistic [?] or experimental [?] or
whatever, I just don't care for, including sexual violence whether
subtle or graphic, especially when thrust unexpectedly in my face.

On the other hand  - **DIGRESSION**WARNING** graphic bloody sexual
mutilation and torture ahead - let's say I want to start a thread on
relations of power, gerontocracy and dominance in traditional
aboriginal Australian society.  Without warning, the lights dim,
people hush whispers what's going on? a full-color 3D image bursts
into view suspended above the seminar room conference table  the
painted young man tries to stop trembling as he presents himself to
the knife  the old man's gray hair pointing straight up in the air
the longer and grayer the better  mark of distinction  the chipped
razorsharp sliver of stone pointing down at the young man's testicles
as the old man approaches, all the other men no women allowed
jostling and craning their necks to see ... the old man slices the
young man's penis firmly deeply along the center of the under side he
started at the hole in the tip and tapering the depth of the cut as
he pulled the knife back until it leaves the skin about halfway to
the base ... too bad it wasn't deep enough the first time and he goes
back to the tip to do it again... 
and the holographic blood runs and drips down onto the conference
table, appearing to fill and foul a coffee cup ... 
the young man cries out in pain against the back of his own gritted
teeth his face contorts as he fight to hold all his limbs straight
together against the ground   this is the first major trial of pain
in his adult submission to elders  he must stand it well ... 
that insulted bit of tissue at the focal point of the ideological
superstructural material social individual force of ritual and tried
to hide but it lay sticky upon his belly with a redpink slash
splaying open and flattening the tender glans like a split apricot
that's been stepped on  widening lengthening the sliced meatus pee
hole  so that he could 'be a man' while the blood ran from the gap
down his sides around his waist ... and the shiny-wet with blood mess
gleamed in the dancing firelight...

all viewers frozen in shock, recoiling in horror, retching under the
table...

The presenter said "This is called subincision, which marks the
passage from childhood to adulthood," then called out "Ok, can I have
the next slide please?"

skreeching sirens and red lights flashing, a dazzling bright figure
appears with a sword held up in one hand and the other arm
outstretched to one side pointing, gesturing, towards ... 

"Get thee to the digression zone!!" the digressionrescuing angelalarm
system thundered.  "And don't forget your slides."




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