From: LeoCasey <LeoCasey-AT-aol.com>
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 1998 10:34:34 EST
Subject: M-TH: List Dynamics


In a message dated 98-03-28 03:39:58 EST, Rob writes:

<<I gotta go along with Boddhi - I'd gone
 through Mark's post with as close to a co-mod's eye as I could muster at
 the time, and was most surprised to see charges of homophobia levelled at
 it.  What am I supposed to be missing? >>

I had been keeping my distance from this one, but maybe some views from the
sideline could be helpful. I agree that the posting could be read more than
one way, and the more uncharitable interpretation was immediately jumped upon.
There obviously is a history to some of the interaction on this list, and
given Mark's status as an unapologetic Stalinist and others' status as
unapologetic Trotskyists, a state of more or less permanent discursive war
exists among them. The more uncharitable interpretation was immediately seized
upon as a weapon in that war. IMO, Justin took their interpretation as correct
without examining it too closely, and got himself in the middle of that war
without realizing all of the implications. Although Mark has come to expect
such things out of his Trot adversaries, he was surprised and hurt that it
came from Justin, and responded with a series of not very helpful personal
tirades, compounding the problem.

My conclusions: we toss about all too carelessly accusations of racism,
sexism/misogyny, homophobia, fascism and such on this list. Such accusations
are clearly the type of personal attacks that lead to flame wars. Just as
importantly, they really make it impossible for us to learn from each other
and grow in our understanding. I think it altogether possible that Mark had
not considered or thought through the ways in which his question raised the
spectre of homophobic stereotypes of rich, powerful, self-absorbed gay men,
and that a different approach might have allowed him to come to understand
this without feeling personally under fire. I also think that when we discuss
issues of sexuality honestly, we should realize that we are in an area in
which many of us will feel vulnerable, and move with a little more care than
usual.

Well over twenty-five years ago, when I was a eighteen year old freshman in
college, I used the word 'oriental' to describe Asian people in a classroom
discussion. In a way that I will never forget, a Maoist in the back of the
room immediately launched into a tirade about "racist motherfuckers." I was in
a state of shock, since I had not a clue at the time that the term 'oriental'
was considered an offensive and racist term. If I had, I never would have used
it. I do not know if I would ever spoken another word in that class if it were
not for others in the class who pointed out that that the offensiveness of the
term was not common knowledge, that they were also unaware of the implications
of the term, and that asked for an explanation of why it was offensive.

Leo


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