[waxnrope]

Rav, thank you for having the courage to voice your thoughts here. After reading your post a couple of times, I had to admit there were areas within that I agree. I had to admit to myself a shocked snicker when I read the OP. Yet, I was appalled at the same time - for the post and for that snort. Sometimes it takes a while to rid all the vestiges of old thoughts and behaviors from oneself. Just when I believed it was gone, it popped up again. There is more work to be done. Sigh.

For me. I have to relate how upset that I get about racism. This, to me, is never funny. Not. At. All. If I believe in the interrelatedness of oppression and injustice, and I do, then my personal ethos tells me that I must be as disturbed, as outraged, by masculinist posturing as I am with a racist remark.

Now, I do not believe in either context one should ignore remarks such as that made by the OP. But I do believe that our approach, for learning sake, might be more conducive in such a manner that criticism would be heard. In this respect, I agree with you.

I am sn old dog, but still learn here. I have tough skin, but it can be penetrated. My imperfections remind me of my humanity. And I still have a lot of stuff to work on for myself. So, for me, then, what I've come to realize is to teach those who cross into those ugly spaces in a manner likely to be heard - just ad I have to be taught - and if they still don't get it, if they persist, then hell yes, bring on the posse and sharpen those teeth.

Thanking you again, Rav