Let them die.

[grinninfoole]

Here's an example of why I'm a feminist, and why the rest of the world is stupid not to be. Still, the silver lining is that if they don't learn, they die.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/2723513.stm

Comments

[-solstyce-.livejournal.com]

if who doesn't learn?! i'm sorry, but i really found the title of this entry abrasive. this is assuming that if women around the world become "enlightened" to the virtues of feminism, this kind of practice will stop entirely. the fact is, female infanticide is widespread in the third world (especially in asia) and is entrenched in literally thousands of years of social and political doctrine supporting it. i am very sure you didn't intend this entry to sound like "big daddy whitey should come and solve all the poor ignorant savages' moral and intellectual quandries," but the sentiment of 'either they learn our ways or innocent children die - GOOD' is a little... ouch. i think that the horror of rampant female infanticide can certainly be eliminated in the future, but that does not necessarily mean that it will be because the world is going to follow western feminist logic, or that the context of their current social structure could even allow for that to happen. sure, it's a possibility, but societies tend to change traditional practices not *because* of outward influence, but because of their *receptiveness* to it. outright forceful coersion is not included in that statement, of course. my point is, it's terrible that it happens and it's unfortunate that people would cling to the idea of male superiority, but the women aborting their daughters might not even have a SAY in the fact that they are doing so. again, social context is very important. if my husband, for example, has the right to injure or kill me if i do not obey him or, for that matter, has the authority to throw me out on the street where i will not be legally employable and therefore will die of exposure, i might be more inclined to just do what he says without question. especially if i have been brought up since infancy to believe that the word of my father / husband is gospel and is the authoritative voice just short of god. my other point is that this practice may change in the future, but if it does so that does not necessarily mean that they "learned" it from us. ideological institutions are overthrown periodically, but often due to internal pressure and shifts in power, not solely because of outside influence.

[sydneycat.livejournal.com]

I agree with most of what you said but I think that GF was referring to both women AND men (and in fact the society as a whole) when he said "they" needed to learn. It does shift your argument a bit. But I do agree that an entrenched practice like this isn't going to go away just because we in the West may think it's bad. Though you do have to find the irony in the situation interesting.

[-solstyce-.livejournal.com]

thanks for your comment. :) i must politely disagree, however, with the statement that he was referring to women and men, or society as a whole. a direct quote: "if they don't learn, they die." since the only people dying in the case of female infanticide would be women (albeit future women), i can only assume that women were the topic of the sentence. i saw no mention of men dying because men refused to adopt western feminist ideals. just women. that's where i derived my assumption. anywho, my panties aren't in any sort of wad. i just like to play devil's advocate occasionally if i see a statement that i feel is unreasonable (although i do agree with the general point he made about female infanticide / intentional female abortion being a *bad* thing!). heh heh heh.

[filthyassistant.livejournal.com]

This was how I read it as well, and with boss-dodging, I was not able to comment before now.

Re:

[sydneycat.livejournal.com]

How IS working going?

[macropixi.livejournal.com]

How about if they (the culture) doesn't learn, then they (the culture) will die out. Because they (the culture) won't be able to reproduce. Do to the the fact that they (the culture) has killed off all its females.

I see his point very clearly and agree with GF.

[-solstyce-.livejournal.com]

that makes more sense. i agree with gf on that too - the wording just threw me off at first i guess.

[grinninfoole.livejournal.com]

Actually, that's exactly what I meant. Which means that Solstyce's point, that change must be driven by internal forces, is not only entirely true, it's also my point. Internal pressure IS building up. And, the traditionalist males can either wake up to the smell of their own evil culture rotting beneath them and start to value women as people, or their can die out. Either is fine with me. (I would prefer that no women be harmed in this procedure, naturally.)

"Let them die" should have been in quotes. I just saw Trek VI, and it's what Kirk says in response to Spock's urging to seize an opportunity for peace with the Klingons, who because of ecological disaster and a war-time economy, face extinction. Just like the traditionalists. It's not a perfect match up, and it's a vicious sentiment, but killing children just because they're girls and boys are 'better' is simply evil.