PrintSeptember 25, 2008
The Furies of Feminism, Fur Flying For Sarah
If you ever believed the myth of female weakness and victimhood, consider the Greek Furies. When Sophocles and Euripides wanted to symbolize the vengeance of the gods they didn't choose some devilish-looking guy in red tights. No, they were fully aware of the awesome power of women, and they chose the Furies, the goddesses of vengeance in Greek mythology. Here's one illustration of those ladies. Scary. 
A more recent version can be found in Zorba the Greek by the great Nikos Kazantzakis. In Zorba one heroine is stoned to death by Greek villagers; but other black-clad women join in the stoning. They are not victims any more than the village men, who slave in the fields from morning to night; they are not very nice!
Well, the Furies are alive today. Feminists of the Stalinoid variety spend a lot of their lives whipping up rage, both their own and each others'. That is their "choice" you might say. Most men figure that out pretty soon, and seek out kinder female company.
With Governor Sarah Palin driving the polls for McCain, the Feminist Furies are out raging in public, like Medusa the snake-headed Gorgon.
The Canadian Broadcast Corporation's in-house Fury screeched that Palin appeals to "the white trash vote" with her "toned-down version of the porn actress look."
Not to be outdone, Salon.com's Cintra Wilson ranted that:
"Ideologically, she is their hardcore pornographic centrefold spread ... She's such a power-mad, backwater beauty-pageant casualty, it's easy to write her off and make fun of her. But in reality I feel as horrified as a ghetto Jew watching the rise of National Socialism."
Nice going, ladies.
Medusa is another fearsome metaphor for feminist rage. It reveals the fear men feel - not for strong women, because our wives and mothers and sisters are strong. Sarah Palin is strong. No, it's the destructive rage of furious women, just as destructive men can hurt women. We are vulnerable to the rage of those whose love we yearn for.
If you thought feminism was all about love and peace, now you know. Today's Rage of the Furies seems driven by envy for Sarah Palin's good looks, her infectious joie de vivre, and of course her popularity. A lot of people spontaneously love Sarah. It drives the Furies, well, to ever greater fury.
Many centuries ago an Indian poet wrote about the Goddess Kali, the Hindu goddess of destruction,
"Can mercy be found in the heart of her who was born of the stone? ...
Were she not merciless, would she kick the breast of her lord?
Men call you merciful, but there is no trace of mercy in you. Mother.
You have cut off the heads (of) the children ..., and these you wear as a garland around your neck.
It matters not how much I call you "Mother, Mother." You hear me, but you will not listen."
Well, feminists are proving what the poet had in mind.
James Lewis blogs at dangeroustimes.wordpress.com
