Reply #34: While Paula was right and the rape issue is a vitally important issue,

[shance]

this story is being used now as a propagandic distraction to all the other huge priorities at hand.

Randi in my opinion, did well in communicating other problems including the nuclear wasteland Nevada which will not only affect Nevada, it will affect and contaminate California and all surrounding states that are about to receive the contamination. (Another convenient New Orleans?) It could be an assault that could affect all individuals living within and around that vicinity. It could create a cancer epidemic in which no one will be held accountable, and by all means, we need to be addressing this.

However, I wish she had not disregarded and minimalized the violence and expendability of assaults on women, and women as essentially instruments for men to use and abuse.

However, Randi often goes "either -or" instead of "in addition". Rape is not a non-issue, however when millions could be affected by a nuclear contamination, she of course should address the obvious. However, she greatly trivializes sex with men and the act itself as if its all just fun and recreation. Perhaps for her it is, but then she has never been assaulted.

Randi Rhodes has many plus-es in addressing political issues. However her apparent disregard for womens' issues and realities, as well as her treatment of women callers versus men callers, while greatly improved, is nevertheless imbalanced. It seems she has more a need to be "one of the guys" than she does in realizing and being proud she is a female.


The way in which Randi said this is a "non-issue" is NOT true to those females who have been violently assaulted. She minimalized and makes them expendable when she dismisses such realities. What she said about it being a non issue is stupid, ignorant and callous statement, and shows she has obviously not had such an experience.

Randi didn't do women a favor in flippantly disregarding this issue. However I do understand the level of prioritizing issues. She was right, however she could have said, "you know Paula, this is an important issue, however, in the world and present in which we are living, this is not the top story we need to be addressing right now, although it needs addressing". That is what she could have emphasized more, instead of throwing domestic violence against women out with the bath water. Randi seems to have much to learn in that realm. Paula, on the other hand, interestingly enough, got it tonight.

There in lies the difference.