Filed Under (Uncategorized) by Ben Grivno at 1:07 pm - Mon Mar 30, 2009
Amazing post by mayfly at Feministing.
This post was inspired by an obnoxious beat down I got recently at another blog when I dared to refer to myself as a rape victim. Apparently there was nothing wrong with my post except for my “offensive” use of the word victim when referring to myself.The woman is extremely brave. 3:46PM UPDATE: Just for clarification, I was NOT raped. The purpose of this post is to highlight the courage of poster “mayfly” over at Feministing. I encourage everyone to read carefully before coming to conclusions.
In the town where I grew up they have an abused womens shelter and I remember how incensed I was that in foot high letters above the door it read VICTIMS CENTER while I’ve never had to endure being raped as you have, I have, as everyone has,been subjected to abuse of some form and have come to believe that only in my forgiveness can I reject the status of victim and move on in my life. Having said that, I want to say how deeply I understand how difficult that is to really do. We can get to the place where we seem to have a handle on it, or that it’s buried under enough debris that we think it’s gone, only to have it rear it’s ugly head yet again. In the greater context of who we are as individuals,our crimes,our shortcomings,our hatred,our whatever, how then can we ask or expect forgiveness for our “misguided deeds” when we couldn’t possibly extend it to our own offenders…strong medicine, I know…but it’s the only real cure.