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The Crusader
intimidate, talk over… “he who frames the question, wins the debate.”…spin
the spider’s web…persuasion power. The only problem was, Miss Linda usually
answered her own questions, making sure the class understood that their “back-
woods” minds were too dim, too unlearned to be able to articulate a subject, or
issue, in the proper “liberal/progressive” expression…i.e. “answer intelligently.”
“Well,” she began, “Our school year is nearly over, and I want each of
you to know what a pleasure it has been to become involved in your lives, to
be able to hopefully have a part in opening the spectrum, and horizons of your
understanding of the world. To see a world beyond these hills, beyond your
families, to see beyond your churches…to challenge “accepted social norms,”
and your sheltered boxed-in, religious superstitions.” She began to drone on…
“To know and experience a huge, and exciting, world of science, knowledge,
cultures, religions, philosophies, political creeds, and beliefs that many would
never have you to know.”
She began to preach her faith in earnest.
“You girls can know the freedom and experience the thrill of bursting out
of old, worn out and failed religious and cultural norms. Get into new dis-
coveries, ideas and concepts that will open doors of opportunities; things that
your mothers and grandmothers could only dream about! My goal here has
been and will continue to be nothing less than your complete conversion that
throws off the old order and births a new social order where men and women
are truly equal in every respect…in opportunity, pay scale, position, and yes,
in pleasure. And, this, young ladies, really, I would rather address you as young
women, should be held as your life purpose…to liberate the female from the
male domination. You know the term ‘lady’ should be abandoned because it
is connected to the antiquated Victorian view of women and is really used to
keep women in their ‘proper place’ in the social order. Now, you heard me utter
the word ‘pleasure’ earlier. This word, which has been anathema for women to
even whisper, will be our final class lecture and discussion today.”
Walking behind the desk, she took on the air of sophistication and superi-
ority as well as a kind of holy soberness. It was all designed to cause the girls
to wait with baited breath, the enlightening utterances soon to proceed out of
her exalted mind. “It is a holy grail, institutionalized, silently, yet concretely,
encoded part of the great American Judeo-Christian heritage, so eloquently
spoken of many. First of all, in this Judeo-Christian Culture, men may indulge
in sensual or sexual pleasure without carrying or assuming any responsibilities
associated with it. Such as the conception, carrying, birthing and raising of
a child. Of course, unless he wants to marry this particular girl and assume
that responsibility, but he has the choice in Judeo-Christian, male dominated
society. Secondly, women may not indulge in pleasure without the reality that
she must literally be ready to completely bear and carry the responsibilities and
consequences of that indulgence in pleasure. Now, don’t lose me here! Don’t
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