From: dschenke@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu (Dennis L Schenkel)
Subject: "Feminazism" and "Holocaust"
Organization: The Ohio State University
Distribution: na
Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1992 16:26:28 GMT

I must admit that there has certainly been a good dialog on the catholic
newsgroup lately regarding this (mis)appropriation of the word "Holocaust," and
I have really found most of it interesting.  I threw my $.02 worth in rather
early in the discussion because I was simply interested in the issues of who
controls language.  In a graduate class I have been taking about literacy
(covering social and political implications of language use), we have been
discussing power and language.  Historically, people who try to oppress others
often do so by limiting the oppressee's access to language.

Examples:  In Europe, the language of scholars was Latin, and it acted as a way
the lower classes out of the discourse.  In England, when the French conquered
in 1066, the lower classes were kept out of political discourse partly by their
language.  In the US South, slaves were first forced to give up their native
languages, and then systematically denied access to reading and writing.  Even 
today, employers who spot spelling errors on a resume' throw the resume' in the
trash and refuse to hire the person who does not conform to the arbitrary 
conventions of English spelling.

With these issues on my mind, I was suspicious of telling us how certain words
could and could not be used.  English teachers have been guilty of telling
people what is right and what is wrong with their language for the past 200
years or so since the first dictionaries and grammars in English.  English
teachers, as a result, have a reputation for being oppressive.  People who tell
other people how to use language have to be very careful.

However, I have generally been swayed by most of the arguments that I have seen
since my posting.  I still think that the loadedness of the word holocaust 
makes it very powerful, and its power should not be restricted for use by only 
one group.  However, I do see how its misuse, especially in the context of 
Feminazi, might be offensive.  I know how offensive the use of the word 
"Sacrament" is to me in the pro-choice slogan "If men gave birth, abortion 
would be a sacrament."  Maybe I am more offended by the implication that men
are not able to be fair than I am by the appropriation of the word.  I dont 
know.

My mother was not married when she became pregnant with me.  I consider myself 
a survivor.  Of course, I was born before Roe-v-Wade.  I had a student once 
tell me that she was adopted and that her biological mom was 17 when she gave 
birth to her in 1974.  She is truly a survivor.  If you'll check the history on
Family Planning and Planned Parenthood, you'll find that its founder advocated
birth control and abortions for specific populations, ie blacks, Jews, southern
Europeans (read 'catholics'), and basically any of the races that weaken our 
nation because of their dimwittedness and low intelligence, etc.  It should be 
easy to see why opponents of abortion might make the connection between what 
happened in Europe under the Nazis and what's happenning today under the banner
of NOW.  Like I said, I consider myself a survivor.  Maybe that's offensive to 
Jews...maybe we are infringing on some sacred turf.  Certainly something I will
spend more time thinking about.

Dennis Schenkel, Graduate Student    *****************************************
Ohio State University, English Dept  * Pax Christi Vobiscum...  from one of  *
dschenke@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu   * those who "...wait in joyful hope..." *
    --My opinions are mine--         *****************************************
-- 
Dennis Schenkel, Graduate Student    *****************************************
Ohio State University, English Dept  * Pax Christi Vobiscum...  from one of  *
dschenke@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu   * those who "...wait in joyful hope..." *
    --My opinions are mine--         *****************************************
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU