As the United States continues its patriotic efforts and the fight against terrorism, there is a very different story going on in Afghanistan where women are fighting an even tougher battle.
- Paul Wong
- LAURIE BRESCOLL/Daily
The plight of women around the world is a problem, said Robin Morgan, a public speaker from New York at an event at Angell Hall last night.
This was the message that public speaker Robin Morgan, also known for her work in political theory, feminist activism and as the founder of Ms. magazine brought yesterday to the Angell Hall.
“It’s so interesting how she used her research on the position of women in the ’80s to what is going on today in 2002. It just goes to show that not a lot has changed for women,” LSA junior Becca Moeller said.
Morgan said that many men, especially here in the United States, do not seem to understand the things that are going on in their own country with violence to women, much less other countries.
“Many men think that all this danger and hunger is all out of this country and that no such thing could be possible in the United States, but many suffer here – be it the battered, raped or molested woman,” Morgan said.
Morgan was scheduled to come earlier point this year could not due to security in New York.
Being a resident of Manhattan caused Morgan to think twice about traveling so soon to Ann Arbor.
“We had Ms. Morgan scheduled before Sept. 11, but after the attacks, she came now to address global feminism in light of the tragedies,” said Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center Peer Education Co-Coordinator Audrey Lance.
Morgan’s lecture was directly influenced by the Sept. 11 attacks and her experience as a native New Yorker and as a journalist.
SAPAC Training and Education Coordinator Alicia Rinaldi said, “Our goal is not to educate on violence against women only, but to show the bigger picture.
“The systematic and institutional oppression of women has been at the forefront of the women’s movement since the ’60s and it is connected to many things, one of the greater being terrorism,” Rinaldi said.
Morgan addressed the issue of why women are the usual target in so many cultures.
“Women are always the first indicator of some sort of fascism and the reason is because they stand at the interception of the family and sexuality. If you control junction, you control nearly everything,” Morgan said.
In speaking about terrorism, Morgan said there are different ways to look at the issue.
“There is no way that you can learn terrorism in the ‘normal way’ because it is defined by the U.S. administration. Look at it like this: One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter,” Morgan said.
Though presented to a small audience, Morgan’s lecture kept the rapt attention of everyone in attendance.
“She was very well thought out and eloquent,” Shaman Drum Bookshop employee Jimmy Johnson said.