Tempests in teapots

"Nancy Marley-Clarke's use of the phrase 'boys will be boys' is exactly why her attitude is part of the rape culture problem.  Take your victim-blaming somewhere else, Ms. Marley-Clarke.  Boys will be held responsible for their actions just like everyone else."
Madison Farkas, Calgary

"It's too bad Nancy Marley-Clarke doesn't hold boys up to the same standard as girls in the 'man up' department, whatever that really means."
Margaret Harris, Calgary

Those are two letters-to-the-editor that crashed onto the editorial page in response to a letter I wrote the other day.  Here's my original:

"As Licia Corbella points out, no crime was committed by immature students at Dalhousie.  The fuss and outrage are completely out-of-proportion to the silliness and dumbness of the posts.  Boys will be boys and young women need to drop their victim stance and man up."
Nancy Marley-Clarke, Calgary

Get a grip, ladies.  Went on facebook and learned that Ms. Farkas, who looks about 12, supports groups such as "social workers for social justice".  Ms. Harris must be in her early fifties, but couldn't see anything more on her site that would give me a clue as to her personality -- other than she is too old to have such long hair, in my opinion.  It's interesting that both these women don't want others to get tough and move on.  As my earlier post on 'Globe and Mail' columnist Margaret Wente's piece says, "Women need to man up because sooner or later we all have to learn to deal with jerks. Fear not, you can."

How can standing up for yourself and urging other women to do the same be part of the "rape culture"?  And while I'm at it, what exactly is "rape culture"?  I've got news for these women, rape is far less prevalent now than it was when I was subjected to it 40 years ago.  Back then, men felt entitled to cat-call and oogle any girl or woman they wished.  Trouble was many took it further, right smack dab into brazen sexual assault.  Today, if a man whistles at a woman walking down the street he is practically arrested. You know, there were times I was flattered when a man admired me -- as long as he didn't attack me. 

I think girls and women are far safer now than they were when I was a child, a teen and a young woman.  That's just a fact and it's women such as I who have made it that way.