subtle oppresion

[Adam Blatner]

The email that Bud is alluding to in his last re-sending of his mail  is below. 
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: BARNETT WEISS 
  To: Adam Blatner 
  Sent: Wednesday, July 16, 2008 11:46 AM
  Subject: Re: subtle oppresion


  Sorry I didn't read all the posts prior to my sending mine. I think I'll rewrite it acknowledging your point which is basically the same as mine with a slight addition. THanks Adam. Bud

  Adam Blatner <ablatner at verizon.net> wrote:
    Hi Bud, shall this go also to grouptalk or did you want it back-channeled just between ourselves?

        1. Boys choosing to be with a girl age 9 -- and judged negatively by peers-- 
              2. A misegenating couple in the South circa 1921... 
                  3. A Jew criticizing Israel -- 
              4. (Cinthia's example) a woman leaving a secure job to explore other life paths -- and reactions by friends...

            Peer pressure in general... is this oppression?  
                    On thinking about it, I think not, because
             The one in the minority is aware of the rule and is choosing to break it
                   The ones in the seeming majority are aware of the rule and are disagreeing with the minority person
                           With varying degrees of opprobrium, from sociometric choice away to violent retribution
             
                   These are not uncommon dramas in life, and to the extent that we sympathize with the relative isolate (from the outside) we feel that the majority is unfair. There's a tendency to use all kinds of psychobabble or sociobabble jargon to characterize this. 

              Is it oppression for us to reject those who we view as more flagrantly antisocial
                       Neo-Nazis
                          Serial killers with cannibalistic tendencies
                              Child sexual predators moving into our neighborhood? 


           I think oppression might better be reserved for systems in which both oppressors, oppressed, and those not affected are caught up in common assumptions, and it is difficult to find the words to identify the problem. (What do you mean, there's a problem? What problem?)
                But I'm still exploring. 
                       Thanks for exploring with me. Warmly, Adam
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