‘Be friendly, get into their heads.

Page 10, Out in the Mountains

Letters Home

Dear Carol,

If you want to be yourself (and I think
that’s a reasonable goal) then you can’t be a
slave to anyone else, to a political party, one
economic theory, a racist group, a sexist
philosophy, or anything else. Most people
become slaves of something, don‘t they?
The boys did. They were so completely
"themselves" that they did just what
"everybody" was doing -- looked the same,
sounded the same, thought the same, blew it
the same. A person is a slave to anything
that has conquered him!

Surely you understand that even if you
agree with someone‘s views and admire them
- you can still be their slave. Or, if you are
committed to a single political party,
slave-like, you are forced to accept all the
bad along with the good. Economic

Let Your Fingers Do the Walking

THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF
TOLL-FREE NUMBERS. EACH TIME
THEY ARE CALLED, IT COSTS THE
RECIPIENT ONE DOLLAR. MORE IF
THEY ARE KEPT ON THE PHONE.
GET THE PICTURE? GOT A FREE
AFTERNOON? HAVE FUN.

1-800-368-3336...Jerry Falwell’s advice for
pregnant women & girls.

1-800-446-0700...Pat Robertson's 700 Club.
(Major Contra funder).

1-800-HIS-LOVE...Prophecy Countdown
(Anti-gay, anti-pagan).

1-800-334-9141... Accuracy in Academia
(Defining accuracy as
pro-US).

1-800-525-7436...Honeywell (bombs, bombs).

1-800-621-Z847...Morton-Thiokol ($31,000,000
in defense contracts).

1-800-843-8762...Marine recruitment.
1-800-247-0507...Navy.
1-800-USA-ARMY...Enough said...

1-800-732-7463...National "We Tip" Hotline.

(For turning in info.
about criminals. Tell
them about CIA cocaine
deals).

Remember, the operators aren't the big wigs.
Many
people will be convinced by a considerate
voice.

ACT NOW !!

-you to be yourself, too!

theories have, just as obviously, not solved
the things they set out to solve but only
added new slaves to old problems. Being a
slave to racism almost surely leads to
dishonor for the race being "served", and
then there is this sexist women’s lib stuff!
Half the people are left out (because they
are men) and half the women are left out
because they have found a satisfactory
measure of what the other half are still
looking for. How do you think the great
women of all ages became great? - Well, the
first thing they all had in common was that
they weren’t slaves of any "slavery"! But
the worst thing about being a slave to

someone or to being a sexist is that either
one, if let go in a free-running and
uncontrolled drive, so often results in the
other (additional) slavery also.

The thing that first haunted me was
your "slavery" to Janet - then Ellen - now
Mary. The second thing that chilled me was
your "slavery" to women’s liberation.

Now I'm not quarreling with your
choice of friends - I have enjoyed them and
we all need friends. And I’m not quarreling
with the fact that women are usually taken
advantage of in one way or another. But
when you act/sound/live like you’re married
or act/sound/live like your sex (personal or
collective) has been exceptionally and
deliberately degraded - then I’m concerned
that these unnatural tendencies will run away
with you!

What’s going on back there? I wonder
why you act/sound/live more and more like
someone else instead of the Carol that once
was? You are still my daughter and I want
Do you need
another change of surroundings? How
about coming in this direction? Or, can you
really effect a change in your life style right
there?

Call for a quote.
Take a minute and compare
Allstate for value. You may
find we can save you some
money on your home
or auto insurance. Call me
today  it'll only take
a minute.

Ellen Hetherington
340 Mallets Bay Avenue
 Colchester, Vermont
,.x?'" I" 863-3808

 

/Illstates

Allstate Insurance Company

 

If you want to read what women are
stuck with, read Genesis 3:16. If you think
men have it made, read what they are stuck
with in Genesis 3:17-19. Now tell me if you
really think you can change the situation.
Well, in spite of your first reaction: No!,
you can the situation; not through "joining
in the fight" but in taking yourself out of it
- become an intentional spirit-filled
Christian!

Lots of love, Dad

Dear Dad,

Now to answer your last letter, which
was quite a shock to me. I hardly know
where to begin. Your perspective, or
interpretation is probably so different from
mine, that I question how much good it will
do for me to attempt to clearly explain
myself, and my life. But I will try.

This i_s my real self, here and now, and
constant for many years. If anything has
changed about me, perhaps it’s that I don’t
hide my private life and beliefs as much as I
used to. I think you’ve changed a great

deal over the past few months - perhaps you
see me differently? Your letter didn’t sound
at all like the father I know: understanding,
supportive, open-minded, considerate. It
sounded more like my "master", or minister.
Where is the real you now?

It’s ironic that you seem to be saying
"be yourself", and yet "be what I think you
should be". I can’t do both - they’re
different. I can accept that you 1a_n_t_ me to
fulfill certain hopes and live up to your
expectations, but surely you can’t expect me
to be what you want and imagine. This i_s
me - a woman, a separate person with
unique needs, desires, plans. You apparently
criticize Tom and Bill for conforming, and
criticize me for n_ot conforming!

This "slavery" thing, even as you have
defined it, is incredible to me. First - my
alleged "slavery" to Mary: not true. I'm
confident that any of our friends would
support the facts: that we are in a sharing,
egalitarian relationship domestically, socially,
financially, interpersonally. Where did you
get the other idea?

Probably the reason I "act/sound/live
like I’m married" is that it "shows" that I'm
involved in a permanent, loving relationship
with Mary. I g love her dearly, and think
of her as my mate: housemate, helpmate,
soul-mate. I really enjoy life with her. We
share the important things like values, goals,
interests, and yet we are different enough to
make it interesting, and complementary.
This relationship is perfectly natural and
comfortable for each of us.

Secondly - my alleged "slavery" to this
"sexist women’s lib stuff‘: not true. I am
becoming aware, becoming educated,
becoming more supportive of women’s needs,
but I hardly qualify as a radical. I Q a
feminist - I believe in equal rights, privileges,
and responsibilities for women and men. I
want to help recognize, nurture, and

continued, page 11