Rover
Posts: 2634
Joined: 6/28/2004
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quote:
ORIGINAL: jackriddle
However, I'm seeing several posts implying that there's no real link between the lifestyle and political convictions. Difficult for me to believe...
Call me naive, but political convictions reflect deeper human values.
So I ask: how can our personal values NOT be linked to such a deep life choice as D/s?
I do feel strongly about the inference that there is (or should be) a relationship between politics and BDSM. And every now and then I write something that's actually relevant to a discussion. Here's an excerpt from an article I wrote an election cycle or two ago.
"I’ve taken great care not to mention specific political parties here, because the truth is when it comes to issues that affect BDSM, they’re indistinguishable. I don’t care what your political affiliation is, playing upon your prejudices really has little to do with the facts. And the facts are that we are not a sympathetic constituency to any political party. We’re equally offensive to the both the left and the right, conservative and liberal, moral majority (which is neither moral nor a majority) and the National Organization for Women, (yes, I know that their “official” position on BDSM is one of neutrality… the US “official” position in WWII pre-December 7th was also one of neutrality… so what?), Republican and Democrat. One side thinks we’re all sinners that are doomed to eternal damnation, and to the other that we’re misogynists, abusers and victims in need of mental health treatment and long prison sentences.
No one wants our vote. No one champions our cause. No one will introduce legislation to protect the rights of masochists and sadists. We’re anathema to their current (powerful) constituents and platforms. It would be political suicide for either party to cozy up to us.
And it would be just as suicidal to delude ourselves into thinking that our “struggle” has any political component whatsoever. Stick your head out of the foxhole in support of a political party or candidate, with the expectation that they’ll support our issues, and see how quickly they stumble over themselves to be the first to shoot it off. It’s dangerous enough that there are wolves in sheep’s clothing, so why would we presume to be complicit in helping the wolves into cute little lamb outfits?
It is indeed a “dangerous dream” to believe that we can generate societal “acceptance”, or construct legal protection, through the public political process. Vote your heart. Vote your conscience. Vote your principles. BDSM isn't on the ballot."
(the entire article can be read at http://www.thedomsview.com/Vol7/I6/feature1.htm )
The "dangerous dream" is a phrase from a Joseph Bean interview in which he said:
“Recently, the most common question I am getting is about when and how kinky people will gain “acceptance” or be “mainstreamed.” I think this is a dangerous dream. Instead of acceptance or mainstreaming, what we should all be praying for and working with authorities to arrange is to be left alone.”
And that from someone in our ranks with decades of experience in both the gay rights movement (that included a substantial political component), and BDSM.
The bottom line is that we're kidding ourselves, perhaps dramatically so with dire consequences, if we think our political support of any party will have any (positive) impact upon BDSM.
John
_____________________________
"Man's mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimensions."
Sri da Avabhas
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RE: Political orientation of D/s practitioners ? - 
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