On Wed, 6 Jul 1994, Rod Carveth wrote: > The key is that domestic violence is a 2-way street. Unless we devise > better ways of developing skills to deal with feelings of frustration and > powerlessness in relationships, this tragic problem in our culture will > continue. HURRAY FOR ROD!!!!! You GOT IT! For once an open-minded, THINKING person! The media, film and TV mostly, needs to know the facts. The violence is indeed a two way street...always has. Unfortunately, that's life. As long as the media keeps the facts secret none of us will be able to deal with the problems. Men and Women have to open up a dialog and clearly look at the problems. Film and TV have such a great power over our thoughts. I can understand why the feminists applaud "Thelma and Louise", but that won't solve the problems of domestic violence. Of course its in the feminists' interest to skew the facts as they do. If there were "masculinists", they'd probably do the same. Just as we had a "T&E" for the feminists to cheer about, perhaps we really need another film to uncover the dirty little secret that they're so afraid of. I believe it is the role of responsible filmmakers to get at this truth and not continue with the commercially sucessful, but ultimately harmful course we're on now. If feminists REALLY cared about battered women they'd DEMAND the truth in films and video. How can any GOOD change come about without the truth? Thankfully, the hard-core feminists are a slim minority, but their extreme views get the interest of the media. When women "own-up" to their responsibility in domestic violence(particularly in films), things might change for the better. As long as the male-bashing continues, why should anyone listen to them anyhow? Was watching "Mrs. Doubtfire" on the tube last night. When I first saw it in a theater I was able to enjoy it as "just a good film." But in context with these recent statistics concerning spousal abuse and the fact that women abuse their children at a rate TWICE that of men, the subliminal message at "men cannot be trusted" and that unless you're wearing a skirt you shouldn't be trusted with children...is...well...never mind. Again, thanks for the supportive post. Nice to know there are normal people out there who think what they want to think based on the facts. ____________________________________________________________________________ "Any kind of sex...with a man...is rape." Patricia Ireland, President of N.O.W.(1993) ---------------->from John G. Thomas ([log in to unmask]) <------------------- ____________________________________________________________________________