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‘Scars’ and paranoia

Recently, for an essay I’ve been working on, I read a bunch of issues of Ladies’ Home Journal from 1946. Every issue promoted ways for women to be more attractive to their husbands, be better mothers, be happy in their circumstances. This relentless messaging made me think, possibly unfairly, of the people of Moscow’s Christ Church, who I believe embrace a similar attitude toward women. For them, it’s as if the 1970 feminist sit-in at the LHJ headquarters, or any other culture-widening movement toward equality over the last half-century, never happened.

Then I reflect: if this is true, it’s also true of other strenuously orthodox religious groups like Hasidic Jews or fundamentalist Muslims. These are definitely not my people, but hey, they exist, they will continue to exist, and they are entitled to their way of life in this free country of ours. The non-Jews who live around Hasidic communities in Brooklyn somehow manage to carry on with their lives without giving much thought to the odd bunch in their midst.

(Local church pastor) Doug Wilson recently reminded our community that his followers aren’t going anywhere and proposed a conversation between them and the folks in our town whom he used to label the “Intoleristas.” Joann Muneta, our town’s leading human rights activist, is dubious about this offer. “Scars” remain, she rightfully says, from Wilson’s behavior in the past. Others I’ve spoken to recently in the progressive community have said similar things.

I dunno, folks. Are we just going to keep being paranoid?

Gary Williams
Moscow

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