I read Kay's newest article (I guess she writes about this topic every year), to find out what you were arguing against here. (Here, for those that wish to read it)

You did a good job of calling her out on her errors. In the end though, I agree with her that commemorating the Nov. 6th tragedy is divisive rather than uniting. Unfortunately, Lepine and November 6th/White Ribbons/ Action Against Violence against Women day will be inexorably linked in Canada for a long time to come. Having said that, I do see that good things have come of this inappropriate connection, opening dialogue that perhaps was lacking before the Montreal Massacre. So, yeah.

I had to dig it out. I don't disagree with everything she says, but I think she's a hypocrite. Her argument: don't turn tragedies to ideological ends. But her ideology is clear in this article.

She compares the "branding" of 9/11 and Dec. 6. To Kay, Dec. 6 is all about propaganda, but 9/11 is not. (She obviously doesn't see the way Bush, Giuliana et al use the grieving for their own ends in the same way I do).

She says that Remembrance Day is the good kind of memorial, "when male heroism was considered a quality deserving of public recognition," and apparently it's the only day of the year when feminists can't exercise their chronic man-hating. So we don't honour male heroes anymore? Romeo Dallaire, Stephen Lewis, RCMP officers killed in the line of duty...

I don't think Dec. 6 should be about male guilt. I'm a feminist, but I sure as hell don't want to be held responsible for what a crazy person like, say, Valerie Solanas (shot Andy Warhol) did.

Kay says: Canadian men, as a whole, do not hate women. Let's stop generalizing. I agree! While we're at it, can we agree that feminists, as a whole, don't hate men? That not everyone who wears a white ribbon is interested in male-bashing? I wish she wouldn't argue against essentialism in an article full of generalizations.

* * *

I guess that didn't have a lot to do with your actual post, except that I think you say what you're saying better than Kay does.

I wish she was capable of a reasoned series of sentences like
I think there is a place for discussion and action for violence against women - I don’t think it’s in the context of the actions of a psychotic killer. Maybe it’s time to re-frame the issue?
But she doesn't seem to be. Too busy grinding her axe.