Violence no virtue

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I O jECT to the manner in hich Wendy Frankland describes the image of Shelley as given by the educational system.

Whilst the description is probably an accurate portrayal of the kind of atti-74% tudes we are encouraged develop in schools it blatantly sexist.

Wendy does nothing to counter the view that being "a beautiful but ineffectual angel" is an extremely derogatory way of describing personal qualities generally attributed to artists, women and gay men.

Without gentleness, sensitivity, warmth and encouragement we cannot build either a socialist revolution or a socialist society. Violent revolution and the use of violence in the build up to such situation are necessary because of the balance of class forces not because aggression and destruction are useful in themselves.

If we are going to build socialist revolution, the revolutionary left has got to open its ranks to women. In doing so it might be useful to look at encouraging male revolutionaries to develop some of the personal attributes women are brought up with in the same way that women have to develop the attributes of aggression, dynamism etc., in order to become revolutionaries.

But at very least it is important to encourage women to feel worthy because of the contribution we can make and not go along with the destructive attitudes of capitalist society.

Yours fraternally, CHRISTINA GOODWIN Léicester

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Socialist Organiser, Thürsday 24 September 1981 Page 13 i alicer