Editor’s note: This article is a part of a head-to-head. Read the other article here. 
Today’s political and cultural landscape is tumultuous, and we’d be hard pressed to find anyone who isn’t affected by our deep political divide. Radicals exists on all sides, but few topics are as fought over as feminism.
American suffragist, social activist and abolitionist Elizabeth Cady Stanton gathered supporters in 1848 and drafted the “Declaration of Sentiments,” modeled after the Declaration of Independence. In her declaration, Stanton criticized the lack of rights for women in America, including the inability to vote, own property or seek education. Stanton joined these points to a plethora of other negligence against women to form a convincing argument.
There can be no doubt every man and woman of any color and creed deserves the same rights and protections under the law. This is what our country is founded on, at any rate. It has not always been true, but we’ve made impressive strides in making it so.
In 1920, the U.S. government ratified the 19th Amendment, finally granting suffrage to women. Since then, women have been given the right to own property. There have even been pushes by women in the late 20th century to get themselves in the work force on a larger scale and exercise the same control over their lives as men.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, women made up 47 percent of the labor force in 2010. How much closer do we need to be to 50 percent to be considered equal? Women even make up 56.4 percent of public university students around the nation. The numbers make it clear women have the same opportunities for education as men.
Feminism is a good idea, and the cause has improved women’s quality of life massively. What’s not good, however, is what the cause has devolved into. Radical social justice warriors preach equality, but in reality, they crave sweet, sweet revenge.
Although flimsy entertainment media like BuzzFeed and MTV lack credibility, the quick spread of information and ideas is insanely powerful. Every young woman indoctrinated into thinking men are inherently evil is another soul lost to radicalism.
To top everything off, contemporary feminism is dangerously hypocritical.
Feminism is defined as advocacy for women’s rights on the basis of equality. Equality is a two-way street, but these radicals would rather women crush men under their boots.
I’ve seen Facebook posts attempting to deny men the ability to claim not all men are rapists. One such post demanded anyone who disagrees to unfriend her.
If it’s wrong to stereotype all women, then shouldn’t it be wrong to categorize all men as rapists? This discrepancy sounds rather unequal.
Sexism is defined as prejudice, stereotyping or discrimination, typically against women, on the basis of sex. The definition calls out women specifically, but it does not preclude discrimination against men. Therefore, according to our rules, stereotyping all men as rapists is sexist.
As a final coup de grace, radical leftists have become the very thing they condemn. To defend themselves from so-called Nazis and fascists, social justice warriors seek to ban words they consider offensive. In the process of banning words, they would indoctrinate us and our youth into thinking what they think, with no room for argument.
George Orwell’s classic novel “1984” warns us about oppressive government groups who dominate their population by brainwashing them into believing false facts, rewriting history books and teaching citizens the “correct” way to speak under threat of mental and physical punishment.
These tactics have been used before in real life. We’ve seen them come into play in fascist regimes like Mussolini’s Italy, Stalin’s Russia and, yes, Hitler’s Germany.
Controlling a population’s words and thoughts is wrong, and we cannot claim to fight for peace and justice if we stoop so low as to force the common man into it.
Of course, not all who identify as feminists fall into this category. Women matter as much as men do, and seeking equality for all people is a noble goal. Bloodthirsty radicals seeking revenge not only endangers society with their evil ideas but also gives a bad name to the brave women who fought for the rights they deserved and those who continue the fight today.
Kyle Richoux is a 20-year-old sociology junior from LaPlace, Louisiana.