Alan as someone who has spent some time looking at the handling of DV research and has recently fallen back into the hands of CSA it's clear that there are plenty with real power who slander men with real effect. Maybe not so often in Jones terms, rather dressed up a little more.

Spend some time reading material from the gender studies departments of Australian Uni's for a while then consider how often those same experts do the research that underpins policy involving both men and women.

Have a browse at how often DV is defined in the broadest terms including emotional, psychological and financial abuse and how often those definitions are accompanied by a claim that it's mostly done by men to women - then talk to some men about their experiences when they step out of line at home.

Have a think about how long the attacks on Tony Abbott and the wearing of budgie smugglers has been going on and the nature of some of the comments in the public space, a very sexist core to that attack. I've heard female Labor ministers on that particular track.

I recall "comedy" on the ABC busy painting a picture of John Howard as a lack lustre lover and it was funny but the kind of attack that some would suggest only female pollies experience.

Attacks with sexual connotations have been around for a long time, maybe we've gotten so used to them that most don't notice. They seem to be a common tool to try and reduce the image of political opponents.

R0bert

AA,

What I find disturbing about your crusade against Jones is level of political correctness that you intend to impose on ordinary citizens, and your willingness to abandon free speech in order to deflect criticism.

An example is:

"Peter Slipper and Alan Jones have both shown unacceptable sexist conduct and do not deserve support any longer to continue in influential public roles."

Where the roles and expectations of Speaker of the house, and radio presenter are confused. MPs are elected by the voters to represent them in setting laws under which they will be governed, and are elected only every 3 years. Alan Jones represents only himself, is listened to only by those that desire to do so, and can be turned off within seconds.

AA, If you and your ilk don't listen to Jones, buy the products he advertises, then why do you wish to make sure that anyone else who does want to listen to him can't? I can only put it down to activism to silence someone with a different political viewpoint.

'I’m trying to think of anyone with power or influence in Australian public life who slander all men as Alan Jones and his ilk do with women.'

Backhandedly, of course, but Peter Hartcher recently and many feminist social commentators over time have opined that women would do better than men, and a different, superior performance would be expected of our first female prime minister.

So while they might not be explicitly saying men are destroying the joint, they expect that the poor conduct of men in positions of power since the year dot would not be replicated by women in power.

So, men are always wrecking the joint.

It always bemuses me how feminists simultaneously decry that women are held to a higher standard than men, while maintaining women would maintain a higher standard than men if given the chance.

Good point R0bert.

Good morning all,

Some intriguing further points. Excellent. Thank you.

@R0bert: Agree with most of your observations, I think.

But not sure I understand who you mean by this: “there are plenty with real power who slander men with real effect.”

Is there any individual or group which does so openly, is paid to do so, is applauded from the gallery for doing so, and who feeds off and in turn feeds such behaviour among his/her followers?

I can’t think of anyone.

R0bert, have you seen any research linking the continual anti-women attacks by Alan Jones and other commentators with domestic violence among 2GB listeners? Does this also feed into DV by woman against men? I don’t know.

It seems accepted that Jones has fomented racial violence. So it’s probably a fair question re domestic violence. Might ask the Destroyers if any have data on this.

Just one other query, R0bert, is whether cartoon or photographic depictions of Tony Abbott in budgie smugglers is actually an attack. He is usually shown as well-proportioned, muscular, hairy-chested, bronzed, succeeding in an athletic event and often surrounded by young admirers. That seems pretty positive.

Sexual connotations? Not sure. I’ve never sensed it as such.

@Shadow Minister: No, the article specifically deals with silencing Jones.

“Do we want him to lose his job? No. We want the freedom to say that this is NOT acceptable to us”

Please read the article, SM.

@Houellebecq: Yes, agree.

What is that famous quip from Charlotte Whitton, Houellie?

“Whatever women do they must do twice as well as men to be thought half as good. Luckily, this is not difficult.”

Cheers, AA

"R0bert, have you seen any research linking the continual anti-women attacks by Alan Jones and other commentators with domestic violence among 2GB listeners?"

No I've not spotted any in that vein but would not be surprised if some appears soon. I don't know enough about the demographic of Jones listeners to make much of a comment, my impression are mostly formed by what his critics say rather than any first hand knowledge.

"Is there any individual or group which does so openly, is paid to do so, is applauded from the gallery for doing so, and who feeds off and in turn feeds such behaviour among his/her followers?"

It's difficult to relate the scale of voice that advocacy academics have compared to a radio shock jock preaching mostly to the concerted.

I went searching some time back to try and rebut claims by a then poster about academic feminists in Australia never saying positive things about men or masculinity. I'd expected that to be an easy find and for the most part failed. The closest I came was an article on men's sheds, the rest was only positive where men were seen to be behaving in a more feminine manner. I have missed stuff but from what I could find masculinity is overwhelmingly portrayed in a negative manner in the material coming out of gender studies units of Australian Universities.

Eg look at the research overview for the Uni of Wollongong's "Centre for Research on Men and Masculinities" http://www.uow.edu.au/arts/research/cromm/research/index.html - what's there that's looking at what works about men and masculinity?

This one appears to be US based but is in interesting take on Feminist research http://www.unb.ca/par-l/win/feminmethod.htm I didn't find serious contradictions to the themes expressed there.

In theory Michael Flood's http://www.xyonline.net/ site is pro male but in my view it's mostly about transforming men to conform to feminist expectations.

A comment on an academic perspective at http://www.sociology.org/content/vol7.3/02_crawford.html

There are some interesting points in
http://irw.rutgers.edu/lectures/connelllecture.pdf , I've just skimmed part of it but could be worth a further read.

R0ber

AA,

I did read your article. It is clear that the real reason that you are going after Jones is that he continuously hammers the labor government for its incompetence, and even worse is that thousands of people listen and agree with him. The few inappropriate comments by Jones are a fig leaf for a far less honourable motive.

Labor would fare far better if their stuff ups went unnoticed, however, a free society fares better in the light. Perhaps Labor should create their own station more sympathetic to their ideals and more inclined to overlook their failings. We could call it the ABC.