Celtic Soul,

Part of the problem lies in the ways that misogynist violence is accepted in this country as a quid pro quo, both politically and in the media. American fundamentalism's extremely negative attitudes towards women, which both politicians and journalists benefit from presenting as mainstream, moral majoritarian, or populist to an ignorant public hostile to social change for women, isn't what Americans would consider reasonable, any more than we view the Afghan fundamentalists views of women reasonable.

Yet, because so many religious, political, and media people put a liberal face on extremist right wing fanatics, and give them legitimacy by claiming them to be populist, grassroots "men's movements" we see the sort of disbelief you are expressing in your post.

I'm going to follow up with an article from the Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) website, which illustrates what I'm talking about. Hopefully, people might be able to start making some of the connections between these shadowy right wing extremists and the Republican party loyalists which support and nurture them.

I heard the "Whaddya Know" guy on public radio refer to the fundamentalist ministers Falwell & Robertson as "the American Taliban" the other day. Funny, yes, but in a wincing sort of way because it has that ring of truth to it.