After reading G. Brent McGuire's recent editorial ("Confessions of an Iconoclast," opinion, May 3, 1994), I am left wondering whether he is calling for rational discourse, as he claims, or radical political action, as he has done.

Let us consider for a moment the implications of McGuire's puerile Take Back the Night antics as a potential model for radical political action. Suppose I wanted to "challenge the sanctity" of one of society's "most sacred of traditions", namely churchsanctioned heterosexual marriage, which I suspect has been "exploiting" women since long before Take Back the Night rallies were ever conceived. Following McGuire's example, I would show up at may cousin Lisa's wedding ceremony and when the minister asks that anyone who objects 'speak now or forever hold your peace', I would take up his offer and speak out against the heterosexist, patriarchal, bourgeois nature of the marriage institution. Perhaps I would throw in a few Crucifixion jokes just to lighten things up.

Afterwards, I would defend my actions by claiming that I was only trying to promote rational debate and show that marriage and religion "should not be taken seriously." Rather than censure me, the family should thank me for introducing rational discourse into the otherwise emotionally and politically charged atmosphere of the family wedding. You're welcome, Aunt May. Too bad if I happened to ruin cousin Lisa's wedding day in a moment of selfimportant delusion. poor misunderstood me, but ever valiant in fighting the good fight.

McGuire seems to feel that he has cornered the market on "rational discourse" and "intelligent criticism," yet he describes the feminist term "empowerment" as "a code-word for abortion rights, universalized day care and the celebration for 'liberated mothers' and their bastard children". Rational debate or political diatribe (informed by a paranoid right-wing agenda)? You be the Judge.

Finally, this modern pagan vehemently objects to the use of the word 'bastard' to describe anyone's children. I believe in family planning, but after children are born they should be loved and supported unconditionally, not gratuitously stigmatized on the basis of obsolete concepts such as 'legitimacy'. Carsey Yee   GSAS