This is a powerful article, regardless of context.
This is a powerful article, regardless of context. It could be about anyone, in any organization, at any level. The high stakes makes it more prurient, and makes more people forget that they are willing to sacrifice a living person on their political altar. No matter how important SCOTUS is, even if Kavanaugh was booted, the Federalist Society has a long list of look-a-likes to sub in. So if Feinstein respected a request for anonymity, that's hardly a conspiracy. Not to mention as noted in the article the system has not changed and the only person who might be hurt, here, is the woman in question.
Really, I'm bothering to post this because for some reason my mother mentioned during an attempt at dinner conversation last night with me and my dad that "some TV guy" and "accusation" and "fired". I'm guessing, now that I've heard some radio news in the car that she was referring to Jeff Fager at CBS.
My dad's immediate reaction was uncompromising and blunt about men who behave that way. My mom, however, went into some well, relationship gone wrong, how do you know, maybe you shouldn't just believe, etc. It was #notallmen and then some. I was gobsmacked. How the hell did I not notice this garbage growing up? My mom is totally co-opted. I was not amused, and neither was my dad, and she felt shut-up and she probably was, but that ain't gonna fly.
What does sound specific and familiar in this article and the accusations that have been leaked is the drunk boys at a party lock a woman in a room and proceed to "just be boys". I mean, why did she go in the room with them if she didn't want it? She shouldn't have been drinking. She was a tease. She was asking for it. Maybe she was interested in one of them. Maybe she did want to kiss one of them. Did she ask him to cover her mouth so she couldn't object? Did she ask his friend to turn up the music on purpose when she objected? Why does it matter that she wasn't penetrated in some way, which I assume because the article makes a big point of saying "... violently assaulted (but did not rape) her ..."?
This happens all the time. I suspect it happens in non cis, non hetero situations, too. Men and boys are told the same stupid messages that sound like something out of 1950. Or 1850. How many movies and books and TV shows still show this as just a normal part of socializing in high school or college? Boy must be aggressor, girl must submit. The story either ends with true love or psycho revenge - girl is co-opted or she's evil.
As the article notes, this is a system, a system with seriously screwed up ethics and values. And if anyone asks me well, gee, should just one mistake ruin a boy/man's life? I will totally turn around and tell them yes, yes it should. As long as even one rumor of, nevermind one actual assault, ruins one girl/woman's life. Yes, it should.
The system made certain that whatever this woman had to say, or didn’t have to say, would be evaluated by people with partial information and an agenda, even if she didn’t want to share it in the first place. The system is still sitting in this room. The system kind of is this room. The system keeps asking why women in trauma didn’t come forward earlier or later or publicly or privately or anonymously or with evidence or without evidence. The system is why women don’t talk, and even when they do, why things don’t change.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/09/brett-kavanaugh-assault-accusation-confirmation-hearing.html
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/09/brett-kavanaugh-assault-accusation-confirmation-hearing.html
Really, I'm bothering to post this because for some reason my mother mentioned during an attempt at dinner conversation last night with me and my dad that "some TV guy" and "accusation" and "fired". I'm guessing, now that I've heard some radio news in the car that she was referring to Jeff Fager at CBS.
My dad's immediate reaction was uncompromising and blunt about men who behave that way. My mom, however, went into some well, relationship gone wrong, how do you know, maybe you shouldn't just believe, etc. It was #notallmen and then some. I was gobsmacked. How the hell did I not notice this garbage growing up? My mom is totally co-opted. I was not amused, and neither was my dad, and she felt shut-up and she probably was, but that ain't gonna fly.
What does sound specific and familiar in this article and the accusations that have been leaked is the drunk boys at a party lock a woman in a room and proceed to "just be boys". I mean, why did she go in the room with them if she didn't want it? She shouldn't have been drinking. She was a tease. She was asking for it. Maybe she was interested in one of them. Maybe she did want to kiss one of them. Did she ask him to cover her mouth so she couldn't object? Did she ask his friend to turn up the music on purpose when she objected? Why does it matter that she wasn't penetrated in some way, which I assume because the article makes a big point of saying "... violently assaulted (but did not rape) her ..."?
This happens all the time. I suspect it happens in non cis, non hetero situations, too. Men and boys are told the same stupid messages that sound like something out of 1950. Or 1850. How many movies and books and TV shows still show this as just a normal part of socializing in high school or college? Boy must be aggressor, girl must submit. The story either ends with true love or psycho revenge - girl is co-opted or she's evil.
As the article notes, this is a system, a system with seriously screwed up ethics and values. And if anyone asks me well, gee, should just one mistake ruin a boy/man's life? I will totally turn around and tell them yes, yes it should. As long as even one rumor of, nevermind one actual assault, ruins one girl/woman's life. Yes, it should.
The system made certain that whatever this woman had to say, or didn’t have to say, would be evaluated by people with partial information and an agenda, even if she didn’t want to share it in the first place. The system is still sitting in this room. The system kind of is this room. The system keeps asking why women in trauma didn’t come forward earlier or later or publicly or privately or anonymously or with evidence or without evidence. The system is why women don’t talk, and even when they do, why things don’t change.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/09/brett-kavanaugh-assault-accusation-confirmation-hearing.html
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/09/brett-kavanaugh-assault-accusation-confirmation-hearing.html
Why does it matter that she wasn't penetrated in some way, which I assume because the article makes a big point of saying "... violently assaulted (but did not rape) her ..."?
ReplyDeleteI would read that as “penetrated but not with penis”, because journalists tend to go with the old definition for that. Because clearly that makes it all right.