Friday, September 28, 2018

The End of Reason

Yesterday, America watched as two people testified to the Senate Judiciary committee about an incident that is alleged to have occurred some 35 years ago.  One person answered the questions, gave precise timelines about information as best recollected and stood firm on issue.  The other, wept and yelled and attacked the Senators.  The later was the candidate. 

When Dr. Christine Blasey Ford saw Brett Kavanaugh's name on a short list for the Supreme Court she had a decision to make.  That was to tell the story she had only recently disclosed to people close to her and remain safe and anonymous or share her story in the hopes that the man she remembers attempting to rape her in high school doesn't get a life time appointment to the highest court in the land.  She chose to tread lightly but move forward.  Quietly at first, but when her story was sniffed out by reporters she went public telling of a man who forced her down and only failed to rape her because of his drunken state.  That led to yesterday when she was accused by Senators and the nominee of being a part of a Democratic conspiracy to smear Brett Kavanaugh.  But here is the thing.  She went to her member or Congress BEFORE he was nominated, she told the Washington Post BEFORE he was nominated.  There are notes and emails that she has talked about it years ago.  This is not a last minute made up story.  But yesterday we saw that repeated again and again by the nominee and by temper tantrums like that of Lindsey Graham and others.  It is sickening that yesterday it appeared that facts and reality had no place the the Republicans thinking.  Calls for independent investigations have been shot down.  Calls for witnesses have fallen on deaf ears.  Calls for a waiting period so facts can be looked at more closely have been rejected.  By lunch time today Senators will have to decide if Judge Kavanaugh becomes Justice Kavanaugh.  Not to mention that there are other allegations of sexual misconduct against him that no one has even tried to vet. 

But this is the work of a Senate that is so polarized by an incompetent President that the GOP is using to get a far right-wing agenda passed they don't care about issues like nominees lying to Congress, having a weird financial past, or perhaps a drinking problem.  They want to simply "plow through".  But what is worse is the sentiment that came out from some people as the media explored the issue.

Yesterday I was struck by the number of women posting on social media their own stories of sexual assault.  Some when they were as young as 5 years old.  Some when they had grown into strong women but in the moment and in the aftermath were unable to tap their strength.  I hope it helps change the conversation moving forward but the pit of my stomach was reeling as I read the words of so many some famous and some just not.  Lawyers, writers, doctors, waitresses, teachers, police officers, all with similar tales of how they were not believed, that they were told not to raise an issue, that it was embarrassing for the family.   Worse were those who blamed them.

CNN, in there continued efforts to find two sides to all issues, interviewed a group of Republican women, one said all 17 year old boys do the kinds of things that were said that Kavanaugh did.  I was once a 17 year old boy, who drank, who went to parties, I don't think any of my close friends EVER held a woman down and tried to remove her clothes.  If they did I would think many of the people I knew at the time would have been outraged and took matters into their own hands.  In another stunning media segment a woman, standing next to her two teenage daughters, said groping is no big deal.  Let me help you with this one.  Groping another person against their will is not only a big deal it is a crime.  Plain and simple.  But this woman and so many others want to excuse it. 

We saw yesterday a nominee who was being credibly questions about his past drinking habits ask Senators about theirs instead of answer the question.  We saw him become unhinged to the point his own wife looked shocked.  We saw a candidate say it was a conspiracy created out of revenge from the Clintons.  We saw a nominee who is not fit to serve functionally in a moot court, let alone the highest court in the land. 

We also saw that there is a still a large number of people in this country, some of whom in positions of power, who don't think women own their own sexuality.  That women are there to be pretty, smile and be available for physical contact to men.  That they should just swallow and pain they get from being treated poorly by men and that if they speak up that they will be taken down with lies and questions about their own past.  This is wrong. 

When you go to the polls this November, remember this day.  Remember how the party that decided to silence women in a public forum, to attack a woman with a credible story, and who didn't want to look behind the curtain because I can only assume they are afraid of the mirror they might find.  Let's find people to lead this country who will seek justice and facts over party.  It may be a heavy lift but it is worth it, the country is worth it and woman are truly worth it.  

Saturday, September 22, 2018

You Were Asking For It



In the following situation, a holdup victim is asked questions by a lawyer.
Mr. Smith, it says here you were held up at gun point. 
Yes
Did you struggle with the robber?
No.
Why not?
He was armed.
Then you made a conscious decision to comply with his demands rather than resist?
Yes.
Did you scream? Cry out?
No, I was afraid.
So you just let him take your money?  Did you do anything to get away?
Well it was difficult he had me trapped. I also was afraid he would kill me if I didn't do what he said. 
Have you ever GIVEN money away?
Yes, of course.
And you did so willingly?
Of course, I participate in a number of philanthropic organizations.  My name is well known in the community.
Well, let’s put it like this, Mr. Smith. You’ve given money away in the past and you have quite a reputation for philanthropy. Are you sure you weren't on some level looking to give money away and he just saw that in your eyes?
What? I wasn't looking to have him take my money, how can you suggest that? 
I am just trying to see all perspectives.  There have a number of times people who gave money away and when the person didn't thank them they regretted it and filed charges.  Could this really be what happened here?    
Now listen I didn’t want to be robbed, what are you saying? 
Let’s move on.  What time did this holdup take place, Mr. Smith?
About 11:00 P.M..
You were out on the street at 11:00 P.M.? Doing what?
Just walking to my car. 
You know that it’s dangerous being out on the street that late at night. Weren’t you aware that you could have been held up?
I walk to my car every day and I didn't expect to have someone rob me, I know it was late but this is near my office so I didn't think I would be robbed.  
What were you wearing at the time, Mr. Smith?
I had my suit on. 
A suit, like a nice tailored suit?
Well a nice suit I often where a nice suit to work.  
Did you think that a nice suit on a man with a reputation for giving money away might have sent some mixed signals, that this man who may just be trying to help you get what you wanted, a chance to help you get over the hesitation to enjoy the feeling of giving away money.  I mean to me it will be difficult to prosecute with your past and your not crying out and the ease you let him take your money.   
You are suggesting that it is my fault.
No no no, I am not saying it, but even I can see that there is a an argument that you may have given the money freely and then regretted, or that you teased him in that suit to the point he couldn't help himself.  Look it sounds like he may have needed the money to help his family and made a simple mistake, why ruin his life over a few dollars.  Go home, call you insurance company and try to use this as a learning experience to be safe in the future. 

This may sound repetitious but I think it is important to keep this in mind. I  have rewritten a well known story that we used to teach about sexual assault when I was in college.  In the last few days I have seen several versions of this floating around in light of recent issues with the Kavanaugh appointment.  Too often women who are sexually assaulted run into a stone wall trying not to believe it happened or protect the assaulter.  Funny when a recent story of sexual abuse among priests became a national story again several men came out declaring they were victims, no one seemed to think they were lying or threatened them or looked for excuses.  Is this simply a thing about women as evil seductresses?  I think we need to do a real gut check as a country and to start the Kavanaugh nomination must end here and a deeper investigation must be done.  But it brings up the bigger issue of women and sexual assault.  The #whyIdidn'treport has become a study of the mindset of our country, women who when faced with the choice of telling anyone and being called every name from slut to whore to gold digger etc or being told they just regret having sex, even if bruised and beaten.  If Kavanaugh gets on the bench the Republican party is saying to women "we don't believe you" and is telling us that sexual harassment and assault are not something they care about.  If they did they would do a deeper investigation.  Not only of the event in high school, but why Yale warned law clerks about Kavanaugh and his mentor Alex Kozinski, who resigned from his judgeship over sexual harassment charges.  Why not look into the organized effort by the GOP and probably Kavanaugh himself to smear a fellow classmate to muddy the waters.  We can also ask why the person Senator Chuck Grassley wanted to investigate the allegation also posted tweets calling for confirmation right away.  Investigators usually don't reach a conclusion until after the investigation is done.  There is no indication that Dr. Ford, who is accusing Kavanaugh of the assault is lying.  There is zero upside for her to do it.  In fact it has ruined her life.  There are witnesses who can testify under oath that this was a known thing back in school.  There are notes from 6 years ago that include the assault in a therapy session, and of course what was Yale warning students about.  This isn't about politics.  If Kavanaugh gets rejected by the Senate or withdraws the President will nominate another conservative judge and the confirmation hearings will go forward.  It may be the next Senate will have a Democratic majority but I can't imagine that it would change the politics of the nominee.  This now has become about women and how we see them when they tell us they have been attacked.  It is time, long past time, long long past time, that we take them seriously and investigate and prosecute fully those that commit these crimes.  As for the GOP, it is time to be true to your oath or you can be true to Trump.  You can't do both.  I believe Dr. Ford and I believe that those smearing her and those who support them are evil.  I also wonder if they have something to hide.  

PS This just in Garrett Ventry who is the communication aide to the GOP leadership on the judicary committee has resigned over past sexual harassment allegation that cost him a job.  His joy was to coordinate the response to Dr. Ford's allegation.  

Friday, September 14, 2018

The Current Has Been Torn Away

Anyone who has paid attention to Donald Trump over the last three decades has been aware that he has the empathy of Joseph Stalin and the narcissism of Madonna.  It was no surprise, while still jaw dropping, that yesterday he tweeted that the approximately 3000 dead in Puerto Rico because of last year's hurricane Maria was an inflated number to hurt him personally.  Seriously, two independent studies showed the numbers between 2750 and 3300 dead were a result of the devastation that occurred and the feeble response to the disaster.  It wasn't that he was deflecting the blame as much as he was saying the people didn't die.  This is Alex Jones territory who often claims after a school shooting that children didn't die and families are crisis actors.  So to be clear, the President of the United States has said that his political opponents have made up the death of thousands of Americans to hurt him.  It is the weird but clearly well within the President's character to say something like this.  But it has consequences.  Among those could be how people believe facts moving forward as a hurricane makes landfall on the East Coast.  There are those who believe the President when he lies like this and that is a problem.

But the problem is bigger than just the Trump supporters believing his lies.  His bluster in situations like this, his border policy he blamed on Democrats and of course his ability to give cover to the racists online and who march in the street creates an alternative reality that has allowed some pretty horrible voices to explode in both new and old media.

It didn't take long for ultra-right wing Lou Dobbs to use his media voice to say the President was right.  Dobbs, who has a long anti-immigrant view of the universe, challenged the methodology of the studies without expertise or data. We understand Dobbs shares the crazy conspiracy theories the the President does, like birthism and the Deep State nonsense.  

Rick Santorum, a former Senator and right wing media darling, who has run for President twice blamed the country of Puerto Rico for their response.  (Hint:  PR is part of the United States).  This was an attempt to back up the ridiculous tweet by the President.  I don't know what to say. 

The President and his continued vomiting of ridiculous opinions and lies have lead many to speak their own nonsense out loud and in front of people.  Recently Dana Loesch, NRA spokesperson and radio personality did a segment on NRATV on Thomas the Tank Engine.  If you haven't had children in the last 30 years in the US or 50 years in England you may not know Thomas.  The stories are about anthropomorphic trains that have taught lessons to young people.  She was outraged by the fact that the long-running television show based on a book series will include a train from Kenya.  Some how a gun rights organization, on their YouTube platform, decided that there is something wrong with a British television program for children including a Kenyan character.  This isn't the first blatantly racist thing she or many others on the right have said on various media platforms but they are becoming more common.  This, I believe is the result of a President who seems to share those views and give cover to those that have them.  

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, did not create the hateful opinions shared by so many on the right.  He has just made it less socially unacceptable.  When challenged these opinions are met with people suggesting we are just being politically correct as if the fact that wanting to take hate out of our public conversation is a bad thing.  I mean if you flip out over a children's television show responding to a growing audience to include more explicit diversity maybe you shouldn't talk out loud, for your own sake and the sake of decency.  But just wait, FoxNews will have Tucker Carlson do a segment on the liberalism of children's television the President will tweet about trains not being made in shit hole countries.  Meanwhile, I am called a snowflake for questioning children separated from parents at the border, millions of dollars being taken from FEMA for ICE and of course questioning the blatant lies the leader of the free world.  I guess I have to start sewing the curtain again. 

Sunday, September 9, 2018

YOU ARE NO HERO

Since before his inauguration, many people reported and knew that the current President was not up for the job.  Beyond his personality and lack of clear knowledge of some basics of history, reality, how government works and current world order, he was unwilling to learn and chose advisers  based on person loyalty and not competence.  The massive turn-over due to criminal behavior, gross mismanagement and serious graft in office showed deep lack of concern for what it means to run this great nation.  Coupled with the fact that the President of the United States is a pathological liar who states that objective facts are wrong and has had people use phrases like "alternative facts" when speaking to the press.  It is as bad as we said it would be and is getting no better as time goes on.

Report after report coming out of the White House and sometimes from the West Wing clearly shows a President who has no patience for comprehending the important issues of the day, wants to be praised by a team of sycophants and speaks without thinking.  We can see in real time often how the President says one thing publicly, only to have a cabinet member or staffer say the exact opposite.  Sometimes during the same hour.  It would be comical if the stakes weren't so high.  

So when the excerpts from Bob Woodward's book Fear: Trump in the White House were released to the press, it was unsurprising, however frightening.  As a reporter, Woodward nailed down quotes from current and former staffers that paint a picture of a White House seemingly operating around the President more than under the command of one.   A recent New York Times Op-Ed written anonymously by an apparent  senior official in the Executive Branch of the government paints and even starker picture.  

Writing, in what only be described as a jaw dropping essay, the author writes:  The dilemma — which he does not fully grasp — is that many of the senior officials in his own administration are working diligently from within to frustrate parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations. Think about that, the unelected and unaccountable members of the administration are allegedly standing in the way the President of the United States.  Not by arguing points but by not following through.  The Woodward book seems to add to this stunning set of actions being taken.  They include the Secretary of Defense ignoring a directive from the President of the United States and and economic adviser taking documents off the desk in the Oval.  This is simply not how our government works. 

I truly believe that Donald Trump is a terrible President and frankly dangerous to all of us.  I fear he could start a war over a fit of pique and cares little about the economy if it doesn't help him personally.  However, if you chose to work for the President, even a bad one, you have an obligation to implement the policies of that President as long as they are legal.  If you disagree with him or her.  It is cowardly and frankly unhelpful to write an anonymous Op-Ed and continue to think that you and your compatriots should be the arbiters of what you should let the President do.  What you should do is publicly resign and state exactly what the problems in the administration have been, including anything illegal, even if it you are a partner in the crime.  But what is more likely is that the President is unable to do the job but is doing enough as a puppet of the right wing noise machine that certain conservative ideals are being implemented.  And that is where you fail if you are in the White House and you plan is to use this President and pretend to be the hero for America.  

The Trump administration is a disaster on many levels.  Policies that will have short-term financial gains will have long-term disastrous results both financial and otherwise.  But the idea that someone or many someones, inside the administration, are actively trying to thwart policy making and implementation is frightening, even if  I agree that those policies are against American interest. My advice to the OP-Ed writer:   

Stand up to the President in a way that matters.  Resign, speak out, gather allies and challenge him in the right way.  That is how government is supposed to work.  That is how it can only work.  That is how to save the Republic.  Stop pretending to be a hero and be a leader.  We know Congress doesn't want the job, I really wish you did. 

It is All a Conspiracy

 Sometimes an event could have a giant impact on the world we live in, but not have a similar cause.  A disgruntled man takes aim from a six...