I wonder if we’re all tired of hearing about election opinions, insights, revelations and other assorted newsworthy items. I certainly am. I don’t post about political news and my opinions because the political “conflict” seems to have brought about a new environment where if I say what you don’t agree with, then I’m fair game for attack! I’m too sensitive, I know but these responses are painful to me. If you said, “I disagree,” or “Have you read this article which espouses a different position” then I’d be fine. But the “You’re an idiot,” “You/he/she sucks” is like a harsh slap in the face to me and I don’t need it.
But I am here to talk about something political. I’m blogging because it’s a long story and with this blog… there’s no “like” or “comment” options as I just don’t want to hear about it. Whether you support or not, that’s not my purpose. Just information in the first person that might be food for thought.
The call to write came when the Trump tape came out where he bragged about how he could grab and get his way with women. Michele Obama spoke about how that tape shook her to the core. It shook me too… shook me back to a time a long time ago when I knew two different men over a stretch of several years who believed as Mr Trump does, that a woman is an object to be taken, manipulated and used. I know what it feels like to be objectified, forced, grabbed and ultimately hurt. The details of all that isn’t important. It was a long time ago and healing has come.
As is the case, when we’ve had a personal experience, I get angry quickly when I hear a man like Trump verbally strut around, pounding his chest in a display of his “power.” But what can I do?
This is all I know to do. I ask you, men… do you treat or have you ever treated a woman with such disregard? (Men as unfeeling as Trump are few and far between, I know.) Women… have you experienced the injustice and pain of having your intellect, skills and heart ignored while realizing it’s just your body that’s wanted? And if any of you had experienced these painful things… do you want more of the same? Ladies, you may feel resigned to “that’s just how men are” from a lifetime of misinformation and abuse but let me turn the tables a bit on you. See, this isn’t about you. Electing an abusive bully to the highest office in the land isn’t just about you as much as about the example your support gives to young men and women. You might have had to deal with harassment or mistreatment in your job or relationships. But is that what you visualize for your daughters and grand-daughters? Would you have your sons or grandsons utter such degrading comments about women and think that’s okay?
This election isn’t just about believing one or the other candidate’s claims… with Trump it goes much deeper. A vote for this angry man is saying to the world and worse, whispering in the ears of our young people, that mistreating others is fine if you benefit. This is not the world I want to build… I hope it’s not the world you want to create either.