Saturday, September 29, 2018

How Did We Get Here?



The allegations of sexual assault and subsequent hearings conducted this week have set the entire country on edge and everyone has an opinion about who's the most credible.

I watched Dr. Christine Blasey Ford provide her testimony with tears running down my face because my heart was moved and my mind triggered about the abuse I had also suffered at the hands of despicable human beings. I've related my story a number of times so I won't bother to repeat what's already been said, but as I listened to Brett Kavanaugh and recognized the lies behind the belligerence, rudeness and total disregard for the positions of the senators, I began thinking, "how did we get here?"

After talking to my husband and remembering the attitude of our society from the beginning of time, I realized that men have never considered women their equal and they have always felt it was their right to treat women anyway they wanted to and the women were supposed to shut up and take it. We're not going to be silenced and we're not taking it any more. This upcoming election will be the proof of that.

But just to review--the ugliness of our history--let's start with the way men didn't think we couldn't own a house, have credit cards, have good paying jobs, had sense enough to know how vote and a couple million other things. Women have been raped for centuries and had no recourse because the men--in law enforcement and in the courts and on juries, didn't believe them. Getting tired of not being believed, a lot of women simply stopped reporting the assaults. The #MeToo movement--in more recent times--has empowered many people--men and women--to step up and speak out about sexual abuse and bravely named their assailant. And still, not all women are being believed as we saw in the recent testimony from Dr. Ford.

What has fascinated many people is the number of men who have come forward and told their stories about being molested and raped by other men and in some cases--women. Why on earth are we as a society of supposedly civilized human beings still in a place where a person's body is not respected and some don't understand that, "no means no." This only applies to adults who are capable of saying no, but it certainly does not apply to children who are intimidated and bullied into keeping silent. Aren't we better than this? Is one person's sexual insecurities worth ruining lives of others?

Rape--is not a sexual act--it is an act of violence, perpetuated against people against their will and usually at the point of a threat. These angry, vicious, insecure people who think their manhood hangs between their legs need serious counseling because raping others, doesn't make them me--it makes them cowards of the worst degree--especially those who abuse children.

How did we get here? We got here because in this society we have failed to value women and their worth. We got here because there are too many men who have no control over their sexual appetites and their low self-esteem. We got here because there are no laws governing oversight of men's bodies because the lawmakers are 90% men. We got here because too many women have been taught to be submissive to abusive husbands. We got here because the church leadership has misled their congregants about the bible and the intent of the words contained within. We got here because too many women and men don't understand how their own bodies function (the science of hormones). We got here because of ignorance and gullibility--the low educated who believed the lies because they don't know any better. We got here because too many people have been complacent over decades in refusing to exercise their rights as an American citizen. We got here because apathy prevails in a nation where people think they don't really matter. We got here because the wrong people have been elected and the masses misled into re-electing them. We got here because we failed to teach our male children they do not have a right to put their hands on a female whenever they wanted to do so. We got here because too many women--acting upon their own insecurities in trying to attract or keep men in their lives--have allowed the men to think, we're all like them. This is simply a partial list of how we got here and now we need to determine how we move forward, eliminating the tragic events that have caused so many to live with anxieties and fears.

We can and we must change our tactics and start believing children and women when they come forth and speak out about sexual abuse and molestation. We must believe and support all who tell their stories and make sure they know--they are valued and worthy of our belief in them and our trust not to judge them wrongly for things they had no control over (and we've done that, too).

We can start changing the course of events with the upcoming election on 11/6/18. We can AUTHORIZE AND EMPOWER WOMEN to write legislation that provides more protections and remedies for those who have been assaulted. On a personal note, I'd like to see at least two bills written and made laws: Any time a man is convicted of rape, he should be castrated. Any time a man refuses to pay child support, he should sterilized. If this sounds vindictive and vengeful--you don't know my story.

As a reminder for some who may have forgotten what I've written in the past about my story, I'm including a letter to Brett Kavanaugh and tweeted to most of the GOP senators who seem either not to understand the predicament Dr. Ford described or care.

Sexual assault is not a partisan issue it is a cancer and stain on our society and we must eradicate it. That may only occur with electing the right people, getting rid of the wrong people, and learning to see ourselves as better people.

brett2  

Attention voters 

Women of America--now is the time for us to have a say over what happens to us--our access to appropriate medical care and to the laws of the lands.

body

This is just the beginning of my journey--I'm on a mission to make life better for all, but especially children and women. Are you with me?

America working
At some point, we have to go beyond #MeToo and ask the question, "who else?"

Friday, September 7, 2018

What In The World?

I've been pretty vocal about all the nonsense Americans have had to endure for the past two years, but it's getting crazier and crazier with no end in sight (except 11/6/18). I mean really, we are facing the most autocratic Oval Office resident this country has ever seen. And it's all part of a grander plan. When our democracy falls apart (if people don't vote Blue in November), all those who fell for the okey doke of trump's campaign can blame the Republicans in Congress who would not exercise their constitutional right of oversight of the executive office. But here's why they didn't do their job. They wanted tax cuts for the rich, and conservative judges who will rule against individual rights of people regarding: women's reproductive rights, who people can love, access to affordable healthcare, and of course we cannot forget--the corporate promises fulfilled with the roll back of consumer protections that will lead to the deaths of many people. Now, don't forget--trump also wants the Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, to prosecute people for disagreeing with him, for criticizing him, and for daring to exercise their 1st Amendment rights in expressing their criticism.

This is the gist of what they wanted and have succeeded in obtaining:

agenda 

What the world has had an opportunity to observe with the "confirmation hearings" of Brett Kavanaugh, we are assured that he will cave to "party preference" and not care about what's best for the country if given an opportunity to overturn, Roe v Wade, the Marriage Equality Act, and the Affordable Care Act leaving millions without healthcare. Additionally, the conflated views of "religious freedom" will be tested when corporations and insurance companies can use "their faith" to reject the rights of others.

The most interesting thing about this hearing is the fact that the nominee, avoids answering any questions and it won't matter to the Republican majority because they have already determined they are going to confirm him. So what is the point of these hearings in which no answers are expected? This had been such a farce and waste of time, but his non-responsive answers--tell the average American a great deal about the character of the person.

And now we have the rantings of the moron-in-chief upset about an anonymous OpEd, all because someone in the White House dared to tell the truth about his behavior and lack of knowledge.
Personally, I'm glad the person wrote it--whoever it was, since it confirms what has already been said--trump is a psychotic narcissistic moron who knows nothing and is consistently endangering our national security. Michael Wolff said it in his book, Omarosa said it in her book, and now it would appear that Bob Woodward has unveiled the same sentiments--with receipts!

What is it going to take for the those who blindly support the "enemy of the people" to wake up and smell the stench of treason emanating from the White House? Did they really drink a mind-numbing shake or other drink at his hate rallies that makes them incapable of rational, logical thought?

I don't know what's going to happen to America if people don't get out and vote in November, but I know it won't be pretty since we already know Russia has a tight, vise-like grip on trump's balls and he's afraid of him. What does Putin have on trump and the rest of the GOP? It's got to be really bad for them to cave to foolishness and risk alienating our allies!

Here's the thing. What in the world are you going to do about it? Yes, you--whoever is reading this. Are you going to make it your business to encourage the vote in November and for people to vote Blue or are you going to sit back on the sidelines and just shake your head? We, the people, have the power to change the course of events and save Americans and our democracy. Are you going to be part of the solution or part of the problem? I know what I'm going to do. I'm going to help get people registered to vote, encourage them to Vote Blue and take them to the polls with me--if I have to--to make sure they vote. I am going to use all of my social media platforms to make sure everyone knows this is not a drill! Our rights to vote are on the line if we don't get this right in November!

So, again, I ask you--what in the world are you going to do?
Attention voters 

Why? Because Democrats care about the people and they will work #ForThePeople!
for the ppl 

If you care at all about our environment, how veterans are treated, how our senior citizens are treated, education, a living wage, and access to affordable healthcare--now is the time to act--get it in gear and move mountains to get out the Blue Vote on November 6, 2018 so we can all breathe a little easier, knowing there will be checks and balances as the Democrats do the job, Republicans won't do.

Don't forget--if we have a democracy surviving the resident idiot, I'm running for president in 2020 and I guarantee you, I won't forget who it is I'm supposed to represent and serve. I will always work #ForThePeople--the Everyday Americans!

America working