A glance at the headlines over the past two or three months as brought to the fore a chilling reality that American society has cultivated by allowing it to exist and denying it's existence. The social norms of the "casting couch" and "locker room banter" has been known to every adult.
Yet, it is not until the year 2017 do we see any acknowledgement of the problem and it is still relegated to a problem of "bad apples". However, films such as Porky's and Police Academy (especially the scene where the protagonist is spying on the women showering) clearly illustrate the idea that a woman is no more that an object to use for sexual satisfaction.
This year we have seen an explosion of sexual harassment, assault and rape claims. The bulk of these allegations are based on incidents that occurred over a decade ago. So why now?
The media tells us these courageous women are only now finding a voice. However, we should also, in addition to the media's desire to finally listen, we should also consider, especially in the case of politicians, that the political affiliation or tendencies of these men are in DIRECT opposition to the current regime in the White House.
I haven't had the opportunity to explore the backgrounds of the women who began this media trend. Who are they? Why now? Did they ever tell anyone, aside from a therapist, about the incidents surrounding their claims before? If not, why?
I say this to cast doubt not on the allegations, for the veracity of the claims is not the question. The question is the motivation for bringing the allegations to the public at this point in time.
The resistance of Al Franken to the White House a Republican members of the Senate and the articulate manner in which he voiced it is no gone. It is obvious that Mr. Franken felt he was being the "bigger" man by stepping down. However, it is obvious that taking the high moral ground is a fruitless endeavor when it is an attempt to shame those who feel no shame.
By depriving the people of Minnesota and the entire of the United States of an intelligent voice of reason in the senate, more harm has been done than if Mr. Franken just issued an apology and remained to finish his term in office. This is not to advocate what may or may not have taken place. Rather, in this climate because Mr. Franken stepped down due to pressure it opens a real threat of false allegations being thrown at any man being taken at face value.
Israeli men understand the dangers this type of social norm opens a free society to. Having individuals of loose ethics in charge of our lives is not what we want as a culture. However, in the pursuit for a just and equitable society, we can never justify shedding the legal ideals (and they are for most of us IDEALS, not realities that made America a country to flee to and not from.
(ps. I apologize for this not being the smoothest post, as far as the links are concerned, I'm still learning the STEEMIT format)