Womenprotest
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For those thinking that the Brett Kavanaugh hearings and the circus of allegations and histrionics they entail are far removed, all you have to do is peek into any random forum or interest group and the stench of ridiculous parallel universe revenge also known as social justice seeps through and ruins everything. No one of sound mind would claim that we live in a perfect reality where human society is cured of all inequality and corruption including discrimination against racial or other social groups. However the absolute obsession nowadays with airing out allegations and recriminations against people based on vendettas and personal whims is actually making it more difficult than ever to determine what are credible allegations of abuse, and if so how to respond to them. Then at the other extreme we must address today another group of people that are behaving as if they are not of sound mind: Those that demand instant retribution or fawning sympathy over claims of harassment that cannot be verified. I have witnessed this trend unfolding in the open over the past few days, and I wouldn't be surprised if some of the readers have too.

The #MeToo movement began as a means of washing out the pestilence of sexual predators in positions of authority, specifically within the entertainment industry, but instead of creating an environment of ethical transparency, we instead have all of the paranoia of a city undergoing an air raid. It's not often that I use this forum to share views that are entirely personal, but in this case certain observations must be noted:
  • Holding sexual predators accountable was not impossible before #MeToo, and this is not an issue for which one could get off Scot free by using the white card. Let's take the State of Kentucky which is over 86% white, but the prison population is disproportionately less white (75%). Yet year-on-year the number of inmates in its prison facilities for sex-related offenses remains a steady 10%.
  • Institutional obstruction of sexual assault allegations exists, but in most instances its signs are lurking beneath the surface for years. The ongoing allegations within the Catholic Church are an excellent example of families of victims battling for decades to hold predators accountable. Some of the victims hold on to the abuse for years. However, unlike in the current vogue of the #MeToo era they tend not to rely on vague and un-detailed allegations of people that have long records of bearing political animus towards the institution. In fact in 2004 John Jay College in New York with the co-operation of the US Council on Catholic Bishops compiled a report of more than 10 thousand allegations of priest abuse in the charge from 1950 until 2002. The issue is not always reporting the offense but the willingness to enforce the rules and laws by the involved institutions and the legal system.
  • Knowing a victim can be a teachable moment for everyone, and like many of you I know a couple as well. But do people admit to learning from knowing a defendant? I have worked for such an accused person, not of a sexual crime but of spousal abuse, and can attest that at the end of the day it's difficult to just call you're [sic your] friend or boss a liar because of "listen and believe".
It is for all of these reasons that the presumption of innocence - a principle that has been held as central to English Common Law and its derivatives that constitute our system of justice - must be held as a cornerstone despite these storm waves washing upon us. What's worse is that not only are the accused forced to carry a scarlet letter in this reality, but those that would object to a rush to judgment are likewise demonized for "shaming" or "victim blaming".

Gratification over truth

Yesterday I witnessed a conversation of the typical #MeToo format. A female writer and published author named Sarah Tuttle Singer, one with a very public profile in many forums, used an incident that she had documented in her book of an alleged sexual assault while intoxicated to buttress the accounts of Christine Blasey Ford and the other Kavanaugh accusers. One of the reasons she gave for not reporting the incident was the race of the perpetrator, which she felt would create inter-community tensions if she were to report him. A fellow blogger named Fred Maroun that I know objected to this rationale on the grounds that such a courtesy would NEVER be extended should the racial roles have been reversed. What transpired next was a campaign of attacks and accusations against the blogger that painted him as a "victim shamer". People that had hailed Maroun for his viewpoints up until, several of which I have often argued against, declared that they were "ashamed to know him". It is possible that as a result of Fred's impeccable reputation, very mild disposition, and public notoriety that he hasn't been tarred and feathered by her rage mob. . . yet. She has already bullied several social media users off of conventional platforms like Facebook and Twitter by igniting mass flag parties against them. Then when one such person was assassinated in an unrelated incident, Tuttle-Singer portrayed her interaction with him as one of respectful difference of opinion.

Notwithstanding several major differences of opinion I have against her opponent, my commitment to the freedom of expression like the others on HNN, is not up for compromise. I think it's valid to agree with one side, the other or neither, and that includes in this example. But rest assured that the main motivation of these festivals of emotional catharsis has nothing to do with justice. It's about revenge, group identity, martyrdom worship and most of all converting all of those into a conduit for achieving more social status and power. Rather than empower other victims, or women in general, it converts them into chambermaids for their central queen, the one who must be the center of attention.

Let's not just retreat across the moat when this happens. There's no better time to take a stand than now, and no it doesn't have to be a political statement.