On a much bigger scale, though, to conclude that his conviction is a turning point for the ‘Me, Too’ movement is, I think, a bit overstated.
I actually believe nothing’s really changed in the dynamic of rich, powerful men taking advantage of their positions to manipulate and plunder women.
Yes, certainly there’s been a great deal of attention as to the manner in which women are exploited in Hollywood and corporate America. But, forgetting Hollywood and business for a moment, the broad culture in this country continues to not only tolerate the boorish, often criminal behavior of men, but even encourage it.
Powerful men in their relationships with women subordinate to them have had it easy, with virtually no disapprobation from anyone for decades, and will not be altering their behavior any time soon. The prospect of taking advantage of beautiful, young women without the chance of dire consequences is just too alluring to ever be eliminated.
Women, too, should know better these days, but I see signs that things in the broader society remain the same: in the Weinstein trial’s initial stages, with the press exuding confidence that the ‘Me-Too’ movement and women’s increasing empowerment were unstoppable forces, a couple of television shows demonstrated that nothing is changing out there in American culture.
I happened to come upon the Golden Globes awards ceremony on television: and, as I looked with jaw agape, women presenters came out on stage in some extremely scanty outfits: a couple of them were wearing an unbuttoned, half-open vest look, without any upper undergarments, so that half their breasts were exposed.
Talk about the ‘male gaze’: guilty as charged, I and millions of other males gazed intently. This scene, right after the opening days of Weinstein’s trial, was so hypocritical. Don’t these women have any awareness that their scandalous attire might create the absolute wrong message to adolescent girls -- and young boys, for that matter? Do these performers think about nothing else but their insipid celebrity and meaningless careers?
Or, on a much bigger scale, what about the half time show of the Super Bowl? 100 million viewers, including millions of young men and women, saw on the halftime show Jennifer Lopez and someone named Shakira dance and sing as if they were performing in a strip club. The act was replete with flashing thighs and crotches. Amazing to see. It was very nearly pornographic. And have we heard a peep of protest from Me-Too advocates such as Rose McGowan or Gloria Allred? Not a whimper. Worse, Ms. Lopez even had the gall to permit her 11-year-old daughter to participate in this prurient and sleazy exhibition!
Evidence, indeed, that nothing’s going to change any time soon. Women will continue to be exploited and mistreated. That criminal behavior is baked into American culture.
Ms Pelosi, What Were You Thinking?..... Nancy Pelosi, until a couple of months ago, seemed to be a very shrewd politician who could navigate her way around quite skillfully any minefields she might encounter. But, my God, she sure failed miserably with the impeachment initiative against President Trump. His popularity now is highest than it’s ever been, and he’s relishing every moment of his triumph. And, worse for Democrats, it’s giving Mr. Trump an opportunity to rub more salt and vinegar into the wounds of his --- once again -- outgunned and flummoxed opponents.
Here’s another factor: the extraordinarily long siege of the Mueller investigation – two years – with finally an anticlimactic verdict of ‘Not Guilty’ exhausted the American public. They were not in a mood to go through that circus again. So, the impeachment hearings and trial on the heels of Mueller didn’t catch the full attention of jaundiced TV viewers, who simply had enough of politicians fighting and acting like nine-year-olds; it just never caught on. The back-to-back juxtaposition of the Mueller and impeachment hearings really hurt the Democrats as they attempted to galvanize an uninterested public.
But, what exactly did the Democrats think they were going to accomplish? The Republican majority in the Senate, frightened by the thought of Trump true-believers who are furious that anyone would disapprove of Trump, and possibly pushing for Trump-backed candidates to run in primaries, was never a threat to vote for his removal from office. My lovely cat Seamus could have told you that six months ago. The Republicans in the Senate are scared sh_tless. [To be honest, I understand their fears.]
And yet there were the Democrats, all earnestly yakking about all the sins of the President and his destruction of American democracy, marching in lockstep to convict the President. The optics just did not work: Pelosi and Schiff lecturing us on American ideals, as if it were a decorous high school debate, while the other side, with its cast of money grubbers, blackmailers, swindlers, conspiracy junkies, holocaust deniers, charlatans, bunko artists, snake oil salesmen, and bag men, outmaneuvered and bludgeoned the Democrats at every juncture.
The Democrats knew they were beat, and beat badly, when, near the end of their dispiriting and humbling defeat, they began beating the drums for the notion that President Trump will not be able to run away from history’s verdict: his ‘legacy’ will be forever tarnished. Bull. Donald Trump does not care one whit about his legacy. To Mr. Trump, it’s all about his net worth. In that reptilian brain of his, if he can’t go to the bank and exchange that legacy for tons of dough, he couldn’t care less. Cashing in on his Presidency is and always has been Mr. Trump’s overriding concern. ‘My legacy? Write me a $1,000 check, and I’ll give you mine.’
It’s Always Deep State’s fault….It was inevitable: as soon as the Justice Department decided to close down an investigation of FBI agent Andrew McCabe, opting not to bring charges up against him, President Trump goes off on the ‘corrupt’ FBI, and decries, in paraphrase, ‘It’s the deep state again.’
Virtually on any matter that the President views as oppositional, the ‘Deep State’ stands accused. Right now, of course, it’s the media’s coverage of the corona virus: it’s the transparency of the Trump lies that is so hard to take; he simply, on cue, trots out the ultimate no-proof, go-to conspiracy, the Deep State.
Let’s examine Mr. Trump’s Deep State a bit more closely: advocates should at least have some evidence of the existence of the group, so bent as they are on world domination and control: for one thing, who exactly are the architects of the Deep State, and where is verifiable proof of their activities? Oh, the Deep Staters assert, we don’t know the answers to that: after all, ‘It’s all done in secret.’
What absolute nonsense: you’re telling me that, say, George Soros, the billionaire industrialist who’s often linked to fanciful machinations of a Deep State, is the mastermind controlling the plot to take over the world? Come on: get real. Hasn’t he got enough on his plate? He’s too busy making oodles of money.
And besides, just imagine Mr. Soros holding a convention of all the leaders of various Deep State cartels intent on running the world. How could there be any consensus among those huge egos how to divide the world up? It’d be worse than herding feral cats.
‘Deep State’ accusations fit Mr. Trump to a T: throw some cockeyed theory out there, without one scintilla of proof. Mr. Trump, who apparently didn’t understand the significance of Pearl Harbor [!] when he visited the site a couple of years ago, doesn’t burden himself with any historical facts, just pure BS. Outlandish conspiracy plots are right up his alley.
In actuality, the Deep State emanates either from really vivid imaginations of some very paranoid individuals, or, more likely, a fable concocted to appeal to extreme right wing zealots, and create momentum for Mr. Trump’s re-election.
Mr. Gripes
March 1, 2020
By Jim Israel
