by Amy Kerr Hardin
Why would any woman support this boorish creep?
Several months ago, I had the unique experience of my step-mom agreeing with me on a critical political issue. Married to my ultra-conservative father, who came to his political convictions at the intersection of his retirement and the birth of FOX News, my step-mom of four decades also eventually succumbed to the constant drumbeat of negative rhetoric. So, it came as a surprise when she spoke up over dinner, right there in front of Dad, expressing her strident opposition to Donald Trump. Notably, our conversation occurred many months prior to the GOP candidate’s multiple groping scandals.
She’s a practicing labor law attorney who marks the bulk of her billable hours consulting on workplace practices and policy — and yes, harassment and discrimination are prominent topics of concern. Trump must be a sea of red flags to her.
This election cycle, American women find themselves on the cusp of the centennial of women’s suffrage, and nearly five decades in the wake of the women’s liberation movement, conditions remain little improved. Polls consistently demonstrate men are supporting Trump — a revolting misogynist of the worst stripe to any intelligent women’s estimation.
The trending hashtag among his male supporters is “repeal the 19th.”
Why does the modern male embrace this caveman attitude? We must have that discussion about men (and we will) — it being a time-honored tradition among women since the Stone Age, but at this juncture we must call out women who support the reprehensible beast.
The 2014 documentary, She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry, a film about the 1960s feminist movement, has a segment of particular prevalence. The topic was the pervasiveness of rape and assault and the routine blaming of women in that time. They cited a specific incident, emblematic of the culture, in which the victim was told by police she was not to be believed because she was not attractive enough to have been raped.
That vile attitude is pure Trumpism, 2016.
Those of us who reco
il in disgust at Trump over the repugnant, mendacious, spoiled buffoon that he is, can’t fathom why any woman would support such a dangerous monster. Perhaps seeing Trump for the foul person he truly is might be like those Magic Eye posters of the 1990s, where only perceptive individuals could see the 3D image. Or maybe Trump supporters are Amelia Bedelia literalists, completely unaware of duplicity or ulterior motives — but, in this case the result isn’t comical in the least.
Science points to a phenomenon reported last year in Scientific American in which certain vulnerable individuals are attracted to pathological personality traits — particularly of the likes found in the cornucopia of odious characteristics displayed by Trump.
Or maybe these women are just plain stupid.
Luckily, a majority of women seem to see through his narcissistic facade. What I observe is a deeply troubled man who, had he not been to the manner born, would be clad in an ill-fitted plaid suit while wafting clouds of cheap cologne. However, the rich man/poor man contrast ends there — both Donalds would be grabby braggarts, who apparently bathe in a vat of tikka masala, are awash in too much hair product, and make a living off of cheating and swindling easy marks.
His wife Melania was all over the media this week doing his dirty work, blaming everyone but her loathsome spouse. She threw Billy Bush under the bus, claiming the clueless giggly young man had goaded her husband into “boy talk.” She whined and whined about everyone being mean to her husband and telling all those lies — it’s everybody’s fault but his.
When queried about what cause celebre she would champion as first lady, Melania replied: bullying on social media. That’s rich, coming from the wife of a man who, had he not been well-known and a presidential candidate, would certainly be banned from Facebook and Twitter. Melania sloughed-off his behavior, claiming it was his prerogative.
Michelle Obama, an exceptional first lady and class-act in every way, capsulized the frustration and disgust felt by thinking women in her moving speech last week. Her words were a salve on the wounds inflicted on the American psyche every day by this vulgar cheeto-encrusted manbaby and his apologists and sycophants — of both genders.
This article is a prime example of seeing only what we want to see. There were 9 women who came forward late in a political campaign to bring charges of groping and sexual predatory attacks upon themselves by Donald Trump. That is the focus of those that are in the Clinton camp and fostered by the media. But we tend to forget the earlier tales of the New York times that were refuted by the very women that were a subject of their false story, after they were contacted as a follow up to that article. Yes Trump made some rather vulgar remarks with a willing participant in that “caveman” conversation. But there have been 10 times as many women who have come forward to espouse the promotion of women in the business world and how he personally took the time to advise and even financially support them to succeed personally and professionally. .
Are the stories of groping true? That is still a matter of some discussion, as there has been some proof offered to refute some of these claims. Could this be another of those political smears that will vanish once this election cycle is completed? We will have to see about all that. What I do know is that he has denied these claims. That in our litigious society, powerful and financially successful men are not immune from criminal charges or at least a lawsuit for such claims as have been made. Ask the former head of FOX News. And I find it rather curious that there was never a mention of this type of behavior or a lawsuit, to expose Donald Trump, until 20 some days before an election.
What I do know is, many that now call Trump a sexual predator, a racist and misogynist, once touted him as a person that worked hard to alleviate the disadvantages that both women and minorities have suffered in our society. Jesse Jackson himself, now a critic, once championed Trump on more than one occasion. Even Hillary herself lauded the spirit and effort of Trump to help women and minorities in business and bettering their personal lives within our society.
And if I may, I would point out that much has been said about Hillary and her supposed efforts toward promoting the rights of women & minorities, as well as her honesty and standing up for her man. Is she one of those psychologically afflicted women as well? I guess your article would ask us overlook all those personal traits of Hillary and only focus on those negative suppositions about Donald Trump.
Yes, your article, to me, is a prime example of seeing what we only want to see, through the filter of our own bias.
Let’s keep in mind the original accuser of Donald Trump: Donald Trump. It was Trump himself that said that “as a star” he could get away with assaulting women. He could grab them by the genitals, he said. He was asked three times by Anderson Cooper if he’d done the things he’d said that he’d done. He didn’t answer the first two times he was asked the question. The third time, perhaps feeling boxed in, he said he hadn’t done what he said he had done. Should we take him at his word? Which word? It should be pointed out that it was after his denial of sexual assault that a dozen or so women reported that his denial was false. They reported their own direct experience with Donald.
Trump was certainly free with the description of “liar” during the primary season (Ted Cruz comes to mind), and since. But how would Trump reconcile saying he did it, and saying he didn’t do it? The chief accuser of Trump is Trump.
And here are a few other things to keep in mind. Bill Clinton will reside in the White House along with Hillary. I know, He is not running for President. But, if he were eligible, would you vote for him?
A trip down memory lane. Bill Clinton paid $850,000 to settle a suit where he was accused of shaking his “Willy” at Paula Jones. Juanita Broaddrick accused him of rape. Kathleen Willey accused Clinton of groping her without consent in the White House. At least eight other women have accused Bill Clinton of sexually harassing them or making unwanted sexual advances toward them, with the allegations dating back to the 1970s. And, a long-circulating rumor holds that Bill Clinton raped an Oxford classmate named Eileen Wellstone before evolving to also assert he was expelled over the incident. And we all know about Monica and the long list of extra marital affairs.
My point is this. Hillary has accepted all this, where any other woman would have tossed Bill’s clothing and possessions out on the front lawn. He is still the “Darling” of Liberals, while they shout indignantly about Trump and his “alleged” groping’s, 20 days before a Presidential Election.
Even if the “alleged” groping is true, I find it the height of hypocrisy that this is even an issue and that Hillary is so appalled. I also find it appalling that Hillary supporters find it acceptable to elect a woman that would stay married to a scumbag like him and bring him into the White House, as no small part of her administration. All the while, labeling Trump a sexual predator, based on allegations that may be nothing more than political theater. Just one more example of the filters/blinders that bias can provide.