I decided to put it up for a short time before Christmas takes over.
The Gadsden Flag. Designed by Christopher Gadsden during the American Revolution. It was considered the first flag of The United States and was replaced later by the stars and stripes. The Gadsden flag symbolizes patriotism and the right to our personal freedoms.
Have you heard the big Minnesota news? One of our Senators resigned yesterday…poor Al…got caught by his bad actions. He was elected by the voters in “the cities” and never really represented outstate Minnesota…or Veterans. The Veterans part is what made me unhappy, he ignored questions from Far Guy. Don’t let the door hit you in the butt Al. So long.
I recall when I was in first, second and third grade…my teachers all had one thing in common…they would say “Keep your hands to yourself.” Seems to me maybe teachers and parents are not teaching that so much anymore.
I cannot imagine anyone being silent about any kind of harrasment for 20 plus years…yet it seems to have happened to many women. I tried to remember back 20 years ago…I had to go back 40 years before I could come up with one situation where I just laughed out loud at the person and said “You have got to be kidding.”
I have just about had it with the Me Too crap. Stick up for yourself when something makes you uncomfortable…get a backbone…jeeze louise don’t wait 20 years.
Not good that the then MN senator ignored a question from Far Guy!
ReplyDeleteI only wish our Groper in Chief would go down for his behavior as so many other men in power are now having to face up to. As long as he sits in the White House, the only thing the touchers will perceive as wrong with it is getting caught.
ReplyDeleteI think it's beginning to look like a witch hunt with SOME women getting on the band wagon for attention, monetary gain, fame, revenge, whatever. I bet there is not a woman out there who doesn't have a story or two she could tell. I certainly do.
One thing that bothers me some about the "me too" thing is what has happened to Garrison Keillor. Does the man have a history of inappropriate touching of women? Or is his reputation and life's work being destroyed because of one incident that appears (from his account) to have been an accident or inadvertent. Seems like "guilty until proven innocent."
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly coming home to roost for all the men who couldn't keep their hands to themselves. But I sure hope that our president will have his comeuppance one day. :-(
ReplyDeleteYou mean like that Sexual Predator Slick Willy Clinton?? Yeah, I know they will all answer to God that's for sure! And they sure think they can get away with it but they won't!
DeleteI wonder if we're going to have men in any positions of power once this whole thing is over with?! I'm glad the status quo has been disturbed a bit and hopefully things will change from now on. Lots of wonderful changes have happened because of "outing" things that were silent & hidden for so long. Blessings upon your day~ Andrea xoxo
ReplyDeleteI never understood why Minnesota elected Franken in the first place. I heard a news anchor say that the Twin Cities decide all elections for Minnesota. Luckily KS doesn't have one large spot of population.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info on the Gadsden Flag - I thought it was the Marines flag so glad to know.
ReplyDeleteI like your "Gadsden Flag". Still always reminds me of the Marines. I just can't see why these women are waiting 20, 30, even 40 years to report these actions. Now it just seems like spite and trying to ruin someone. I don't agree with sexual assault at any time but please report it when it happens not wait years.
ReplyDeleteI agree, why wait 20 years to complain, I'd complain loud and long and did upon occasion.
ReplyDeleteHEAR HEAR!!! CLAP! CLAP! TWO THUMBS UP!!!! WELL SAID!
ReplyDeleteDitto.
DeleteOkay, I've written a paragraph twice, then deleted it. I'll just say, I agree with you totally!!!
ReplyDeleteYou were lucky.
ReplyDeleteIn 1966 I was groped and pinned in a corner of a closet by a teacher at the high school when I was helping in the concession stand one night. I was 15 at the time. Only told my BFF. Who would believe my word against a teacher?
In the summer of 1968 when I was 17 I was snatched off the street walking home from a beach dance one night, beaten till I passed out (because I fought), and gang raped. I went to the police. They never believed me, made jokes about me coming in to look at the "sexy books" (known sex offenders), and even returned the evidence bag a year later because they were doing "housecleaning". So, if you think I would have reported the times I was groped or pinned against walls or when I was date raped a year later--you're crazy.
A few years later that grabby teacher came to our door handing out pamphlets. He was running for some local office--I laughed at him as he stood on the front step and averted his eyes. He didn't win. But if he had and had worked his way up to state rep or senator years later I would want people to know who he really was and, even then, it is so difficult to speak up. Women haven't been believed. Obviously, not even women believe them.
Most of these women are doing it anonymously and not for attention. They are doing it because it is the right thing to do. Because the person is not who he purports and will be or is in a position of power. Because those men put false faces to the world. It is not easy or simple for a lot of women. If there were other women who were coming forward about that grabby teacher today and I know what it is like not to be believed--I would come forward to support those other women...but, honestly, I'd probably want to do it anonymously. Because even now--men and women scoff and judge. The women who do it publicly and put their names out there...I admire them. I don't know if I could do it.
Thank you Rita for putting your story here, and I agree wholeheartedly with you about how difficult it is to come forward. Not all women are able to or have the confidence to speak up and only do so when they know they have support of others. I think we live in a different world now and women are now getting more confidence in speaking up and I am making sure my granddaughters are able to but hope they are never in that situation.
DeleteRita's message is a powerful one. thank you, rita.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if only the famous offenders will get their comeuppance. Seems a bit unfair.
Thanks, Linda. I hope things are finally changing. But we also have to find out where the line is drawn between jerky behavior and real abuse and aggression. But maybe the jerky behavior will be curtailed as a bonus--LOL!
DeleteI too wonder why women have taken so long to press charges, as I wonder why women stay in abusive relationships. But....I think you have to be in their shoes to really understand. Maybe those women did complain to someone at the time, and were laughed off, or threatened with losing their job, or were told the perpetrator would be reprimanded, or ...who knows. It's not long ago that what now what is considered sexual abuse was not considered that back then.
ReplyDeleteOh, I just went back and read the comments. Oh Rita, it makes me feel sick to read your story. It makes me sad that you had to suffer through all that. Rita's last paragraph explains it perfectly.
I try to stay out of American politics, but I could never understand how women could support that guy in the top job.
I worked in a lot of jobs that were male dominated. Thank goodness I didn't have any bad experiences. Oh teasing, bits of flirting, maybe I felt a bit uncomfortable at times, but nothing that actually made me scared. Lucky me.