Thursday, September 27, 2018

Thoughts on the Kavanaugh hearings

I have really mixed feelings about the Kavanaugh hearings.

On the one hand, I'm fairly confident that the Democrats are just using this as a "Hail Mary" pass to win the "Kavanaugh Confirmation Bowl" (and, at the moment, looks like it will work).

On the other hand, I am starting to think that, perhaps, the true Supreme Court of America (namely, the American citizens) are actually using this United States v. Kavanaugh case in a Roe v. Wade or Brown v. Board type situation...one that shakes the very foundation of American society forever.

In the People of the United States v. Kavanaugh, what is on trial here (like abortion or 'separate but equal' before) is the culture of white, male hegemony.

It will, like segregation and illegal abortions, get defeated.

Ultimately, this is a good thing. It forces a reckoning on the part of the group that was previously in a position of power. That reckoning is "I am also vulnerable."

That new awakened sense of "oh man, I'm vulnerable" is going to, ultimately and with some pushback, result in a greater sense of empathy for the victims (physical, emotional, psychological, etc.) of various types of oppression.

That increased empathy will inform a different set of actions that help us all get along just a little bit (hopefully a lot) better ... that's a good thing.

So, while I am sure there are plenty of empowered white men who are feeling pretty nervous that they could be exposed for something they have said or done in the past, I think the newfound vulnerability will make many, many men think quite differently (and be open to thinking differently) about the way they interact with women (physically, emotionally, etc.)

The only thing that jeopardizes this is if the #MeToo movement basically becomes the male equivalent to the Salem Witch Trials, in which the mere accusation is enough to convict you.

If too many men see that, they will logically choose to get extremely defensive. At that point, survival instincts kick in.

A danger from there is that the extremes create large numbers of exceedingly angry, highly aggressive, physically strong men -- that is not something that a society really wants to deal with.

If this doesn't elicit comments, nothing will.
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