Trump’s ‘locker room talk’ requires a simple apology
Ahead of the upcoming election, we all need to consider something.
No doubt you’ve heard about Donald Trump’s latest degrading comments about women. Some people are defending it as “locker room talk.”
Because that makes it OK, right? It’s OK if we believe that men, when they’re among other men, talk about women like they are pieces of meat, truly think of them as dogs, and essentially believe that in order to seem masculine around their fellow chest-beaters that they have to speak in this manner.
Sure, plenty of men have said worse things. Even some guys reading this might be guilty.
But how many are guilty of a prolonged stream of consciousness, the type that truly goes to represent how they must actually view women — as some sort of sexual object, a status symbol if obtained?
What’s worse, I see people everywhere attempt to explain away, and even dismiss, what Trump said by saying that the Clintons have done far worse to women.
Bill has used, abused, raped and assaulted women, according to some reports, and Hillary stood by him and helped him cover it up. Say nothing of their work, Hillary’s specifically, to advance the position of women in this country and throughout the world.
Truly, say nothing of it because it’s not relevant here, not even to the point I’m about to make.
Comparing what Trump said to what the Clintons have supposedly done still does not make Trump’s comments acceptable. In fact, even bringing up Bill’s indiscretions only serves to say all men are like this and undermine the idea that a culture of abuse and silence exists.
Moreover, bringing Bill into this is a way to stick it to those criticizing Trump by saying that the Democrats’ beloved political family is no better, that they treat women the same.
People are now generalizing the abuse of women and, through their arguments, making the statement that this abuse is perfectly OK.
The right thing to do is not to call attention to the abuse of other women in order to downplay the newest example.
The right thing to do is not to attempt to excuse away the abuse at all.
The right thing to do is to call the abuse what it is — abuse — acknowledge it and move on knowing that we need to do better. We, as a country, need to do better. Buying into the Trump campaign’s deflecting strategy is ludicrous. Do not deflect the blame from Trump by reminding the country about the transgressions of Bill Clinton.
Remind the country that Trump’s words are horrendously unwarranted and grossly inappropriate, and then force Trump to publicly admit this and apologize profusely for it the same way Hillary Clinton has been made to address her wrongs time and again.
Any apology he has issued is not, and never will be, a true apology until he can utter the words “I’m sorry” with nothing to follow. Otherwise he, and anyone who does on his behalf, is defending abuse with abuse.
Brandon Russell, Leonardtown