Brave Enough to Be Angry

[sheshe2]

Last edited Sun Nov 12, 2017, 08:44 PM - Edit history (1)

Thurman is seething, like we have all been seething, in our various states of breaking open or, as Thurman chooses, waiting. We are seething at how long we have been ignored, seething for the ones who were long ago punished for telling the truth, seething for being told all of our lives that we have no right to seethe. Thurman’s rage is palpable yet contained, conveying not just the tempestuous depths of #MeToo but a profound understanding of the ways that female anger is received and weaponized against women.

In the past few months alone we’ve seen Carmen Yulín Cruz, mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, pilloried by the far right for criticizing Donald Trump’s anemic response to Hurricane Maria (“We are dying here,” Cruz told the news media, “I am mad as hell.”) and the Florida congresswoman Frederica Wilson deluged with abuse after she characterized Trump’s call to the military widow Myeshia Johnson as “insensitive” and “an insult.” Both Cruz and Wilson were directly targeted by the president on Twitter, then incessantly memed and regurgitated and redigested and rememed by his obedient online horde.

Just this week, Juli Briskman, a government contractor, lost her job after a photo of her flipping off the presidential motorcade went viral. Solange, Britney Spears, Sinead O’Connor, the Dixie Chicks, Rosie O’Donnell — I struggle to think of women who lost their tempers in public and didn’t face ridicule, temporary ruin, or both. And we don’t even have to be angry to be called angry. Accusations of being an “angry black woman” chased Michelle Obama throughout her tenure at the White House, despite eight years of unflappable poise (black women suffer disproportionately under this paradigm). The decades-long smearing of Hillary Clinton as an unhinged shrew culminated one year ago today when, despite maintaining a preternatural calm throughout the most brutal campaign in living memory, she lost the election to masculinity’s apoplectic id.

snip

Not only are women expected to weather sexual violence, intimate partner violence, workplace discrimination, institutional subordination, the expectation of free domestic labor, the blame for our own victimization, and all the subtler, invisible cuts that undermine us daily, we are not even allowed to be angry about it. Close your eyes and think of America.

We are expected to keep quiet about the men who prey upon us, as though their predation was our choice, not theirs. We are expected to sit quietly as men debate whether or not the state should be allowed to forcibly use our bodies as incubators. We are expected to not complain as we are diminished, degraded and discredited.

MORE https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/08/opinion/anger-women-weinstein-assault.html?smid=fb-share&_r=0

We ARE brave enough to be angry and you should be as well. All the article states is a plus 1000. Then we have a Roy Moore...tell the GOP FUCK NO on abuse of a female child or any woman. Say No! They can take their bible that they hold as law and stick it where the sun don't shine. True Christians do not excuse pedophilia. The GOP and alt right except and embrace it. They are sick perverted bastards.

Stand up and be angry...then get out and F**king VOTE!

[brush]

1. A big K&R.

[Eliot Rosewater]

2. excellent anger to be encouraged

Man who has lived here 3 decades, from Mexico, driving me today , wonders if liberals are going to stop the filthy fuck trump and the republican criminals.

I told him if we dont, we are just as much to blame.

If we men dont join this movement for women, we are to blame as well.

[sheshe2]

4. Eliot!

I was wondering where you had gone. So glad you are back.

Thank you. I am glad you are here.

[Eliot Rosewater]

14. Cabo, was fun

Vallarta also, spent time inland with some local folks too.

[sheshe2]

19. Glad you had such a good get away.

Missed you.

[Skittles]

8. thank you

I am of the firm belief most men are decent but they MUST take a stand. Men pay in big ways in the current system where masculinity is defined by ridiculous standards.

[qwlauren35]

22. Very real.

Most of the black people I know don't like to think about it, but as only 12% of the American population, if white people don't stick up for us, we're fucked.

Same with women, only worse. There is a LARGE subset of men who abuse women. Physically, verbally, emotionally, and perhaps without even thinking about it. There is a subset of men who are so conditioned to be dominant that a woman who stands her ground is a threat who needs to be eliminated. I still remember watching Inside Man when the rich guy called Jodi Foster a "c*nt" for being a fixer.

It would be a major game changer in our society is 20-30% of our nation's men stood up with feminists, loudly, vocally, and called for free birth control, abortion rights, fair pay, family leave, rape and domestic violence protection and other needs that women have, as women, as mothers, as wives, that men don't need. Stood up. Petitioned, Voted. Called legislators. Marched. Funded. Not "oh yeah, I agree, what's on TV, pass me a beer."

NARAL did a piece on 10 famous men who were pro-choice. I wish it had been more than 10. How about 25? 50? I wish there had been famous men who were jumping at the opportunity to be featured. A list with 100 honorable mentions. But I'm not sure that it's safe for famous men to be pro-choice. And that's fuckin' sad.

Off the soapbox now...

[Skittles]

23. sexism is far more pervasive than racism

we've never had a female president and we are OVER HALF THE POPULATION. I can only imagine what women of color have had to deal with. And fear not, sane white people do you have your back - there are far more of us than there are teabagging Trump whores

[MontanaMama]

35. Thank you Eliot.

I have long wondered out loud where the reasonable liberal men are in this country? Women are on the verge of losing most of our basic civil rights and men, in general, are remarkably silent. I fear that we'll be sent back 75 years if something doesn't flip very soon.

[Eliot Rosewater]

39. Met some real Mexican people on my trip, they are so much better

than trump and deplorables.

Every deplorable should be kicked the fuck out of this country and the people I met should take their place, but they dont want anything to do with us now.

I met a immigrant back in LA who was driving us and he said he appreciates us liberals but it is on us now to fix this , more or less.

[mopinko]

3. be angry, get called crazy.

like spring follows winter.

[brer cat]

5. K&R

[delisen]

6. In the coming world where woman are fully equal

everything changes. Human energy can be devoted to building the best world and solving problems. It will be exciting-liberation,freedom, knowledge building.

We just have to get from here to there....we may be closer than we realize.

thank you to the truth tellers.

[Skittles]

7. it's about fucking time

[sheshe2]

20. Skittles.

We have all been screaming for a long time. Never heard. Not sure why you say it is about time when our screams have gone on forever and ignored.

My thoughts? It is about time someone actually listens to us.

[Cary]

31. Indeed

It's hard to imagine someone screaming louder than Margaret Sanger.

She left a mark. "Conservatives" still squeal about her like stuck pigs.

[calimary]

25. No fucking kidding.

Damn right it's about time.

It's long PAST time.

[Guilded Lilly]

9. This generation can turn the tide. In numbers and

Bravery that can’t be ignored.
We in our 60’s have been plenty angry. Take that anger constructively and along with the courage and voices of the younger generations MAKE the world change.
Kick some serious butt.
Our vote is but one part of our voice.
USE it...and then keep on talking!!

[The Polack MSgt]

10. Kick and a fuck yes rec. Nt.

[sheshe2]

12. Yes.

Kick and a fuck yes rec. Nt.

Thank you, MSgt.

[leanforward]

11. Well written.

This states the obvious, to me. Like most guys, we'll never know the hassles, our best friends have faced and endured.

Weinstein, Moore, and ad nauseum, they need to be dethroned.

Something interesting in scanning the various threads in DU. I like to connect the dots. It is really interesting to read the MO of pedophiles. Single moms, pick ups around the corner, and/or no dad around. Earlier this pm, I read a note that her mom confirmed her story. Of course, I'm sure there is a court record for the date of her mom's hearing.

That guy in AL is like the guy in the white house.

[sheshe2]

13. Yes.

Something interesting in scanning the various threads in DU. I like to connect the dots. It is really interesting to read the MO of pedophiles. Single moms, pick ups around the corner, and/or no dad around. Earlier this pm, I read a note that her mom confirmed her story. Of course, I'm sure there is a court record for the date of her mom's hearing.

'
Predators like to cull the heard seeking the most vulnerable. Fact.

[Laffy Kat]

27. There is and it has been verified.

But it's not enough. There will never be enough.

[Gothmog]

15. K&R

[ismnotwasm]

16. K&R

[BadgerMom]

17. Lindy West + K and R

Lindy West wrote this. Man, does it speak to me. It’s powerful stuff. I first read Ms. West on Jezebel before it was sold. She’s awesome. I think crediting her is important.

[forgotmylogin]

18. Wow. I remember a bit ago seeing a clip of a stand-up microphone reporter asking her about it...

And she was like (I'm paraphrasing her) "I can't give you the sound byte you need; saying something now when I'm this angry doesn't help, but when the time is right I will." After she said that, I remember the reporter thanked her in such a reverent manner.

It was definitely worth waiting for her statement because she made it about all women, and not only about sexual abuse, but the entire subject of misogyny.

[Me.]

21. Moore Is Bad Enough

But King Donald has the white house, put there by fellow vulgarians….a malicious bunch, malignant in their treatment of their fellow humans of the opposite gender, children, the animal kingdom and the earth itself…Lillian Hellman described them best as "the little foxes who spoil the vines”

So yes, get angry in a righteous way and let that anger be the fuel that changes not only our country but the world.

[lunamagica]

24. K&R.

[MLAA]

26. I am angry!

Excellent post, thanks.

[radical noodle]

28. Thanks She!

Great OP! I'm angry and I vote.

[murielm99]

29. K&R, Ferret

[ehrnst]

30. Kicked and recced. (nt)

[SunSeeker]

32. K & R

[heaven05]

33. +++

Last edited Mon Nov 13, 2017, 03:02 PM - Edit history (1)

I do vote in ALL elections, whether it's just a millage vote or for representatives all the way into the WH and I am glad prominent women are fighting back loudly against the injustice that has it's advocates all the way into the WH. It will help us all to begin to right another generations long injustice, sexism.

First let me say, I can't believe there is anything such as a "true christian". I've had my experience with them and they are racist, sexist hypocrites. 'True christians' have accepted slavery, genocide, abuse and degradation of women as the will of god. Now I know that they excuse pedophilia/child abuse also, as the will of their god..

Sex and the ability to control seems to be the accepted common denominator at the apex of power, whether it be corporate, political or RELIGIOUS and in any situation where men can treat women as lesser human beings subject to the whims associated with men and our feelings of dominance over this planet and every living creature.

Some way must be found to achieve equality among all human beings irrespective of sex, race, culture or national origin. Religion has always been a tool to control the masses. Nothing wrong, in my book, with faith in things spiritual, yet faith in the words of another human being allegedly having a direct line to a 'god' is ludicrous.

ALL OF US are the creation of life from a source UNKNOWN to any of us. We can guess, read 'holy' books, with 'holy words', supposedly divinely inspired, allegedly given to us to guide us on our paths of life. Yet, we do not know where we are from, nor our place in a vast universe. I feel that in knowing this, all we can do for each other on this planet is treat each living creature with respect and reverence.

People like d. trump and this moore character have to be marginalized. Man has been slaughtering other human beings since recorded time began, for a myriad of reasons, yet the slaughter of hundreds of millions of combatants and innocents in all wars and conflicts has not made the world a safer, better place to live. Only more dangerous...our madman leader has shown that.

As the writer of this OP suggests, only by voting and staying angry at injustice can 'decent' human beings prevail against the evil and danger to all life that trump, ryan, and the administration represent. We must fight verbally, vote and stand up in any way necessary to topple this RW coup that has taken over our country.

[sheshe2]

36. "Stay angry. Stand up in anyway necessary. Vote."

+1000. Thank you, heaven.

[spooky3]

34. Spot on! Thanks, sheshe2!

[Gothmog]

37. As the father of two daughters, I agree

This is a great article

[sheshe2]

38. Thank you, Gothmog.

I agree.

[smirkymonkey]

40. K&R

[VaBchTgerLily]

41. put on your gerrrrr face and get angry!

[BlancheSplanchnik]

42. Fantastic editorial!!!!

Powerful!!!


👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾


Thanks she!

[herding cats]

43. Kicking and rec!