![]() ![]() (Sidebar: The hypocrisy of the politics alone is mind-numbing. I wish, for just a moment, we could all step back and seek out the humanity we seem to lose when something doesn’t go our way – particularly in the political arena. The timing of her accusation isn’t necessarily part of a bigger plot to derail the proceedings or delay them until the next election is complete. It’s important to consider, though, that her silence all those years doesn’t automatically mean she’s lying. The length of time since the alleged incident doesn’t make it potentially less true, but that is one of the largest hurdles she has to overcome in the court of public opinion. Each time I hear negative comments about her thrown about and witness the character assassination she is undergoing, it frustrates and saddens me. Her claim has been met with stiff resistance from some, staunch support from others, and very little middle ground of people interested in just finding out the truth… which, in the end, should be all any of us seek. ![]() In the midst of these hearings, a woman has come forward claiming he sexually assaulted her in high school some 30+ years ago. Kavanaugh, if you’re living under a rock in the US, is currently undergoing hearings and seeking confirmation for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court of the United States. Recent news is chock full of headlines about Brett Kavanaugh. Let me tie this to current events and then we’ll come right back to me, okay? And the sad part? My story is not that original or unique. *And* I have been sexually harassed by even different men. And I have been assaulted sexually… by a different man. Let’s just talk about me for right now.**) I’m not even talking about all women – or men – of the #metoo movement, or faceless people you’ve never met. Therefore, I ask you to base your opinion of this argument on your personal thoughts regarding me, if necessary. (**Don’t run away just yet, please! I know you probably didn’t see the assault angle coming, but if you’ve found your way to this post, chances are you know me personally. So yes – both realities, no matter how contradictory, can coexist, making a witness to either version accurate and truthful. Most people that knew Ted Bundy thought he was a handsome, charming guy, and look how that turned out. Someone can be a criminal to one person and go home and show a completely different face to others. Both of those experiences can coexist, regardless of how contradictory they are. It’s possible for a woman to be assaulted or raped by man that others label a “nice person”. Now let’s move on to a more complex version of the glass idea: When that happens we end up glossing over basic tenents of morality by shutting out someone’s truth (or yelling at them about their stupidity) because it’s too inconvenient to hear or entertain. But we’re robbing ourselves of intelligent discourse by automatically shutting out 50% of people simply because they believe something contrary. Are all those things worth listening to? Hell no. When faced with an alternate opinion or view, the collective “we” typically ignores it and continues on, steamrolling over the experience someone else is trying to share. ![]() That just dumbs us down and makes us sheep of whoever is spinning the narrative we identify with and latch onto. However, going back to the regression idea, I’d argue that social media allows us to become more and more vocal about what we think with less impetus to listen to someone with an opposing view. Can both views of her exist and be true reflections of something in her character? Yes. You may know a lovely gal that’s been nothing but kind throughout your acquaintance, while my experience may be that she hurled curse words at me for not pulling out fast enough when the light turned green. The same basic idea applies to all kinds of things, such as people. It’s possible for one person’s experience to tell them the glass is halfway filled, while also being correct for the person whose experience tells them it is halfway emptied. Too often, we rail against anything and everything that is contradictory to our beliefs, and yet, sometimes both sides CAN exist simultaneously and be true. Would you argue one group is correct and the other is wrong? Our ability to expand our critical thinking seems to be at the point of regress. Some people would look at this glass and say it’s half full of water. Let’s begin with something basic… Is the glass half full or half empty? photo credit: Joseph Greve ![]()
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