My Preface and Comment

If only the Supreme Court nomination process could turn on Brett Kavanuagh’s dubious, inconsistent, ideological qualifications and history in the Bush administration and on the bench. But no. He has been revealed as a blackout drinker and, more than likely, a sexual predator. You bet, as of the this date, the FBI is investigating. And the evidence will speak for itself. Regardless of the investigative outcome, he has already been outed through the courageous and compelling testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford.

Acknowledgment to Tanner van Slyke for his writing, information and stats via his Facebook account. Tanner is a Northender, now residing in Montana, who worked at the Boise Co-op. Re-posted with permission.

“I see a lot of women in my life—some even are women that I love and admire—gaslighting Dr. Christine Blasey Ford (or the other accusers) and even going so far as to say things like “I stand with Kavanaugh.” (And to the men I know who feel entitled enough to openly vocalize their support for a potential rapist) I’m only going to say this:

You’re the root of the problem, and the women in your life are going to remember that you brushed them aside to stand in solidarity with a man you’ll never know. But to anyone at all who feels compelled to “support” an alleged rapist, particularly as a Supreme Court nominee, I need you to read this, and bear in mind a few statistics as you read it:

Rape is the most under reported crime; 63% of sexual assaults go unreported, so Dr. Ford’s decision to keep this between herself and her counselor was by no means abnormal.

Jackson Katz, a social researcher, has asked thousands of men and women about fear. A simple question, he poses to both men and women: “What steps to do you take on a daily basis to prevent yourself from being sexually assaulted?”

”I draw a line down the middle of a chalkboard, sketching a male symbol on one side and a female symbol on the other. Then I ask just the men: What steps do you guys take, on a daily basis, to prevent yourselves from being sexually assaulted? At first there is a kind of awkward silence as the men try to figure out if they’ve been asked a trick question.

The silence gives way to a smattering of nervous laughter. Occasionally, a young a guy will raise his hand and say, ‘I stay out of prison.’ This is typically followed by another moment of laughter, before someone finally raises his hand and soberly states, ‘Nothing. I don’t think about it.‘

Then I ask the women the same question. What steps do you take on a daily basis to prevent yourselves from being sexually assaulted? Women throughout the audience immediately start raising their hands. As the men sit in stunned silence, the women recount safety precautions they take as part of their daily routine.

• Hold my keys as a potential weapon.
• Look in the back seat of the car before getting in.
• Carry a cell phone.
• Don’t go jogging at night.
• Lock all the windows when I sleep, even on hot summer nights.
• Be careful not to drink too much.
• Don’t put my drink down and come back to it; make sure I see it being poured.
• Own a big dog.
• Carry Mace or pepper spray.
• Have an unlisted phone number.
• Have a man’s voice on my answering machine.
• Park in well-lit areas. Don’t use parking garages.
• Don’t get on elevators with only one man, or with a group of men.
• Vary my route home from work.
• Watch what I wear.
• Don’t use highway rest areas.
• Use a home alarm system.
• Don’t wear headphones when jogging.
• Avoid forests or wooded areas, even in the daytime.
• Don’t take a first-floor apartment.
• Go out in groups.
• Own a firearm.
• Meet men on first dates in public places.
• Make sure to have a car or cab fare.
• Don’t make eye contact with men on the street.
• Make assertive eye contact with men on the street.”

By Jackson Katz from “The Macho Paradox: Why Some Men Hurt Women and How All Men Can Help”. Jackson Katz is the first man to minor in women’s studies at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, holds a master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a Ph.D. in cultural studies and education from UCLA.

Gaslighting

Definition (verb) “manipulate (someone) by psychological means into questioings heir own sanity. “in the first episode, Karen Valentine is being gaslighted by her husband” 

When asked what his message to women was, Donald Trump said, with a wink and nod.  “women are doing great.”

Jackson Katz’s chart, as brought to my attention by Tanner, speaks volumes. And, if you put any stock in his findings, how is it that women in America, according to the leader of the free world, are doing great?

American women have nothing to fear.

“Gaslighting is a tactic of manipulation to make someone question their reality and their own sanity. “Women, you are doing great,” is another version of “Let the men handle this, pretty ladies.” President Trump is gaslighting the nation. He is also igniting a men’s movement that is contingent on their preexisting power.” says Momma Brown.

“In the same vein as Scott Greer’s book, No Campus for White Men, he is pitting the sexes against one another in order to distract the American people from the bigger issue: powerful people corrupt the American system. The economy is doing great. Look, you are winning, especially women, they are doing great!”

For more on gaslighting in the context of Kavanaugh confirmaton visit Momma Brown’s Blog via Medium by clicking here.