No Shame
I’m sure that it will surprise absolutely no one to note that there have been lecherous men throughout human history. Some of these have been caught, some not. Nothing new there. However, today’s cads, when caught, seem to be evolving a new response.
The trick to this new response is to pretend that you are a RIGHTEOUS man , even though you are, in actuality, a lecherous lout. To be righteous, you simply have to do this one thing: speak long and loud about women’s rights! Describe yourself as an ardent supporter of women’s rights. In fact, claim that you’re a FEMINIST. Do this, and for YEARS, sometimes FOREVER, you get a PASS from the media and the electorate. Or at least from large numbers of liberal Democrats.
The latest example of this storied tradition is none other than movie producer Harvey Weinstein. In 2015, Weinstein distributed and promoted a documentary film (The Hunting Ground) dealing with sexual assault on campus (a film that was, by the way, criticized in WRITING by 19 Harvard professors as misleading and inaccurate). It is beyond ironic, therefore, that it now comes to light, that Weistein has settled EIGHT civil suits brought against him for…you guessed it…sexual assault and harassment, including “pleasuring himself” in front of distressed actress Ashley Judd. This behavior, reportedly went on for DECADES, and was commonly known throughout Hollywood. BUT, he was a big donor to the Democratic Party and was, ostensibly, for WOMEN’S RIGHTS! And, in a pattern of response that I’ll call the “Have No Shame Syndrome”, Weinstein offers an insincere “apology” and then says that he’s going to “take out his anger” on the NRA!!! You read that right: The NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION. This “Have No Shame” response is, amazingly, becoming increasingly common.
And of course, let’s recall the case of New York Governor Elliot Spitzer. In 2008 Spitzer resigned the Governorship of the State of New York amid a scandal involving adultery and prostitution on MULTIPLE occasions. As pointed out, in print, by the New York Chapter of the National Organization for Women, it was “NOT a victimless crime”. They explained that sex trafficking invariably abuses and victimizes women, and that without men like Spitzer, the prostitution industry would not exist. And on top of that, Spitzer reportedly roughed up a number of his prostitutes (so much so, that one of the “Madams” involved had to take him OFF HER LIST of clients, as he was deemed too dangerous). And, he refused to wear condoms. But, despite all this, after what he felt was an appropriate period of remorse, in another example of “Have No Shame” he again RUNS FOR OFFICE, this time as a COMPTROLLER! And that was, apparently, OKAY with many liberal democrats, because, as feminist journalist Lynn Paramore PROUDLY sates in an August 8, 2013 article, he “admits to being a FEMINIST.” Well woop dee dooo! That makes it all allright! (By the way, he was investigated AGAIN by the NYPD, in February 2016, this time for sexual assault. The accuser, a Russian national, left the country and the case had to be dropped).
And of course, there’s the bizarre case of former Congressman Anthony Weiner, who was forced to resign in 2011 for sending obscene photographs (of his own penis!) to underage girls. He recently was sentenced to a 21 month prison term for that episode. Weiner, however, has long held feminist credentials, receiving, for example a 100% rating from NARAL Pro Choice. And, in that all to pervasive “No Shame” pattern, went on, in 2013, to RUN FOR THE MAYOR OF NEW YORK CITY! He lost the primary only because he was found to be continuing “sexting” DURING THE CANDIDACY! And, he recently has been quoted as saying that he’s considering TRYING AGAIN!
And, of course, there is the MASTER “No Shame” star, none other than former President Bill Clinton. Clinton’s sexual behavior was so sleazy and pervasive, that, during his presidential campaign, he had to hire staff whose sole job it was to put down what was termed: “BIMBO ERUPTIONS”. And the “bimbos” who were “erupting” told sordid stories. In Arkansas Clinton had STATE TROOPERS bring women to his room for “romantic interludes”, as attested by Paula Jones. (Clinton settled the suit with a $850,000 payment to Jones). Then there’s Gennifer Flowers, and Juanita Broderick, and many more. And, more than one of his accusers testified that he has a nasty habit: He was a BITER. Yes, that’s right, folks: President Clinton liked to BITE women! And, after these sordid episodes, the women faced threats and intimidation. And, in the great “No Shame” tradition, even as these activities were coming to light, he continued his candidacy and went on serve two terms as President of the United States, having been granted an ULTIMATE PASS by the media and the electorate. How, you might ask, is this POSSIBLE? Well, he is a self proclaimed FEMINIST. That’s how.