Add Another One To The List X: Tom Brokaw And The Bill Cosby Trial

We are in the middle of an uprising. For an untold number of generations, women have been viewed as second class beings who are put on earth merely to fulfill the sexual pleasures of men. For too long, we have been silent. We are silent no more.

Over the weekend, actor and comedian Bill Cosby, best known for his 1980’s/early 1990’s sitcom The Cosby Show was found guilty of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand. He could spend the next thirty years in prison. Some have argued that race was a factor in deciding that Cosby was guilty. While I can understand where they are coming from, from my perspective, the guilty verdict has nothing to do with skin color. Bill Cosby had non-consensual sex with Constand. He drugged her before forcing himself on her. Regardless of skin color either the accused or the victim, that is a crime and should be prosecuted within the fullest extent of the law.

 

Another name added to the list of prominent men accused of sexual assault surprised many: respected news anchor Tom Brokaw. Three women have come forward, accusing Brokaw of assault and harassment in the workplace. While the information from Brokaw’s accusers are still being reviewed, he has received support from many well-known female journalists. Only time will tell if he is exonerated or is found guilty.

 

Either way, the message is clear. Sexual assault and sexual harassment is unacceptable. No means no, period. If it takes a lawsuit and the loss of jobs and/or reputations to make that crystal clear, so be it. It’s time that men learned that we are not here simply to be their sex slaves.

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Thoughts On Michelle Wolf And White House Correspondents’ Dinner

A good comedian knows how to make audiences laugh while making them think at the same time.

Michelle Wolf made the audience laugh at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night. She also made quite a few people angry.

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner is at its core, supposed to be a roast. It’s supposed to be an opportunity for both politicians and members of the press to relax and have a congenial laugh at each other’s expense. The problem in regards to the response to her act as I see it is two-fold. The first issue is that you know who did not attend either last year or this year’s dinner because underneath his braggadocios b*llshit, he is really thin-skinned and cannot take a joke. The second issue is that politics these days is such a sensitive topic that it doesn’t take much to push someone’s buttons.

Personally, I thought she was really funny. No one was left off the hook, regardless of political affiliation or title. She is also a woman who is not afraid to step out of the box of always being nice or complementary. It’s 2018, that concept alone still makes some people feel uncomfortable.

I could go on, but I think Stephen Colbert hit the nail on the head.

There has been some talk of this year being the last year that the dinner is held. That conversation has been started by you know who, not surprisingly. The tradition needs to continue. Not only because it represents what democracy truly looks like, but also because it humanizes adversaries who are normally at each other’s throats. We will need that humanity to ensure that the American democracy lives on long after this generation is gone.

Thoughts On The Beginning Of Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.

As many of my readers know, depression is my constant companion and has been so for quite a few years.

Depression or any mental illness is not just an excuse for acting up or staying in bed all day and mindlessly staring at the television. It is very real and affects millions of people around the world.

It also takes lives in the form of suicide.

If nothing else, this month encourages those who suffer to get help. It is possible to live a full life with mental illness, but we must seek out help.

Please, if you suffer like I do and you are not working with a mental health professional, I highly recommend that you do so. The life you may end up saving is yours.