<dmit that I’m a hypocrite. Most of us are. I think what Chris Brown did to Rihanna is disgusting and he’s an awful person in my books, yet I don’t protest when his song comes on during a party.
My overwhelmingly negative perception of Chris Brown as a human being doesn’t at all transcend to R&B music as a whole.
Hell, I hate to admit it, but I do like some of his music.
Yet when Michael Vick abused dogs, my whole perception of the sport of football went from neutral to negative overnight.
I see it as a sport of raging, unchecked masculinity with senseless, and in many cases life-altering, violence.
But in these examples, I’m placing more value on the safety of dogs than I am a woman.
That’s not what I actually think. But it’s clear that I place more value, or more accurately place harsher punishment, on some people for their actions over others.
Our society teaches us to ignore the atrocities around us. We like to pretend that there are no injustices, no inequalities, and no crimes.
It’s easier that way. It also blinds us to negativity. That’s why I never trust overly-positive people; not everything is sunshine and pixies and rainbows.
As Americans, we need to be not only harsher in tackling these injustices and problems, but also level-headed and equal in our approaches.
We need to treat all politicians accused of sexual assault and misconduct in the same way.
Al Franken and President Trump should be treated the same way. The same demands should be made from them in both parties.
Indeed, if the President did have an ounce of decency and dignity in his clotted bloodstream, he would resign.
There are glimmers of hope of Americans making the right decision.
Our discussions don’t have to only revolve around party lines, and in today’s day and age they shouldn’t.
In choosing not to vote for a pedophile, both Republicans and Democrats at least partially restored some of my hope into American politics.
Celebrities wore black to the Golden Globes as part of the Time’s Up movement to protest sexual harassment in the film industry.
We need to treat all people, especially high-profile people, the same.
Actresses who worked for Woody Allen yet participate in the Time’s Up movement are part of the problem.
People who don’t believe one another regarding sexual assault are part of the problem.
Overall, we need to stop admiring bad people. Sure, people can change. But that doesn’t mean they need to be forgiven for something awful they said or did.
We’re too often dazzled by and praise large-scale events and movements that help to combat these societal ills.
Sometimes that doesn’t always happen on a daily basis. Too often we go along when people publicly and directly support something decidedly questionable (Carleton and divestment).
But we also are too often inactive. Like myself and the scenario stated above, we’re too often passive bystanders when someone says something offensive or derogatory.
Sometimes we don’t want to hurt or embarrass them, especially in public.
I still work on being able to speak up and attack things when I hear or see them here on campus.
But we need to. Write about it, speak about it, post about it.
All and any action against a questionable deed or person is valid. That’s what free speech was made for.