—
Editor’s note: The Good Men Project has received permission from the author’s sister to publish the part of this story that is her story.
—
For those whose sense of safety was torn asunder with the Senate confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh, this is for you. For those whose #metoo experiences were triggered and memories come back full force, this is for you. For those who believed Dr. Ford, this is for you. For Dr. Ford herself whose courage in the face of such roaring, posturing anger on display, was evident, this is for you. For the women who confronted Senator Flake in the elevator that prompted him to delay the confirmation to hold the FBI investigation (as flawed and incomplete as it was), this is for you. For Senator Murkowski who voted with her conscience and crossed party lines, this is for you. For those who voted against the confirmation, this is for you. For those who took it to the streets and put their marching feet and voices where their values are, this is for you. For those outraged in the midst of discouragement, this is for you.
For my sister who, after 41 years, told the world about her own #metoo experience, this is for you. It occurred at a party when we were teenagers where I was also present. She had been drugged by a classmate of mine and when she came to, her pants were down, and she was alone in the car that he had led her to. She has no recollection of the specifics of the violation. She held on to this secret for more than four decades, since she, like so many others, feared being blamed.
She couldn’t remember the address of the home where it happened, or how she put herself back together so no one would know. Like many assault survivors, she locked the memory away in a little compartment where it remained until a few weeks ago. I can only imagine how it impacted those interceding years of her life.
She asked me to do some research and find the man who did this. I was able to locate a man with the same name, on LinkedIn who is working for a prestigious university. At her request, I messaged him to be sure it was indeed the same person from our youth. I have not heard back from him. I asked what she wanted me to say to him should he get back to me. She said she wants him to remember, since she does.
Hard to imagine, with all the hullabaloo during the confirmation hearings, that Kavanaugh will be greeted with open arms when he first sets foot in the courtroom. I have this vision that he is seen as the playground bully. How can people actually take him seriously and believe he is of the temperament to serve?
I listened to NPR’s “Live From Here” on October 6th and was moved by something that the host Chris Thile said in the opening segment. He had watched the Fred Rogers movie “Won’t You Be My Neighbor” and as he cried through it, he realized that he would never have thought that he would rather have his son (who is a little dude) to be “more like a daytime television star who played with puppets than a Supreme Court nominee.” The audience applauded, and I clapped along with them in the car. He then launched into a song he wrote for the occasion and to address that insanity that occurred today. It felt encouraging and served as a reminder that we are all in this together.
What keeps me sane and vertical in precarious times like these is a belief that the Highest Good prevails. It is what empowers me to do what I need to in order to take inspired action and create positive change. I don’t have the luxury of succumbing to the fear-inducing verbiage that is spewing forth. My friend Daniel Kaye, who is also an outspoken journalist, says that we are always at a tipping point. The question is as we are standing at the precipice, do we fall or fly? I choose the second.
As I hear about those who courageously tell their stories, I am encouraged. As I see people taking it to the streets, I am heartened. As I witness folks supporting those whose lives are endangered by the short-sighted and devastating policies put in place by those who have no care for an outcome other than to meet their own selfish goals, I am inspired. As I see young people showing up, standing up and speaking out, it gives me hope for a brighter future. As it seems dark, these are all light-bringers. Please be one, too.
—
What’s your take on what you just read? Comment below or write a response and submit to us your own point of view or reaction here at the red box, below, which links to our submissions portal.
◊♦◊
Get the best stories from The Good Men Project delivered straight to your inbox, here.
—
Photo credit: Pixabay
The post Be A Light in the Darkness appeared first on The Good Men Project.