More Proof That Trump Is A Loathsome Sexual Predator

(The caricature of Donald Trump is by DonkeyHotey.)

This is nothing new. Anyone with an ounce of common decency already knew Donald Trump was a sexual predator -- and from his past comments, is proud of that.

Last week, another woman came forward to tell us about Trump victimizing her sexually. And it wasn't just an unwanted kiss or groping. It was RAPE!

Here is just part of how Paul Waldman describes this latest example of Trump's loathsome sexual activity:

When we look back on June 2019, we’ll say that this was the time when a credible allegation of rape was made against the president of the United States, and he had already shown himself to be such a loathsome character that it was treated as a third-tier story, not worthy of much more than a passing mention here and there in the news.

After New York magazine published author and advice columnist E. Jean Carroll’s account last Friday of an encounter she says she had with Trump in a Bergdorf Goodman that ended with him raping her in a dressing room, many of our most important news outlets reacted with only minor interest. None of the nation’s most important newspapers put it on their front page the next day. None of the five Sunday shows mentioned it at all.

There are many reasons to find Carroll’s allegation credible. She’s a fairly well-known public figure. Her description of what happened to her — him slamming her against a wall, mashing his face against hers, yanking down her tights, and penetrating her — accords not only with the allegations of multiple other women but Trump’s own words on that infamous “Access Hollywood” tape, in which he bragged that he can sexually assault any woman he pleases. “I just start kissing them, it’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything.”

Just to remind ourselves, these are just some of the accusations women have made against the president:

• Kristin Anderson says she was in a bar when Trump reached under her dress and grabbed her genitals.
• Jessica Leeds says Trump groped her when they sat next to each other on a plane.
• Natasha Stoynoff says Trump got her in a private room, pushed her up against the wall, and kissed her against her will. They were interrupted by a butler, allowing Stoynoff to get away.
• Jill Harth says she was exploring a business opportunity with Trump when he pushed her up against a wall, then kissed and groped her.
• Summer Zervos says she went to Trump to discuss career opportunities, whereupon he kissed and groped her.

To repeat, these are just a few of the many allegations of sexual misconduct against the president. What they have in common is Trump allegedly acting in precisely the way he bragged that he could.

Yet Trump’s position on Carroll’s allegation is the same he has taken on all the others: She’s a liar. He doesn’t say it was a misunderstanding or it was consensual, just that she’s a liar. That is also the position taken by his aides, his supporters and pretty much every Republican who has been forced to address the president’s horrific history: These women are all liars. . . .

But the rest of us need not acquiesce to their dismissal of these stories out of some supposedly savvy assessment of political realities. We can speak the truth:

If the allegations are true, the president of the United States is certainly a sexual predator, and most probably a rapist. We will never know for sure how numerous are his victims, but at a minimum they might number in the dozens.

To those who say, “That’s awful, but what matters now is what he does as president,” I understand. But this all must be part of the reckoning we eventually make with this sickening era in our history. Not just his boundless corruption, his bigotry, his cruelty, his eagerness to allow hostile foreign governments to twist our elections. This, too: One of our great political parties selected as its champion the single most odious and immoral figure in American public life, then went to every length they could to defend him.

I have no illusions that Republicans will ever face the accountability they deserve for their tireless service to Trump, any more than he will face accountability for his own actions. But we can’t ever stop saying it, crying it, shouting it: This is who you gave us. You are complicit in all he is and all he has done. I’d say you should be ashamed, were it not for the fact that you’ve proved you have no shame.

History, at least, will remember — if we make sure it does. It’s not nearly enough, but it’s something.

Patti Davis Speaks Out For Dr. Christine Blasey Ford

Patti Davis (pictured), daughter of Ronald and Nancy Reagan, has spoken up to support Dr. Ford. David understands what happened to Ford and why she was reluctant to speak out, because a similar things happened to her in her youth.

Here is what she wrote in The Washington Post:

Roughly 40 years ago, I showed up at a prominent music executive’s office for an appointment that had been scheduled suspiciously late in the workday. But I wasn’t suspicious. I was instead eager to try to place some of my original songs with artists he represented. One of my songs had appeared on the Eagles album “One of These Nights,” and I was hoping to turn songwriting into a career. . . .

What happened next, though, is indelible. He crossed the room. There was a dark-green carpet, but his footsteps seemed loud, hard. He was against me, on top of me — so quickly — with his hands under my skirt and his mouth on mine, that I froze. I lay there as he pushed himself inside me. The leather couch stuck to my skin, made noises beneath me. His breath smelled like coffee and stale bread. He didn’t use a condom. I remember leaving afterward, driving home, the night around me glittered with streetlights and alive with people out at dinner or bars. I felt alone, ashamed and disgusted with myself. Why didn’t I get out of there? Why didn’t I push him off? Why did I freeze?

I don’t remember what month it was. I don’t remember whether his assistant was still there when I arrived. I don’t remember whether we said anything to each other when I left his office.

I never told anyone for decades — not a friend, not a boyfriend, not a therapist, not my husband when I got married years later.

It doesn’t surprise me one bit that for more than 30 years, Christine Blasey Ford didn’t talk about the assault she remembers, the one she accuses Supreme Court nominee Brett M. Kavanaugh of committing.

It’s important to understand how memory works in a traumatic event. Ford has been criticized for the things she doesn’t remember, like the address where she says the assault happened, or the time of year, or whose house it was. But her memory of the attack itself is vivid and detailed. His hand over her mouth, another young man piling on, her fear that maybe she’d die there, unable to breathe. That’s what happens: Your memory snaps photos of the details that will haunt you forever, that will change your life and live under your skin. It blacks out other parts of the story that really don’t matter much.

Ford wants the FBI to investigate so that some of the details she doesn’t remember can be established. It’s a brave request. Perhaps the aging men who are poised to interrogate her, unless they hide behind surrogates, should pause for a moment and think about the courage it takes for a woman to say: Here is my memory. It has haunted me for decades. It changed my life. You need to know about it now because of what is at stake for this country.

Requesting an investigation into the incident isn’t a big ask. Unless they just want her to go away. Which is, by the way, one reason that women are scared to speak up.

Why Don't The Republicans Want An Investigation ?

(Cartoon image is by Lalo Alcaraz.)

The victim of a sexual attack by Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh when he was in high school has called for the FBI to investigate her claim. She did this knowing that it is a crime to lie to the FBI, and the quickest way to be exposed (if she's not telling the truth) is for the FBI to investigate.

Who doesn't want the FBI to investigate? Donald Trump, the Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and Brett Kavanaugh. Why? An FBI investigation would be the best way to prove his innocence.

I think we all know why the Republicans don't want any real investigation (and are doing their best to prevent one). They know that the victim is telling the truth. They are terrified that the FBI would find evidence of Kavanaugh's guilt -- and that would mean he has been lying. That would disqualify him to sit on the Supreme Court.

The Republicans are desperate to whitewash Kavanaugh and confirm him. He will rubber stamp their agenda, and protect their criminal president. So they will block an investigation, and then do their best to demonize Kavanaugh's victim. They have no shame, and long ago sold their ethics for political gain.

15% Of UT Female Undergraduates Have Been Raped

Here in Texas, the rape of female college students has been in the news -- thanks to the scandal at Baylor University (a private religious-based university). That scandal has seen the university chancellor and football coach forced out of office for not dealing with the problem of campus rapes. But Baylor is far from being the only college campus with a rape problem.

The University of Texas recently did a survey of its undergraduate students on the problem -- surveying 28,000 students at its 13 campuses. The results were rather shocking. It turns out that 15% of female undergraduates in the UT system have been raped. That would translate into more than 3,000 raped women just at its Austin campus.

This is unacceptable. This kind of figure means the campus is literally a dangerous place for women. The good thing is that the University of Texas is trying to remedy the problem. UT-Austin spokesman J.B. Bird said:

"These findings, which reflect problems endemic to our society, are highly disturbing. UT-Austin is committed to addressing sexual misconduct by speaking about it openly and developing programs and initiatives to end sexual violence, change behaviors and discipline offenders."

This is not just a UT or Baylor problem. A nationwide survey in 2015 found that 18.5% of students had been sexually assaulted by "force or incapacitation". The problem of rape/sexual assault is a problem that exists in every state, and on most college campuses (both public and private) -- and as the Baylor example shows, religious-based colleges are not exempt from the problem.

Rape and sexual assault are no laughing matter. They are serious crimes -- and it is time for all colleges and universities to deal seriously with those crimes. A college campus should be a safe place for all students to learn -- not a place where students, especially females, must fear for their safety.

NOTE -- The definition of rape used in the UT study was:

"having oral sex with someone, making someone perform oral sex, or penetrating someone's vagina or anus with penis, fingers or other objects without their consent, by use of verbal pressure, taking advantage of them when they're incapacitated, threatening to harm or using force."

Hillary Clinton's Stand On Campus Sexual Assault

(This photo of Hillary Clinton is from her web site.)

From hillaryclinton.com:

“I want to send a message to every survivor of sexual assault: Don’t let anyone silence your voice. You have the right to be heard.”

HILLARY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2015

An estimated one in five women report being sexually assaulted while in college. Hillary will fight to bring an end to sexual assault on America’s campuses—because every student deserves a safe environment where they can learn and thrive, not live in fear. 

Thanks to the efforts of advocates and survivors, we are seeing the beginnings of good work around the country. President Obama’s administration has worked hard to shine a light on campus sexual assault.

Hillary will build on the progress that has been made—and take on the problems we have yet to solve. Hillary’s plan to end campus sexual assault is guided by three core principles: 

• Providing comprehensive support to survivors. Hillary will ensure that every campus offers survivors the support they need—no matter their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, or race. Those services—from counseling to critical health care—should be confidential, comprehensive, and coordinated. 
• Ensuring a fair process for all. Too often, the process of addressing a sexual assault on campus is confusing and convoluted. And many who choose to report in the criminal justice system fear that their voices will be dismissed instead of heard. Hillary believes we need a fair process for all involved, whether that’s in campus disciplinary proceedings or in the criminal justice system. This includes providing all parties involved with notice and transparency in campus disciplinary proceedings, and ensuring that complaints filed in the criminal justice system are treated seriously.
• Increasing prevention efforts. We need to recognize that it’s not enough to address this problem by responding only once sexual assault occurs. Hillary believes we need to redouble our prevention efforts and start them earlier. She will increase sexual violence prevention education programs that cover issues like consent and bystander intervention—and she’ll make sure we have programs not only in college, but also in secondary school.

Hillary has led efforts to address violence against women her entire career:

• As first lady, Hillary supported the creation of the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women. She also cast a global spotlight on the issue in her historic 1995 Beijing speech, where she denounced violence against women as a clear violation of human rights.
• As senator, she co-sponsored the 2005 reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act. Additionally, Hillary introduced the CARE Act twice, to ensure that rape and incest victims had access to emergency contraception in hospital emergency rooms. And, in response to the spike in reports of sexual assault cases in the military, she introduced legislation to make emergency contraception available to servicewomen.
• As secretary of state, Hillary rallied the international community to take collective action to end violence against women. She drew attention to the use of rape as a weapon of war and spearheaded a U.N. Resolution that established guidelines for an international response to sexual assault in war torn areas.

Hillary Clinton Speaks At Iowa College About Women's Issues

(This image Of Clinton in Iowa, found at MSNBC, is by photographer Scott Olson.)

On Monday, Hillary Clinton spoke to students at the University of Northern Iowa. Her focus was on women's issues (including campus sexual assaults). I thought it was a great speech, and I bring you a substantial part of it.

“So I’ve been talking about policy that is not always the most exciting kind of campaign rhetoric. But I think it’s important because we need an agenda about what we're fighting for in this campaign. Personalities are important-- I believe that. I’ve been around politics awhile. But you know what I have found is that you got to know what people tell you they are going to do because chances are they will try to do it. And that’s especially important when it comes to women and women’s issues.

“Because what you will find if you listen to the Republicans is they have a very different idea about what to do with the economy. Now clearly they want to go back to trickle-down economics. You’ve got to love them. I mean, I admire their persistence in believing in a failed policy. I suppose there is something that you’ve got to give them credit for there. But honest to goodness, we can’t afford to go through that again. That’s what they are all saying they would do as President. Cut taxes on the wealthy one more time. Get out of the way of corporations, let them pollute, let them exploit, let them take advantage of workers-- and it’ll all turn out okay. 

“Now, we know better than that. But it’s also important to listen to them when they talk about women. Because it is clear to me that a lot of what I believe is important for women, for families, and for our economy, is just not on their radar screen at all. So when I talk about strong growth, fair growth and long-term growth, I have a central plank about how we have to make it more available to women to be in the workforce and to afford to be there in order to stay engaged to contribute to their own well-being and that of their family and the economy. Because to me child care is a woman’s issue but its also a economic issue. Because when women are able to participate fully in the workforce, our economy grows. You just can look at the numbers again. Paid family leave is a woman’s issue, but it’s also an economic issue. You shouldn’t have to lose your paycheck or your job when you have a new baby or a family member gets sick. We make it just about as hard as we can imagine for women to be able to balance family and work. Now I know there are men who do it as well, but predominantly it is still women…caring for newborns and babies, caring for relatives, spouses, and parents and others.

“And equal pay, that shouldn’t even be debated, but we’re debating it. You know, I don’t understand why we still debate it.

“So any issue that affects women’s lives and women’s futures, and the future of families and our economy, is an issue I take seriously. And it’s one that I’m campaigning on, and I’m going to continue to speak out about. Raising the minimum wage is a woman’s issue, right? Two thirds of the people being paid minimum wage in America are women. And here’s one of the worst things, and a lot of Americans don’t know about this and I’m trying to talk about it so I can get a real groundswell of support…is when we raise the minimum wage in the Congress, which we will get to – it will be a hard job, but if we can elect some more Democrats for the next election, we will raise the minimum wage and when we raise minimum wages in states and localities, which I also support, do not forget there are people in many places in America today predominantly women who get what is called the tipped minimum wage. Do you know what that is? They can be paid as little as $2.13 an hour.

“Waitressing, bartending, hair salon employees. Because the theory is they will get up to the minimum wage with tips. The reality is, that’s often not the case. That in fact, they might not get those tips, or they have to be harassed on the job to get those tips. Or even worse, their employer pockets those tips. So when we raise the minimum wage, we are going to do away with this incredible injustice of the tipped minimum wage. People are going to all be eligible to earn the same minimum wage.

“So yes, we have to increase economic opportunity and we have to increase support for women doing work at home and work in the job. And that leads to me to something else we have to do and that is confronting the epidemic of sexual assault on college campuses.

“I saw heads nod when I said one in five women report they were sexually assaulted during college. Just look around you. If we were to have one out of every five women stand up, that would be a pretty big crowd.

“Think of the impact on their lives. They’re trying to manage the emotional, physical, sometimes the educational, financial fallout. They miss classes, some drop out, some never finish their education. Thankfully this is an issue that is finally gaining the attention it deserves. But it is not enough to condemn campus sexual assault, we need to end campus sexual assault.

“Thanks to the courage and determination of survivors and advocates, America is waking up to this challenge. And on campuses across the country, including very impressively this campus, people are coming together and coming up with solutions. I was really impressed by what I heard has been happening here at U and I since 2000 -- you got the first grant from that office Bonnie Campbell first led all those years ago, to begin having what is and certainly continues to be a very challenging conversation: everybody at the table, listening to people, coming up with a way to approach this problem and try to end it.

“President Obama’s administration has worked hard to shine a bright light on campus sexual assault and I intend to keep talking about it and building on that. Here’s why: right now in too many places, survivors don’t know where to go to go and find help. Some campuses don’t even offer support services including counseling and healthcare, so a lot of young women are truly lost and left out. Others present a maze of bureaucracy that forces survivors to navigate that without any real help at one of the most painful times of their lives.

“As President, I’ll fight to make sure every campus offers every survivor the support she needs, and we’ll make sure that these serves are comprehensive, confidential, and coordinated.

“I want to add, too, that although the survivors of sexual assault are predominantly women, this also happens to men. It happens to the transgender community-- it happens to others as well. So no matter gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race-- services have to be there for everyone.

“Now too often the process of addressing sexual assault on campuses is confusing and convoluted. And many who do choose, which is a hard choice I recognize, to report in the criminal justice system fear that their voices will be dismissed instead of heard. We need to ensure a fair process for all involved, whether it’s in campus disciplinary proceedings or a criminal justice system. Rape is a crime wherever it happens and schools and schools have an obligation -- I think it’s both a legal obligation and a moral obligation -- to protect every student’s right to get an education free from discrimination, free from fear, particularly as to one’s safety. So reports of sexual assault need to be treated with the seriousness, professionalism, and fairness they deserve.

“Now we have a great resource in our nation’s law students who on many campuses can help to navigate this process. There are some successful models of law school clinics across the country where students are already working alongside experienced attorneys. Back when I was in law school I volunteered for the New Haven Legal Services program. It’s one of the best things I did in Law School, it’s part of what inspired me to go work for the children’s defense fund after I graduated. And so I’m looking for good ideas that come from anywhere. I’ve heard some great ones upstairs. And I want to commend a young men from one of the fraternities here on campus, who has taken on the issue-- the fraternity has taken on the issue of working to try to change attitudes, to educate not only their fraternity members but the broader campus and event beginning to reach out in to the community. And I want to also commend a mentoring program for silence prevention that was originated her on campus.

“There are good smart solutions, we just need more of them. We need to spread them so that people have more access to them. There are the issues of responsibility and respect that start long before students arrive on campus. I don’t think it’s enough to try and get a better response once an assault has happened. We need to stop sexual assault from happening in the first place and we need strong prevention efforts to change attitudes associated with violence.

“We need to be spreading the ideas and talking to young people -- literally starting in high school -- about issues like consent and bystander prevention. This is a lot bigger than a single conversation at freshman orientation or, as I heard earlier, an online program that everyone has to take that's kind of in isolation. People have to talk about this, they have to listen to each other, they have to try to understand that this is a serious problem that can be solved. This is something that everybody can play a part in addressing. So today I want to send a message to every survivor of sexual assault: don’t let anyone silence your voice. You have the right to be heard. You have the right to be believed. And we’re with you as you go forward.

“And let’s remember sexual assault doesn’t just happen on our campuses. it happens in the workplace, it happens in the military. For too many, it happens in homes and in their communities. So we need to take this on as a broader campaign against violence that stalks and afflicts women and girls at home and across the world.

“Now, I’m well aware that when I talk about these issues like paid leave, equal pay for equal work, reproductive rights, sexual assault against people on campus, Republicans often say I’m playing the gender card. Well if supporting women’s health and women’s rights is playing the gender card, deal me in. Because that is exactly where I want to be."

The Problem Is A Lack Of Strong Leadership

Female troops "are vital to us maintaining our capability now and into the future."

"If that does not suit you, then get out. You may find another employer where your attitude and behavior is acceptable, but I doubt it. The same goes for those who think that toughness is built on humiliating others."

"No one has every explained to me how the exploitation or degradation of others enhances capability or honors the traditions of the Australian army. I will be ruthless in ridding the army of people who cannot live up to its values, and I need every one of you to support me in achieving this."

Those are the words of General David Morrison, the top military official in the Australian Army. That was what he told the troops under his command after suspending three soldiers and continuing to weigh the suspension of five others (who had all been implicated in the distribution of videos he deemed to be demeaning of female soldiers). The general didn't mince words. He made it clear that he will not tolerate the mistreatment of any soldier.

Which makes me wonder, why haven't we heard a similar statement from the leaders of the United States military establishment? There are about 19,000 reported cases of sexual assault in this country's military each year, and that is just a fraction of the sexual assaults that occur in the military (because many victims are afraid to report those assaults, since there is a good chance the victim will be punished as harshly, or more harshly, than the criminal). 

Meanwhile, our military leaders (and those in Congress) fumble around looking for some kind of answer to the problem -- some kind of magic solution that will take the problem out of their hands. They all act like they are afraid to rock the boat (even though that boat badly needs rocking). Frankly, their reticence to deal with the problem highlights just where the problem lays.

The problem is a lack of strong and decent leadership. Believe me, in a top-down organization like the military, no problem exists for long unless it is tacitly approved of by the top leaders. If those leaders want a problem to go away, heads will roll (and continue to roll) until that problem does go away. Why aren't heads rolling right now? Is it because our top military leaders don't have the guts necessary to deal with the problem? Or is it because they don't really see it as a problem?

And I don't want to hear that tired old excuse of being in the middle of a war. Wrong is wrong whether we are in a war or not -- and every decent American knows that sexual assault is wrong.

President Obama needs to make it clear to our top military leaders that if they don't deal with this problem, swiftly and decisively, then he will replace them with people who will do that. And our generals and admirals need to make it clear to those under their command that the mistreatment of any American soldier (regardless of gender or gender identity) will not be tolerated at all -- and that goes double for sexual assault. And then they need to commence with the rolling of heads.

Sexual assault in the military is not an unsolvable problem. But it is a problem that can only be solved with strong and determined leadership. Where are those leaders?

Sexual Assault A Growing Problem In Military

The creep in the picture to the left was arrested for sexual battery in Arlington (Virginia) last Monday. He groped a woman's breasts and buttocks, and when he tried to do it a second time, she fought him off and called the police.

But it gets worse. This man is a Lt. Colonel in the United States Air Force -- and he is the Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response chief at the Pentagon. Let me repeat that. The man the Air Force put in charge of preventing sexual assault has been arrested for sexual assault.

Could this be part of the reason that the military can't seem to get a handle on its sexual assault problem? And there is still a growing problem with sexual assault in the military. A new report from the Department of Defense shows that 3,374 sexual assaults in the military were reported in 2012 -- a 6% rise from the previous year.

And that's just the tip of the ice berg, since most sexual assaults are not reported -- because the women are afraid they will be ignored or have their careers hurt if they report them (or have the blame put on them for being assaulted and kicked out of the military). The number of estimated sexual assaults also rose last year -- from 19,000 in 2011 to 26,000 in 2012.

Obviously, the "good old boy" culture of the military is still alive and well. And just as obviously, the military is still failing to effectively deal with its growing problem of sexual assault. Maybe it's time for some heads to roll at the Pentagon, because this is totally unacceptable in a free country that claims to value equal rights.

The Military's Dirty Secret

Here's a rather shocking statistic from the Veterans Affairs Department. About 15% of all the Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who seek medical care from the VA have experienced some kind of sexual trauma while serving in the military -- ranging from serious sexual harassment to outright rape.

While this is experienced by soldiers of both sexes, it affects about 1% of male veterans. But at least one out of every seven female veterans has suffered sexual trauma. This trauma makes them 1.5 times more likely to need mental health services from the VA.

The survey done by the VA doesn't cover active-duty soldiers, because they don't receive services from the VA. But just think about this. In 2004, there were 212,000 women serving in the military -- about 35,000 were officers and 177,000 were enlisted personnel. I suspect the numbers are even higher today.

Let's take the officers out of the equation (although many of them may suffer the same kind of trauma). One-seventh of the remaining 177,000 is about 25,300. That's a big number to likely be victims of military sexual trauma.

Making matters even worse, the VA says about 40% of the veterans seek help from the VA. They suspect the number that really needs help is probably higher, but many of them are unaware they can be helped.

Frankly, this whole situation is outrageous. I don't think for a minute that the military can't do anything to eliminate this sexual trauma, whether it is harassment or rape or anything else. They simply haven't gotten serious about eliminating the problem.

It is time that we, the American public, let our politicians and military leaders know that we won't put up with this kind of behavior in our military anymore. And being at war is no excuse. Our military women deserve better.