"They're all pigs." Katherine Hepburn said that in an interview years ago when speaking of Hollywood.
She would never have been surprised by Harvey Weinstein's sexual exploits which have made headlines this past week. It kills me that grown-ups in the United States appear to be so outraged. Just a week ago, most of the eulogies for Hugh Hefner pretty much condemned Hefner as the most wicked man who ever lived. We Puritan Americans really love to get on our high horse to condemn pigs - dead or alive - acting so shocked by their slutty behavior. Yet we elected a pig as president. As I noted a few days ago on Facebook:
Trump has made the presidency a prime-time soap like Dynasty. He's turned it into a reality show - after so many fell for this guy's shtick - and continue to do so. Everyone got on their high horse about how evil Hugh Hefner was and yet Donald Trump has been the Sorcerer's Apprentice all along, perfecting the art of deception. The Ken-doll of the American dream - he's glamorized adultery, and has used his women to enhance his celebrity, and now the first wives club are fighting over him like Crystal and Alexis on Jerry Springer. He stages everything and everyone around him like a cheap reality show. They live like European royalty, and pretend to that type of status, and are concerned only with money, power, and prestige - he's turned the presidency into a family business for personal gain and interest. Talk about defacing the flag, disrespecting our country - I'm ashamed of the entire family, I'm ashamed of the entire administration.
Yeah. So I had a knee jerk reaction to Trump's wives twittering online, posting my own indignation on my Facebook page for all to see. Yeah, well. No one cares.
That said, many of us with or without a past could/should be ashamed of ourselves as well, acting all holier than thou about this stuff when it leads the news. It seems to me this is the definition of corruption - rotten to the core.
I doubt these behaviors are limited to Hollywood executives and political leaders. In fact we know they aren't. It happened to me when I was younger and dumber working in visual merchandising. Over the years, friends and acquaintances have told me similar stories - equally as lurid. Men and women told me of their 'involvement' - sometimes they had been the predator.
I'm not saying we can't condemn bad behavior when we see it or come to know about it, but we need to be honest with ourselves and others, and we need to stop being so annoyingly self righteous about it. Religious people and secular people can be equally self righteous. Lately secular moralists are just as bad if not worse than the religious people they condemn, hypocritically calling out their political opponents for their vile immorality. It's called 'virtue signalling' - and on Facebook, it has a way of sucking you in.
Facebook is dangerous.
I disagree with you completely about Trump. He is going through a lot to help this country and so is his family. As far as I know, Trump never raped anyone or did the things that Weinstein is accused of.
ReplyDeleteBut none of the stuff about Weinstein surprises me. I think that it is just the tip of the iceberg. For some reason they have decided to throw that particular creep under the bus, just as at Penn State they decided to throw Jerry Sandusky under the bus, when Sandusky was only the tip of the iceberg of the filth and crime that was going on.
Harvey's got thirty years on President Trump with regards to his caddish behavior, at least that's what's been reported. Listening to talk radio on the way home, some guy who claims to be Harvey's friend said that some of the women are telling the truth, some are not. One might say that about President Trump too and while he's made some good decisions recently, he needs to tone it down in terms of who he squabbles with on Twitter. (>x<)
DeleteBut hey! Who am I to say anything since if I carefully look at all I have said and done, the plank in my eye is greater than his.
Facebook? I have lots of family on their and I was on there quite a bit until about three months ago. The place made me depressed. Not sure if I will ever go back. Thanks for the reminder Terry.
** ding ! ding! Typo! I meant there rather than their. ^^)
DeleteThere have been serious rape accusations against DT. His pal Epstein ran an underage sex club for years. The Trump modeling agency has also been accused of being more a procurement agency then modeling. Then DT is on tape admitting to predator behavior. None of this matters one iota though because he is draining the swamp and making America Great again. Well, most of the world that once looked up to us no longer sees greatness. I have never felt less great.
DeleteI am in no position to judge anybody, kind wh. I sowed my oats when in the flour of my youth and try not to look at those oats nowadays.
DeleteAs far as I know, the Donald may very well enter heaven before I do. 😆
I am having a good chuckle right about now ... must be the soup I ate that twisted my stomach into knots. I meant "flower of my youth" not flour. 😆
Delete"The higher they rise the harder........... " we know how that ends. All of these corrupted men and woman have one thing in common. They love themselves and what to dominate others. What I cannot comprehend is the blindness of those who overlook, dismiss and offer excuses. Tomorrow is the 100 year anniversary of Fatima and the miracle of the sun. It is a miracle that God is letting us go on. We are being held captive by some pretty evil men. The end will not be pretty.
ReplyDeleteYaya good friend, thirty years ago Trump was all over NY papers for his "romantic" man about town escapades. His is not a recent problem. That said, it doesn't really matter. He is being protected, like HW was. He has not changed.
DeleteWell, many say he's in good company, JFK, RFK, Teddy, Billy, Donnie... whatever.
DeleteThe leaders of this great country of ours still need our prayers regardless.
Oh Yaya, all men who thought they were/are entitled. Not at all sure about the "good" part. Many saints were sinners once so there is always hope. Prayer is always good, never wasted. The truth will be revealed of that I have no doubt.
DeleteOf course, of course. Papa Francis said the very same thing the other day ... something like, "nothing is in vain."
DeleteIs that not the great gift? The everlasting mercy of our God?
Let's pray then for all who live as if there is no God. Let's pray for those who believe themselves unloved, unforgivable, unclean. Let's pray for those who believe themselves already saved.
And last but not least, let's pray for ourselves - to rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, preserve in prayer.
I'm adding all those behaving "badly" in the news of late, kind wh.
Wallace gets what I was aiming for. It is the difference between sin and corruption - as Pope Francis explains: "In reality, the Pope explained, corruption is worse than sin, because I can sin, “I slip, I am unfaithful to God, but then I try to do no more, or I try to settle with the Lord, or at least I know it is not good”. On the other hand, “corruption is when sin enters” repeatedly “your conscience and does not even leave you room for air; all becomes sin: this is corruption”."
DeleteWeinstein and those like him - those is power who abuse their power can deny their crimes, but as Pope Francis points out: "As for the corrupt, “they believe they are doing things well in this manner”; they believe they can act with impunity, Pope Francis explained. Moreover, “in the case of Susanna”, the two elders “even confess their corruption” and “tell the truth: they were corrupted by the vices of lust”."
This is what I'm talking about here.
I understand corruption well because I have lived it. Maybe not at their level but I lived long enough in the dark to get my hands dirty ... I know what it's like to think I owe no one and can do as I please regardless of who gets hurt. I remember.
DeleteYaya - I read this this morning: "Coming to terms with things our conscience cannot approve means that we must share the responsibility for them because they have our assent."- Alfred Delp. I don't know how that strikes you, but it's meaningful to me.
DeleteIt is something to consider since I am my own worst enemy. Thanks for the quote.
DeleteThe term I like is 'moral preening' and it's one of those moral failings that the minute you attack another for it you join him or her in the same sin. 'I thank you, Lord, that I'm not one of those moral preeners over there...'
ReplyDelete:) I get that and included myself among the villains in this post - however my point was more connected to the rampant corruption in Hollywood as well as Washington and corporate America - something we Catholics know all too well since the purification began with the Church and the ongoing expose of the
Deleteclergy abuse scandals.
Well then Patrick no need for any rules or justice is there. Follow the devil if you wish just do not criticize his ways.
ReplyDeleteI, for one believe Trump has changed, one might even say converted. I think he was a wild man when he was younger, but now is a good man trying to do what is right.
ReplyDeleteI hope so.
DeleteWhat do you base this wishful thinking on? He may not be acting out sexually but his greed and lack of concern for anyone but on a superficial level remains obvious to most.
ReplyDeleteLet's not be so quick to judge. I would like to continue to give President Trump the benefit of doubt and continue to pray he does move forward with the help of St. Joseph. We did entrust him to St. Joseph, remember?
DeleteI will pray for him and us because he exhibits signs of severe illness. I do not know how God will judge him of corse. He is not functioning well. He is a danger to us all. Erratic, vengeful and spiteful. I am not even referring to political issues. I fear he is really becoming unhinged and there is no good solution. Even Republican Senators are speaking up. This is unprecedented. Sorry Yaya but I am preparing myself for the worst. I have no desire to see what I fear is coming. The facade is cracking.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the worse that can happen? Vice President Mike Pence takes over and we press on ... let's not place all our hopes/fears on one man please - we are better than that and while you might live in fear and trembling of what President Trump may or may not do, I can't live my life that way ...
DeleteNuclear war is the worst. Civil unrest a distant second.
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking that if Jun Jong Kung has his way and he just pushes the red button, us folks on the West Coast will probably go quick and fast. On the other hand, if Yellowstone blows up like some scientists are reporting it may (who knows when) well you all near by won't have much need for hand wringing thinking/blaming our much beloved president.
DeleteI am adding you kind wh to my prayer list for the rest of October. After reading your commentary herein, sounds like you can use an extra decade or two. I'm asking San Jose to keep an eye on you and yours as extra blessings.
Have a restful weekend!
Gracias Yaya. I am not really a doom and gloom alarmist. Realizing it is all out of my hands I patiently await what is to come.Believe it or not I have a kind of peaceful resignation about it all. Appreciate the prayers. Will remember you as well.
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