It has often been said that our nation’s leaders are held to a higher standard. That we only select the best and brightest among us to represent our interests in the government. That sure sounds about right. I mean, we’re handing over the reins of our country. Why would we demand anything less than exceptionality? Yet, recently, it seems the standard has been dangerously lowered.
October, 2016. The presidential race saturates the media. NBC releases an “Access Hollywood” tape on which then-candidate Donald Trump brags about his ability to grope women without their permission. This makes waves, but is immediately dismissed as “locker room talk.” Trump is sworn in the following January.
A year later. The Washington Post breaks a story about Judge Roy Moore, a Republican Senatorial hopeful. A woman claims she was intoxicated and assaulted by Moore decades earlier, when she was only 14. Over the following months, eight other women come forward, some with allegations of assault, and others of merely predatory behavior. Regardless, he was long projected to carry Alabama’s special election, losing by less than 2 percent of the vote.
November, 2017. Two of 27-term Congressman John Conyers’ former staffers accuse him of sexual propositioning and inappropriate advances. He denies it completely, but still steps down as ranking Democrat on the judiciary committee, and, days later, resigns. Despite this, he is called an “icon” by his party majority leader.
The cases above exemplify many of the problems in the justice system. Corruption of the powerful, reluctance to investigate them, and ridiculous attempts to discredit accusers. The ceaseless efforts of politicians to excuse their own grave sexual misconduct serve only to fuel rape culture in America. If we continue to condone the blaming of victims and pointing of fingers, continue failing to hold our leaders to that high standard we’ve heard so much about, then nothing will change. Except, perhaps, for the worse.
When we have potential sex criminals on the floor of the House, on the floor of the Senate, even in the Oval Office, what kind of example is set? Not only does it paint such inexcusable acts as, in fact, excusable, it goes so far as to associate them with relevant, successful individuals. It subtly changes the outlook of the population, which is troubling in-and-of-itself. You may recall how the snake rots.
It is not an issue of party. It is not an issue of agenda. We simply can’t elect lawbreakers to be our lawmakers. There is no room for debate.
– By Chase Miller