Note: Here’s a bit of déjà vu from a few years back…
Ruby: “Do you seriously want me to wear this?”
Director: “Of course I do. You are a woman on the prowl.”
Ruby: “With a tail? Why would I have a tail? How many women do you know that have tails? Because I don’t know any.”
Director: “It’s symbolism, Ruby. It’s showing your animal nature.”
Ruby: “Let me rephrase the question. How many women do you know, period? Because I don’t think you get out much.”
Director: “You’re making this far more complicated than it needs to be. Just prance around and stalk your victim.”
Ruby: “Victim? I’m supposed to be meeting my boss for cocktails in this scene. What does victim have to do with it?”
Director: “Well, you’re a woman, and we all know that women resort to nefarious schemes to get their way.”
Ruby, walking off the set: “Okay, I’m done with this mess. I’m taking a break until somebody pulls their head out.”
Brief pause.
17 seconds later, Ruby is back: “Why is there a litter box in my dressing room?”
Producer, rushing in from somewhere else that was unimportant until we needed him for the story: “Ruby, let’s calm down. We can’t offend the director.”
Ruby: “Why not? He’s an ass.”
Producer: “He’s an ass that is about to be appointed to the Supreme Court.”
Ruby: “Are you kidding? He hates women. How can such a thing happen?”
Producer: “This is America. Stupid people get elected because other stupid people didn’t bother to vote and then stupid people end up on the Supreme Court. Now, do your best to make nice with Clarence Thomas and let’s get on with this shoot.”
Fair warning: Do not proceed past this point if you just want the chuckle and not the serious bit, wherein I vent about a travesty that is specific to America, although I fear there are other countries wherein the same things are happening.
Originally published in “Crusty Pie” on 08/12/16 and “Bonnywood Manor” on 10/25/16, meaning this was scribbled out long before the current horror-fest playing out in Washington. No changes made, as the song remains the same. For those unfamiliar: Clarence Thomas was another nominee to the United States Supreme Court who was accused of inappropriate sexual behavior by a woman during the confirmation process. This was back in 1991, when many men still discounted the fact that women could do more than ovulate and iron their shirts.
The accuser was ridiculed by the Republicans in Congress, even though her claims were later verified. They shoved his nomination through instead of considering the better good.
Clarence Thomas is still on the Supreme Court, because such a position is a lifetime appointment and there ain’t squat you can do once they take office, even though Clarence has proven repeatedly over the years that he is a misogynistic, intolerant, racist bigot who has gleefully done his best to destroy the founding principles of our country. Oh, and he’s voted to tear down some of the established law he swore he would never touch during the confirmation proceedings.
Enter Brett Kavanaugh, the latest nominee, bearing all the markings and all the stench of Clarence. He’s been accused by multiple women (and some witnessing men) of inappropriate behavior. And Brett’s performance during his confirmation hearings? That was a child in full narcissistic rage, ranting and clawing and spewing partisanship and letting the world know that he was not fit to be an impartial judge in any court, never mind the Supreme Court.
But he will most likely be confirmed, because no one in the Republican Party (which currently controls everything in this country at a national level) is truly willing to utter a peep of solid dissent under the crushing tyranny of the Trump Administration. You get out of line, and Donald and his Stepford minions will salivate at the chance to destroy you.
My heart hurts at the loss of decency.
But what doesn’t hurt? My fingers, and I will continue to pound away on this keyboard and rage against the machine even if it drives people away. I’d much rather offer up something light and funny every day, but there are times when I cannot just let it be.
We are better than this.
Well, most of us are. We still have a lot of lumbering cavemen (and cavewomen, mind you, who firmly believe that subservience to men is God’s Way) who don’t understand that they are locked into the dark side of progress and evolution. You want to scream about your undeserved privilege? I will scream right back at you, just with a lot more panache and the backing of “truth”, a concept that was clearly ripped out of your soul at some point.
We will win, despite the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, taking arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, end them. (Yes, I’m paraphrasing Shakespeare. I think he’d approve.)
Keep the faith, folks. Hold it close.
And now I’m going to go have a beer. My soul is a bit thirsty.
Cheers.
Categories: Past Imperfect
Bonnywood Manor 
I know very little about US politics but I cannot see the logic of appointing a judge for life – people change, secrets are uncovered etc etc. That said we humans are all fundamentally flawed so we can’t expect perfection from politicians (despite what they may promise us). Maybe if they stopped making promises that they know they can’t keep and we stopped putting them in ivory towers things would work a little better but I don’t know. No system of Government is perfect but we should have the right to change it when it doesn’t work and that should also apply to judges.
Don’t worry about losing fans, there’s nothing wrong with having a good rant every now and again and your writing is so eloquent and entertaining what’s not to like? ;O) xx
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Completely agree with this line: “No system of Government is perfect but we should have the right to change it when it doesn’t work and that should also apply to judges.” The checks and balances built into the American Constitution were actually very well-considered and fair except for one issue: They failed to account for the possibility that one amoral political party might gain control of every branch of government, which is exactly what is happening right now. I believe our founding fathers were a little too trustworthy that the citizens of this country would do the right thing when it came down to it. Tough days ahead, but we’ll get through it.
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I imagine that the motivation for the founding fathers was liberty for everyone whereas the motivation now seems to be money and power for the politicians. It seems to me that politics used to be a noble calling but it has become nothing more than a career choice….
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Perfect analysis. There are still some politicians who are in it for the right reasons, but they are increasingly rare…
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We can only hope that they will prevail..
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Eloquently said. I love your changes in tone.
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Thanks, Nick. And I like doing the changes, hoping that most folks enjoy the ride… 😉
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Sometimes you have to be serious. Unfortunately, as goes the president, so goes the country. And he’s a philandering lecherous narcissist, from what I can see. As All About Life says, I don’t understand this lifetime appointment. It’s like you’re hiring a king, and this Kavanaugh wants to throw around his divine right and entitlement to the “job.” No offense, but this whole thing is appalling.
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Oh, I’m not offended at all that you find the whole thing appalling, as that’s how I react with almost every news alert I get on my phone.
The “lifetime” appointment thing was meant to allow the Supreme Court judges to make their rulings without fear of retribution, which makes sense in an idealistic world. But it doesn’t account for a bad seed getting on the Court who has no business being there. Once that seed is planted, you can’t get rid of the tree. (Well, they can technically be removed by impeachment, but that has never happened in our history. Maybe that will change after this mess?)
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That “man” is doing his best to take the ‘United’ out of United States of America. Good people are suffering for his greed. The world weeps with you.
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That’s it exactly: “Good people are suffering for his greed.”
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I agree that this is ‘eloquently said’. We are better than this, but it doesn’t always show.
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I just keep waiting for that pendulum of decency to swing back the other way…
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Well-stated, Brian, and tragically true. I am having a hard time dealing with my rage as I watch so many people—not just the bozos in charge, but everyday citizens—abandon any pretext of values or morality to place this liar and predator on the Court and protect their straight, white, conservative, male supremacy. The number of women defending this guy and suppressing equality and fairness for women boggles my mind. I slept not at all last night, trying to understand something that is simply incomprehensible. America has fallen for the biggest con job ever perpetrated, and the world will be paying for it for generations (assuming the world survives, and I’m no longer certain one particular species deserves to). Oh, dear, I need more caffeine.
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I’m having a hard time dealing as well, especially with the “everyday citizens”. How does a person get to the place where they don’t even pretend to be decent, gleefully celebrating everything that Trump stands for? When Susan Collins took the Senate floor and essentially defended Kavanaugh, thus ensuring his confirmation and in the process snubbing both the victims of sexual abuse and the status of women in general, it was a horrendous moment for our society.
I think I’ll join you in that caffeine quest…
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That mess makes me so impotently angry that I’ve reverted to my ‘go to’ for dealing, emotionally with shit I can’t change nor do anything about (which causes the impotent rage). I was born with XX chromosomes and in this particular state, that means one “SHOULD” consider men the superior creatures, born to lead, to rule us lesser beings, Now if one bakes one of the superior creatures a shit pie (nod to ‘The Help”) and the idiot gobbles it down and belches, appreciatively, and pats us on the fanny telling us we’ve been a ‘good girl’ and did we get that laundry done and are the kiddies in bed, and the house immaculate? If yes is the response to all that, then the XXer must get ready for bed time ‘frolics’ despite the fact that they might have a headache that would kill lesser folk, and are bone tired. I personally think that’s why God gave the woman the ability to fake certain things. So they’re over and done with and the superior creature thinks he’s satisfied his little woman. Again.
That whole mess just pushes a button. I bury my head in the sand and refuse to watch. Murder is still a crime and no, I could NOT do the time. If I’m part of the problem, well so be it. I’m a purple in a sea of red here, and my vote counts for less than the fart my brother’s Labrador (perhaps sensing the angst in the air) just hoisted heaven ward. But by God and Sonny Jesus I’ll be out there, voting. “They” have got to realize that ‘we’ count for something too. Bastards.
Your post, btw, was erudite, perfectly blended between the laughter and the pain, and on point. Good for you!!! ❤
If I were the 'squirrel' (cat? what the hell is she SUPPOSED to be???) both the director AND the producer could look forward to no frolics from the cat/squirrel in the next millennia. Let them visit Madam Palm and her five sisters…
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Speak the truth, my sister separated at birth! This is the exact fire that we need in order to somehow stop the madness. I’m tired of people who don’t vote, I’m tired of people who shrug their shoulders when I try to get them engaged, I’m tired of people who watch Fox News like it’s Moses on the Mountain, and most of all I’m tired of bigots and racists and misogynists and stupid people being given a pass when they should be held ACCOUNTABLE.
Deep breath. Squeeze my stress ball 47 times until it ruptures.
Okay, better now. I don’t know what the answer is to all this mess, but I know that we need to find it. Something fundamental has got to change.
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It’s not ranting when its telling the truth about a problem. I am just sorry that the world seems to be such a crap place for many folks.
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Thanks, Claudette. That’s what gets under my skin the most, that so many people are hurting because the wrong people have been given power. I just have to suck it up and keep doing my tiny little part…
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I’m still stunned. You said it all here. I don’t need to add a thing.
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Thank you kindly. Good to hear from you! I know you’ve been doing a bit of soul-searching about the direction and place for your writing (and trust, I completely understand) but I do miss our little chats. Hope you get things sorted out to your satisfaction…
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