Monday, August 26, 2013
Pastorgraphs: “Sex and Civil Rights”
August 26, 2013
Pastorgraphs: “Sex and Civil Rights”
Maybe I
should have entitled this “’Gender’ and Civil Rights”. But I wanted to focus
attention on a very troubling subject.
I’ve
refrained from jumping into the spectacle of soon-to-be-former Mayor Bob
Filner’s deplorable (and possibly criminal) behavior. But his bizarre
resignation speech last Friday, in which he simultaneously apologized for and
then denied his wrongdoing, was the final straw for me.
Actually,
it was his use of the word “lynching” that irritated me most. It is a code word
intended to garner both sympathy and support of ethnic minorities for whom the
“Good Bob” Filner advocated most of his adult life. He deserves credit for
being a 1960s Freedom Rider. He won the respect of the Hispanic and
African-American minorities in the San Diego District he represented for two
decades in Congress. But “Bad Bob” Filner’s self-confessed actions show the
breach of his ethical structure.
Here is the
hypocrisy: You cannot be a “Civil Rights” champion when you treat WOMEN as Bob
Filner treated them! Women have civil rights, too.
Getting
thrown into jail with the ‘60s civil rights workers doesn’t buy anyone a ticket
to exploit the civil sexual rights of women today.
If Filner’s
term “lynching” irritated me, the comments of some citizens blaming the
women who spoke up for creating Filner’s “coup” made me just plain mad! Mad
enough to write this Pastorgraph, for which I am sure some will be angry with
me.
Blaming
females for sexual assaults victimizes them all over again. That is why coming
forth to report sexual abuse is difficult for those who have truly been
victims. Many women question if it was an isolated incident, feel isolated, and
know their personal lives will become fodder for the gossip mills if they speak
up. That is tyranny.
Some
estimates show a majority of sexual assaults go unreported; especially when
that abuse comes from a supervisor, or when the event has to be reported within
“the chain of command” which may get the woman fired, demoted, or end her
career. When will we learn that reporting sexual abuse to the same chain of
command that holds life and death power over a career is a deterrent for
reporting abuse.
The US
Military is only now beginning to face this reality. U.S. Senator Kirsten
Gillibrand of New York recently called the military justice system
“dysfunctional”, pointing out that less than one out of 10 reported sexual
attackers in the military are held accountable. She proposed creating a system
outside the military chain to investigate reports of sexual abuse, which (of course)
the upper brass at the Pentagon promptly denied.
Sex
offenders rely on this broken system to increase the odds females will remain
silent after an assault. If accused, this system reduces the odds the
perpetrator will ever be punished.
Our San
Diego cases are the exception, where at least 18 women came forward with
allegations of sexual misconduct. Notice how it took one brave soul to step
forward before others spoke out. But too often, the victim feels she is alone,
will have her private life exploited, and ultimately wind up worse off than if
she remained silent.
THIS IS
INJUSTICE, just as much as denying a person the right to vote, sitting at the
back of the bus, segregating schools, or denying equal access to dining counters,
water fountains and public restrooms. In the 1960s, the system made it painful,
even deadly, for Blacks in the South or migrant workers in California to speak
up when they were being exploited. Fifty years ago this week, the Walk on
Washington began to turn the tide by focusing the spotlight on injustices. It’s
time we do the same for women’s civil sexual rights. Perhaps in a twisted way
Filner’s reprehensible acts will have a positive outcome, focusing the
spotlight on these shameful actions.
There was a
TV commercial in the early 1970s, about the time the modern women’s rights
movement began to get traction. The commercial showed a beautiful little girl,
maybe six months old, with such pretty curls and blue eyes I can still see her
in my mind. Then the announcer said, “This baby was born handicapped.” You
could feel the collective “Oh, no!” After a few moments of silence, while
viewers tried to identify her handicap, the announcer came back: “This baby was
born handicapped…she was born FEMALE.” Being born female will not be a handicap
when we finally respect the sexual civil rights of women. If all men treated
women as they would want others to treat their daughters, mothers, sisters or
wife, maybe we can cure this “handicap”.
I remember
a comedian who said, “There are two things I cannot stand. One: Bigots. Two:
The Dutch.” (PS: My grandmother was a Vanlandingham, so no offense to all the
Dutch out there. I’m part of you, too.) It is impossible to miss the hypocrisy
of claiming to be an advocate of civil rights while sexually exploiting the
rights of women. But for women who are subjected to sexual harassment and
violence, especially in the workplace, there is nothing funny about it.
So, Bob
Filner, you cannot have it both ways. Don’t play the Civil Rights Activist card
unless you respect the Civil Rights of everyone…ESPECIALLY WOMEN!
Devotedly, Bill
Jenkins
(Congratulations
to Pastor Donald Owens and the leaders of Exodus Church and Lay Minister
Jonathan Reyes and the leaders of Unidos en Cristo Mision Metodista for
a successful combined Vacation Bible School. The precious children in the photo
were but a few of the 75-90 children, youth and adults who attended the
week-long VBS. The photo was taken at Friday night’s graduation at Christ United
Methodist.)
From the
Quote Garden:
“The disappointment of Bob Filner’s
implosion is proportionate to the grandeur of the vision, which he — along with
many, many others — was beginning to articulate. The noble vision, however, is
destined to outlast the flawed messenger, because it is born from this
ascendant demographic profile.”
~ The
Rev. John Fanestil, United Methodist Elder ~
Director of
Foundation for Change, Union-Tribune, August 8, 2013
Christ United Methodist Ministry
Center
“Christ
in the Heart of San Diego”
3295
Meade Avenue - San Diego, CA 92116 - (619) 284-9205
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