Wednesday, July 20
Sexism is mad real in America. My single mother talked about it often, in her own way, when I was growing up. What is a basic definition of sexism? When us men and boys have privilege and power, which can manifest as a desire to control and dictate what women or girls do. I thought about this a lot, along with a lifetime of conversations I've had with women of all backgrounds about what they have to deal with as women. There's been a ceaseless hammering of Hillary Clinton's reputation during the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, but things seemed revved up to a new level today. No longer content with saying things like about Hillary like "Lock her up," grown men sell and buy tee shirts that read things like "Hillary sucks, but not like Monica," "Trump that bitch," and "Trump or tramp," and it's a deeply disturbing sight.
Next to these vendors were two women with signs protesting the treatment of women worldwide. One even went up to two men selling this sexist merch and said, "I know you are trying to make some fast money from this Republican convention in your city, but you are disrespecting all women, including your mothers, by doing this, and saying these things aloud.” She and her friend then pulled $400 from their pockets and bought all of the tees, asking the men to promise they wouldn't sell anymore. The women said they'd burn the shirts later. They looked exasperated, and I could only imagine. They've been out here daily, hearing men say disrespectful things about women—even while with women—all in the name of politics and money.
Adding to this tension was the arrest of several protesters, including one who burned the American flag, and people hyped about Ted Cruz endorsing Donald Trump for president. As I watched Cruz speak and listened to his words very closely, I noticed that he only mentioned Trump by name once, to congratulate him. Otherwise, the entire speech was about Cruz's view of America, positioning himself as the real leader of the Republican Party. Near the end of Cruz's speech, convention goers, led by Trump's home state New York's delegation, started booing him. It got ugly fast. I've been to six political conventions, and I've never seen someone get up there to not endorse their party's nominee.
The reaction was swift and instant. People predicted the speech was Cruz's political suicide, while some suggested he was setting himself up for a 2020 run, with the feeling being that Trump will lose to Hillary come November, or be so terrible that he won't be re-elected. Either way, it is clearer now more than ever that Thursday night, Trump must absolutely give the greatest speech of his life to shift the circus-like atmosphere of the Republican National Convention and his bid for presidency.
