Witch Hunts?
The play The Crucible is an interesting study in group hysteria. I was rather late coming to appreciate the play (largely because I was told I had to love it and I am contrary), but once I really studied it, I saw its brilliance.
The House Unamerican Activities Committee in the early 1950s is supposed to be the impetus for the play; perhaps. I have posted recently on that period after watching an interesting documentary on it. There were problems on both sides; witch hunt or not, civil rights were violated. At the same time, I have to wonder why any American who benefited from capitalism and the constitution would defend the Soviet Union then or now
So we come to the last two months: Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Louie C.K. (whom I don't find all that funny, but whatever; he's not Seinfeld, and apparently Seinfeld kept the zipper up). Seemingly, ad infinitum. And now Judge Roy Moore, whom I have never quite understood and don't think would be a good Senator because it's all about him. For him, I hope it's untrue; yes, the stories have some credibility but the timing is suspect. He's been a public figure for years and this has never come out--why not? If he is guilty, yuck. Just plain yuck. He should repent instead of just saying it's untrue.
As a member of my Life Group said this morning, when is it going to stop? And at what point in our thinking about victimhood and responsibility will it stop? As a witch hunt, could it get more and more into our personal lives? And as a Christian who is forgiven of the wickedness in my heart which I may not have acted on but know was and is there, how judgmental can we be? Isn't anyone susceptible to accusations from 30 years ago? Why do we have to believe someone who calls himself or herself a victim? Is every "victim" who makes an accusation "brave?" We are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but in the court of public opinion a pubic figure is never innocent.
Is victimhood now a virtue? Yes, the real victims need justice; most of these men sound like real abusers and deserve punishment. Some just sound insensitive and too strong a believer in their own charm.
We owe the victims a hearing. We must never minimize or trivialize their pain. That is evil. At the same time, the human heart can be deceptive, even to itself; we do cry wolf for various reasons.
I fear that the term "victim" will become meaningless if every woman who was ever hit on is now a victim. Especially when "hit on" is so ambiguous. The real victims will get lost.
Teachers have to be especially careful; students can make up stories to cover their trails about grades. And some teachers do abuse their power and position. Some ministers do. The vast majority do not, but the hysteria can take over, as in Arthur Miller's Salem, and anyone at the end of a finger point can be destroyed overnight for a mistake 25 years ago.
That said, the systems are designed to protect. The systems are supposed to work; they didn't work in the case of churchgoers in Sutherland Springs, TX.
The House Unamerican Activities Committee in the early 1950s is supposed to be the impetus for the play; perhaps. I have posted recently on that period after watching an interesting documentary on it. There were problems on both sides; witch hunt or not, civil rights were violated. At the same time, I have to wonder why any American who benefited from capitalism and the constitution would defend the Soviet Union then or now
So we come to the last two months: Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Louie C.K. (whom I don't find all that funny, but whatever; he's not Seinfeld, and apparently Seinfeld kept the zipper up). Seemingly, ad infinitum. And now Judge Roy Moore, whom I have never quite understood and don't think would be a good Senator because it's all about him. For him, I hope it's untrue; yes, the stories have some credibility but the timing is suspect. He's been a public figure for years and this has never come out--why not? If he is guilty, yuck. Just plain yuck. He should repent instead of just saying it's untrue.
As a member of my Life Group said this morning, when is it going to stop? And at what point in our thinking about victimhood and responsibility will it stop? As a witch hunt, could it get more and more into our personal lives? And as a Christian who is forgiven of the wickedness in my heart which I may not have acted on but know was and is there, how judgmental can we be? Isn't anyone susceptible to accusations from 30 years ago? Why do we have to believe someone who calls himself or herself a victim? Is every "victim" who makes an accusation "brave?" We are supposed to be innocent until proven guilty, but in the court of public opinion a pubic figure is never innocent.
Is victimhood now a virtue? Yes, the real victims need justice; most of these men sound like real abusers and deserve punishment. Some just sound insensitive and too strong a believer in their own charm.
We owe the victims a hearing. We must never minimize or trivialize their pain. That is evil. At the same time, the human heart can be deceptive, even to itself; we do cry wolf for various reasons.
I fear that the term "victim" will become meaningless if every woman who was ever hit on is now a victim. Especially when "hit on" is so ambiguous. The real victims will get lost.
Teachers have to be especially careful; students can make up stories to cover their trails about grades. And some teachers do abuse their power and position. Some ministers do. The vast majority do not, but the hysteria can take over, as in Arthur Miller's Salem, and anyone at the end of a finger point can be destroyed overnight for a mistake 25 years ago.
That said, the systems are designed to protect. The systems are supposed to work; they didn't work in the case of churchgoers in Sutherland Springs, TX.
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