I Am Torn
I am torn. Rashida Tlaib recently called the President of the United States, Donald Trump, a motherf***er. She is a congresswoman from my town, Michigan. She defended herself by saying that this is how people talk in Detroit.
I agree and disagree with her use of profanity. On the one hand, what liberal has not said this about Trump in the privacy of their home or even on the streets for that matter? She just blurted out what we are all thinking, "impeach that mother***er!"
You may even be thinking that as you read this. At least half the country and most of the world agrees with her in principle. A lot of people have made similar profane statements about him in the last few years, in the privacy of their living rooms. And Trump himself is not known for his stellar vocabulary. He introduced his love of the word pussy for us all to admire.
This is a man, after all, who has used the most derogatory language against women in particular. He has stooped lower than any politician in United States history. He is in fact not only reprehensible but dangerous. I fear him more than I hate him.
Having said all of that, should the first Muslim woman from my home state who is representing us in Congress use that word in a public forum? Should any representative for that matter? I hate to say this, but no. I hate to say it because there is an instinct in me that wants to congratulate her for being so brave and honest.
I have mentioned this before, but I said it wrong in a former post. In feminism, we believe you cannot take the master's house down by using the master's tools. Tlaib is using the kind of language that Trump uses and we have to be above that. Because, how much lower can we all go?
Yes, it's true that many bros in the hood use this language on the regular. But they are not representing us and trying to get laws passed in this country. I teach college and I don't even think I would get fired for using profanity in my class. Why don't I talk to my students the way I talk to my best friends?
Because that would not be right. I am trying to teach them how to use language, use their words. It's lazy to keep repeating cuss words over and over again because you are not bothering to use better words. My students might even like me better if I threw in a f*** every now and then just to get a laugh. To show them how cool I am.
I could show them how I am one of the boys as well. But in reality, I don't want to be one of the guys in my professional setting. I am not these kids' friend. I am their professor. I respect them and they need to respect me.
Sometimes my students swear in class when we are having debates. I don't discipline them because this is the way that they express themselves when they are passionate. If they are disrespectful to each other then I intervene. But I am not their mother. However, I will not swear at them, or even in front of them.
It is OK for the crowd to use profane language at a political rally. However, it is inappropriate for a politician to use profanity against another politician. Let's face the reality, even if you are one of the first Muslim women in Congress, most politicians are dirty. They don't look good when they throw their own dirt at each other.
This does not look good on Tlaib and she is representing women, religious minorities, and Michigan. She is one of our own. I am a Sikh, and Sikh men know very well that if they do something objectionable in public, they are making all Sikhs look bad because they are so
It may not be fair that women and minorities will be judged by what Tlaib says and does. But that's how things work. Even though one person does
Donald Trump has lowered the bar on the behavior and standards we expect from our politicians and politics in general. This does not mean we should accept his new low standards.
I thought when they go low, we go high?
I was torn before I finished writing this article. Now I know where I stand.
Where do you stand?
nina