Testimony
— by Lin McNulty —
Can you tell us
in your own words
what happened?
My own words?
I can only use the words
of women who have dared
to speak
out loud
for eons.
Assault? Fear? Rape? Terror?
I can use these all too common words.
But what makes you think
that this time
you will hear?
— Lin McNulty
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Very thoughtful, Lyn.
Thank you.
Very Moving.
I hear.
More and more men hear today than ever before. Not just this. Many of us hear with minds wide open.
After we hear we ask:
What does it mean? We ask the other side: Did you do this? No, he says —more often than not a proven lie, but sometimes not.
Impasse.
We then move past the accusation in search of corroboration and accountability.
We find sufficient competent corroboration that passes the test of law if on trial, or passes the ethical test of due process and competent proof, if not.
Consequences flow.
A society can be said to be immoral if unqualified violence against another goes unaddressed.
A society can be said to be immoral if an accusation alone (without ethical due process or legally competent corroboration) accomplishes its objective whether that be the loss of one’s freedom, public shame and ridicule, demotion, termination of employment, or denial of a promotion.
None of the above is internally inconsistent.
There is no victim shame from being sexually assaulted. The shame rests solely with the violator.
Does the above allow us to hear and believe, and still remain a moral society?
Thank you to both Chris and Lyn. Nowhere have I read the situation before us as suciently and aptly put.
Let us hope that we prove to be a moral society.