While Trump once again insults a woman, Thune, Rounds and Johnson cower rather than confront him
I just called the Rapid City office of Sen. John Thune and spoke with a man named Bill. I asked him at what point Sen. Thune might make a statement condemning Trump’s abhorrent treatment of women? I was referring specifically when he recently pointed his finger in a woman’s face on Air Force One and told her “Quiet, quiet, piggy” — while she was doing her job.
I reminded Bill that Sen. Thune has been married to his wife for 41 years and he also has daughters. At this point, Bill interrupted to let me know “Thune‘s wife and daughters voted for Trump.” I told Bill that information was none of my business — they are private citizens. He responded “Well, Thune is a private citizen when he casts his votes …”
OK, well, he’s not a private citizen right now!? He is my senator and also the Senate majority leader! Thune says he is a man of Christian and family values, so I want to know — at what point will he condemn undeniable misogynistic and disrespectful behavior and ask the president to do his job with dignity and decorum?
Bill then told me “Well, you’re the first call we’ve had about this. I don’t think this is on the mind of a lot of South Dakotans.”
Fair. I may be your ONLY call. Everyone else calling is probably dealing with a bigger disaster courtesy of this administration — perhaps they need to reapply for SNAP benefits? Or maybe they’re ranchers panicked about the disastrous deal with Argentina? Or parents worried that cuts to the Department of Education will make their kids lose their IEP at school?
Is the president calling a woman “piggy” the biggest issue facing South Dakotans? No, it’s not. Not by a long shot. I would argue that condemning that behavior is some of the lowest-hanging fruit there could possibly be, and yet … I know my senator won’t reach for it.
Neither will Sen. Rounds or Rep. Johnson. It would take them two minutes. They could ask a staffer to tweet it out FOR THEM. But they won’t.
The party of “protect women in bathrooms and in sports and from their own medical decisions” has ZERO qualms staying silent when blatant disrespect happens in front of them. They turn a blind eye and support a misogynist who was found liable of sexual abuse against E. Jean Carrol, and even bragged about being able to grab women by their genitals because he’s famous.
MY GOD, SPARE ME.
I’ll never forgive these “leaders” — men who claim to love and care for women — for being silent and abdicating their responsibility to make the world safer for ALL women! Calling this out should be the easiest thing they do all day. But they won’t. They will stay silent.
Well, as a survivor of assault myself, I don’t feel like being silent today. I’m gonna call you what you are: HYPOCRITES and COWARDS.
This was brought to you by female rage.
Emily Tupa graduated from the University of North Dakota in 2006. In 2012, she moved back to Rapid City with her husband. As a young girl, she lived in the Black Hills when her mother, Paulette Tobin, was a reporter at the Rapid City Journal. Emily now works as a realtor and serves on the Rapid City Public Library Board. She was raised to speak up when you witness cruelty and injustice and, sorry, not sorry, she’s raising her girls to do the same.
Photo: public domain, wikimedia commons
The South Dakota Standard is offered freely and is supported by our readers. We have no political or commercial sponsorship. If you'd like to help us continue our mission to advance independent political and social commentary, you can do so by clicking on the "Donate" button that's on the sidebar to your right.
