Tryants, make way for us imperfect citizens! Reflection on the Stormy Daniels affair

Comment submitted to New York Times online blog in reply to the op-ed piece (which I highly recommend) by Jill Filipovic, "Stormy Daniels, feminist hero," 8/25/18::

Filipovic's main point goes beyond gender, true as it is that Manichaean misogynies must end, as women should not be devalued by sex, be it promiscuous or anything that's not abuse.

But more important still is a broader point that is not about gender and sex but citizens, state, and politics. Someone can be imperfect morally, as we all are (and not because she is a sex worker, as Filopovic is careful to note), make a political criticism of a powerful person or institution, and be considered possibly right, like any person making any claim, to be heard and weighed.

It is perhaps time for something big in the way of our styles of political discourse to be blown wide apart. Much of our political culture is ad hominem: statements that are true or false are "proven" so by persons being right or wrong. Endless dilemmas result involving fame and culpability, art vs. sin. Our identity politics is a variant of this. As is Trump, who personally attacks everyone. Now he may be brought down in a way that does or does not really engage and accuse his style of governance and its meaning. Trump represents authoritarian ways for private and public institutions to do business, and his style is to say what is false or nonsense and rub our faces in it, as the obvious real point is, listen not to what I seem to say, but what I am ordering you to do.

This fearless messenger insists: It's about you, not me. Any common sinner may criticize anyone. Adios, boss.