In my activities in the community, I get to interact with people and organizations outside of UUFSCC. I enjoy this aspect of my ministry, because I get different perspectives on issues that affect people outside of Unitarian Universalism. These organizations and people sometimes view the world and events differently than UUs do.

Amongst the diverse views I experience—I’m finding a uniformity of opinion on a current issue in all my circles. The Kavanaugh hearings have created very disturbing and extensive negative impacts. The angst and sorrow seem ubiquitous. In some organizations associated with behavioral health issues, I have heard doctors, nurses, and mental health care providers comment on the increase in people having issues. “It’s like every day is a full moon, and it’s been like that for weeks” one professional told me. I’ll let you have your opinion on the moon’s effect on human behavior, but the increase in angst is not imagined. I find increased anxiety and mental turmoil in people I encounter both inside and outside of UUFSCC.

Dr. Ford’s testimony and the response of Senators (of not-believing her) has been seen by millions of us. The approval of Kavanaugh and the dismissal of Dr. Ford’s statements have opened the dybbuk box (holding a restless, malicious spirit able to haunt) for millions of people who have been victims of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse victims for generations have been dismissed, minimized, blamed, and ridiculed by our misogynous culture. Men and women had to hide their experiences in a chained and locked feeling barn of their own making. Estimates of sexual abuse vary widely—but how can you ever have statistics on unreported abuses? All attempts to speak the truth by victims were met with rebuke—so people just shut up and buried their feelings and pain.

Dr. Ford spoke of the pain and suffering still present, even though the offensive event was decades ago. Such is the permanent pain of sexual abuse. It doesn’t go away—and the standard cultural practice is just to “get over it” by not speaking, thinking, talking, or feeling.

The “Me Too” movement has been changing our culture’s response to sexual aggression and treatment of women. Society’s icons have fallen like Icarus from their positions of power and influence. Some lost their jobs, some are in prison. But the icons who fell are only in the high visibility leadership positions of companies who cannot afford to lose the public’s approval. The abusive (mostly males) were ostracized from their organizations when they became an economic threat. We were just beginning to feel the larger implications of Me Too as being a positive force for accountability and change in how women were treated. Many of us were hopeful of how far reaching the changes would be.

Then, the Kavanaugh hearings took the raw sensitivity created by the Me Too movement from being an awakening to a societal response of shock and disgust for many of us. The depth and extent of the problem could no longer be rationally dismissed as a few occurrences by powerful men—the problem is huge as witnessed by the extensive angst felt by our nation—and from my perspective the extent of the anger and disgust is an emotional crisis for our society. I had hoped the Me Too movement would be a tipping point for at least naming the hidden offenses suffered by women for generations. Now, the stakes are higher. The locks are undone from the chains on the feeling barn for millions of men and women. Simultaneously during this emotional storm, our elected officials have normalized ridicule, racism, lying, and amoral talk and behavior. Our highest elected officials promote that it is okay to blame victims as being the ones who are at fault—something that the victims have lived with their entire lives. What will happen when the pain and anger and outrage of all those locked up feelings are released? I don’t believe they want revenge. What they want is justice. The tipping point has been reached. What future will we fall into?

I believe religious people have a responsibility in response to our nation’s emotional crisis:
1. Tell stories
2. Listen and believe each other
3. Vote

A tipping point is happening. It will be painful. It is overdue. It will hurt. It is our chance for making a better world. Let’s join forces to make sure we all fall into a better future where abusers are held accountable. A future where victims are believed and helped. A future where horrific secrets are not locked up. May it be so……………………Russ