Recently, I've seen two instances of men hitting women; the first was a movie scene, the second was a video clip of an actual incident. I'm finding that I have mixed feelings about what I've seen, and I'm going to blog about it and sort out my feelings openly.
So, I was up one night (couldn't sleep), and I ended up watching "A Family That Preys" on Youtube. It was an okay film, but the one scene that stood out is when Rockmond Dunbar's character found out about his wife infidelity (Sanaa Lathan played the wife). When she confessed the infidelity, he gave her a real-live backhand, and she flew over the counter.
I was shocked, but at the same time, I understood. In the film, the husband was faithful, hardworking, patient, and enduring. He put up with years of the wife belittling him and discouraging his dreams (the man also had ambitions) without a word. Then to find out that this woman was cheating on you for years and to find out that your son really isn't even your son... that man snapped, and she was too close to him in that moment. I couldn't believe that I was watching a man slap his wife into the next week, but I was... happy (???) to see her reap some of the ill seed that she had sown.
Then, today, I saw a video of a Cleveland bus driver who was attacked by a 25-year-old woman. The woman and the bus driver had exchanged words, then she apparently hit him and/or spit on him. The bus driver got up, and hit her with a Street Fighter uppercut. Then, he grabbed her up and put her off the bus.
I had the same feelings about this incident as I did about the movie scene - I hated to see a man hit a woman like that, yet it was another case of "you reap what you sow".
Even as I write, I'm torn in my feelings about seeing these two examples of violence against women (although one of them was fictional). I firmly believe that a man shouldn't hit a woman. I believe that a man is supposed to use his strength to protect, support, and elevate a woman, not tear her down.
Despite what so many women may try to portray, a woman is not just like a man. Physically, the average man is stronger than the average woman. On average, a woman is more emotional and more mouthy than a man. Women tend to battle with their mouths, and men tend to battle with their hands [in the natural, I'm not referring to the spiritual battle].
Maybe the problem I'm having is the fact that so many people in today's society (men and women) aren't as sensitive to violence in general, and specifically against violence against women by men. Many men and women shrugged off the bus incident with statements such as "karma" or "you reap what you sow" or "her mouth cashed a check that her @$$ couldn't cash" (I'm guilty of this). Some responded with glee to see this "unruly woman" get put in her place. Some marveled at the uppercut that this man used on the woman (I'll admit - it's been years since I saw an uppercut; I thought that punch went out of style with finger waves).
I need to think on this matter more (away from the computer). I'll continue this exploration later.
