There was I, having a think.
Obviously @SirPatStew is a total LEGEND, and I think I love that man with the power of 1,000 warp core reactors. His reaction and response to this young lady was just fantastic, http://www.upworthy.com/a-brave-fan-asks-patrick-stewart-a-question-he-doesnt-usually-get-and-is-given-a-beautiful-answer?g=3&c=ufb1 and his words rang so very, very true, but that it makes me sad that what should be right and proper behaviour/thinking towards women is so rare that when it occurs, it acquires legendary status. (This is NO WAY diminishes or takes away from what he did and said and continues to do.)
But it should not take a Million Man march, there shouldn't have to BE that, it shouldn't be needed. And it's desperately sad that it has to be done, whilst at the same time being almost overwhelmingly inspiring.
I am very well aware of violence against men by women. I've seen it, and seen what it does to the man, seen the sense of utter powerlessness that happens because there's nothing at all they can do. They cannot even defend themselves.
But.
The sheer weight of numbers shows which is more prevalent, which one is more overwhelming because it is is by far more accepted. People will always say "It must have been her fault. She must have done something." and it gets glossed over and tucked away.
Around 1980, my sister asked her husband to do something. She may have been angry with him, they may have had a row. His premeditated action was to hit her over the head with a claw hammer that he had hidden up his jacket sleeve. The police did nothing, because it was a 'domestic'. How this kind of dismissal was even countenanced is still beyond me. I saw her, I was there, and he should have been arrested and put away. But nothing was done. "If he hurts someone else, then we can take action." were the police's words to us when we rang them. Because the wife doesn't count as someone?
So thank you, Sir Patrick, for bringing together all the likeminded men that realise that is not how life should be. That violence against women is wrong. That there are people out there, men and women, who desperately need help. I just wish you didn't have to. The reaction should not be the exception, it should be the rule.
But it should not take a Million Man march, there shouldn't have to BE that, it shouldn't be needed. And it's desperately sad that it has to be done, whilst at the same time being almost overwhelmingly inspiring.
I am very well aware of violence against men by women. I've seen it, and seen what it does to the man, seen the sense of utter powerlessness that happens because there's nothing at all they can do. They cannot even defend themselves.
But.
The sheer weight of numbers shows which is more prevalent, which one is more overwhelming because it is is by far more accepted. People will always say "It must have been her fault. She must have done something." and it gets glossed over and tucked away.
Around 1980, my sister asked her husband to do something. She may have been angry with him, they may have had a row. His premeditated action was to hit her over the head with a claw hammer that he had hidden up his jacket sleeve. The police did nothing, because it was a 'domestic'. How this kind of dismissal was even countenanced is still beyond me. I saw her, I was there, and he should have been arrested and put away. But nothing was done. "If he hurts someone else, then we can take action." were the police's words to us when we rang them. Because the wife doesn't count as someone?
So thank you, Sir Patrick, for bringing together all the likeminded men that realise that is not how life should be. That violence against women is wrong. That there are people out there, men and women, who desperately need help. I just wish you didn't have to. The reaction should not be the exception, it should be the rule.