political victimization
Jaylee is single, 37, and was an aspiring politician eager to stand for office and represent people whose needs were not being met until her local male dominated and upper-class entrenched political party broke her spirit.
"A story I read about babies turning on another baby in a nursery, nearly biting it to death, caught me eye," says Jaylee. "It led me to believe that victimization is a behavior that we appear to be born with or learn very early in life and it's a behavior that's honed to perfection in government circles."
"What happened to that poor baby happens to every one of us, to a lesser or greater extent, every day," sighs Jaylee. "It's called bullying, victimization or being pulled down to a level where others believe you belong, and being an outsider -- or different in some way -- makes you an easy target in a closed group. And no group is more closed that a political party in government or out of it."
"I've come to the conclusion that there's no such thing as a 'right' to anything be it free speech or a safe environment or the right to stand for election," says Jaylee. "And my naivety in believing that I had a 'right' to be heard and recognized and treated fairly and equally got me into bad trouble. I thought I lived in a free country with the right to represent the people whose issues aren't being met, but nothing can be further than the truth."
"Fighting injustice may be a noble cause," laughs Jaylee, "but only when the injustice has been suffered by others. When the injustice is personal -- being ganged up against, wrongful imprisonment, job dismissal or marital betrayal -- fighting for one's rights invariably invites more injustices."
"I've heard that a wise victim walks away, turns her back upon a victimizing incident, and gets on with a life devoid of the people and situations that precipitated the victimization," says Jaylee, "but I'm torn between following that good advice and getting my pound of flesh out of the political bullies who ruined my life."
"By spending the next ten years in litigation designed to seek compensation for the injustice done to me, I may or may not gain financial reward but I will definitely lose what remains of my youth and vigor and sanity. And the same goes for any attempt I make to re-enter politics or to get even with my oppressors."
"No financial reward or ephemeral political success or act of vengeance will ever take away the humiliation of what they did to me -- laughing at me, calling me a hick and undermining my credibility," sighs Jaylee. "The people who designed my downfall have won, and they will continue to win because I will never be the same person again and God help the little people out there who think that politicians care about them because they don't. The social contract as far as they are concerned is all one way -- their way."
"I am wounded and the best place for me, like a wounded animal, is to lie low, lick my wounds and learn from the experience," says Jaylee. "Sure, I have supporters who are encouraging me to stand up for my rights and continue the fight to get their voice heard in government -- but I think about that bitten baby and feel the hurt it felt because it was out of place at that nursery just like I was out of place in politics."
"I do have a passion for politics and I do want to play a role in government to truly represent the voice of the people but I have powerful enemies in high places and if I try to return to politics they could very well arrange a convenient accident that will get rid of me for good," says Jaylee. "I'm not threatening enough for a political assassination, but too many people these days are disappearing or dying in strange circumstances. I don't want that to happen to me."
"Sure it's unfair that I can't pursue my passion for politics and justice without being victimized, but the political arena is not noted for being fair and polite and welcoming to newcomers -- especially those from the wrong side of tracks like myself."
"No arena, political or otherwise, is fair to newcomers, or people who don't fit in," sighs Jaylee. "Even nurseries. The nature of all groups is to victimize, isn't it?"
"I never fitted into the political arena," admits Jaylee. "My appearance is striking, my style is confrontational, my education is pretty ordinary, my platform is politically incorrect and my family is poor. We're not even new money! Now that they've got to me -- wounded me badly -- I guess I'm going to be less able than ever to hold my own in a hostile arena."
"It's not a case of those people trying me out -- testing me for leadership," explains Jaylee. "They just didn't like me and they never will. They smooth the paths of the chosen ones -- the kids of old money families who toe the party line -- and they put rocks in the paths of people like me."
"I believe the days of good, solid working class people being able to represent the majority of people in this land are well and truly over -- if, indeed, there ever were such people," sighs Jaylee. "When I think about who in government -- on one side or the other -- actually represents my class and what we stand for I can't think of anybody. Can you?"
"What happened to that poor baby happens to every one of us, to a lesser or greater extent, every day," sighs Jaylee. "It's called bullying, victimization or being pulled down to a level where others believe you belong, and being an outsider -- or different in some way -- makes you an easy target in a closed group. And no group is more closed that a political party in government or out of it."
"I've come to the conclusion that there's no such thing as a 'right' to anything be it free speech or a safe environment or the right to stand for election," says Jaylee. "And my naivety in believing that I had a 'right' to be heard and recognized and treated fairly and equally got me into bad trouble. I thought I lived in a free country with the right to represent the people whose issues aren't being met, but nothing can be further than the truth."
"Fighting injustice may be a noble cause," laughs Jaylee, "but only when the injustice has been suffered by others. When the injustice is personal -- being ganged up against, wrongful imprisonment, job dismissal or marital betrayal -- fighting for one's rights invariably invites more injustices."
"I've heard that a wise victim walks away, turns her back upon a victimizing incident, and gets on with a life devoid of the people and situations that precipitated the victimization," says Jaylee, "but I'm torn between following that good advice and getting my pound of flesh out of the political bullies who ruined my life."
"By spending the next ten years in litigation designed to seek compensation for the injustice done to me, I may or may not gain financial reward but I will definitely lose what remains of my youth and vigor and sanity. And the same goes for any attempt I make to re-enter politics or to get even with my oppressors."
"No financial reward or ephemeral political success or act of vengeance will ever take away the humiliation of what they did to me -- laughing at me, calling me a hick and undermining my credibility," sighs Jaylee. "The people who designed my downfall have won, and they will continue to win because I will never be the same person again and God help the little people out there who think that politicians care about them because they don't. The social contract as far as they are concerned is all one way -- their way."
"I am wounded and the best place for me, like a wounded animal, is to lie low, lick my wounds and learn from the experience," says Jaylee. "Sure, I have supporters who are encouraging me to stand up for my rights and continue the fight to get their voice heard in government -- but I think about that bitten baby and feel the hurt it felt because it was out of place at that nursery just like I was out of place in politics."
"I do have a passion for politics and I do want to play a role in government to truly represent the voice of the people but I have powerful enemies in high places and if I try to return to politics they could very well arrange a convenient accident that will get rid of me for good," says Jaylee. "I'm not threatening enough for a political assassination, but too many people these days are disappearing or dying in strange circumstances. I don't want that to happen to me."
"Sure it's unfair that I can't pursue my passion for politics and justice without being victimized, but the political arena is not noted for being fair and polite and welcoming to newcomers -- especially those from the wrong side of tracks like myself."
"No arena, political or otherwise, is fair to newcomers, or people who don't fit in," sighs Jaylee. "Even nurseries. The nature of all groups is to victimize, isn't it?"
"I never fitted into the political arena," admits Jaylee. "My appearance is striking, my style is confrontational, my education is pretty ordinary, my platform is politically incorrect and my family is poor. We're not even new money! Now that they've got to me -- wounded me badly -- I guess I'm going to be less able than ever to hold my own in a hostile arena."
"It's not a case of those people trying me out -- testing me for leadership," explains Jaylee. "They just didn't like me and they never will. They smooth the paths of the chosen ones -- the kids of old money families who toe the party line -- and they put rocks in the paths of people like me."
"I believe the days of good, solid working class people being able to represent the majority of people in this land are well and truly over -- if, indeed, there ever were such people," sighs Jaylee. "When I think about who in government -- on one side or the other -- actually represents my class and what we stand for I can't think of anybody. Can you?"
Labels: election, political, representative, social contract, victimization
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