Gas lighting: Gaslighting or gas-lighting is a form of mental abuse in which a victim is manipulated into doubting their own memory, perception, and sanity.
Fart lighting: A form of gasligthting when someone does something really offensive, e.g., farting, pretends that the offensive act did not occur, and tries to manipulate the memory of others who witnessed it.
I was dismayed to hear that Speaker Paul Ryan endorsed Donald Trump today. Given the Speaker's past interracial romantic relationship with a black woman, I thought he might be cooler than that.
He isn't.
What troubles me most about the GOP now rallying around Donald Trump is that they either want the rest of us to forget the racist, sexist and xenophobic comments he's made and continues to make, or they just don't care if we're offended. They're not a deal breaker for the GOP as long as Trump beats Clinton.
The GOP's willingness to rally around Trump because of commonality on other issues, such as abortion rights (and since when did Donald Trump become the standard bearer for the pro-life movement? Like, uh, yesterday?) means that, to their mind and the minds of their party members, unmitigated and unrepentant racism, sexism and xenophobia are not disqualifiers for holding the highest office in the Free World. This is despite the fact that the very nation the GOP wants to lead is increasingly diverse, so much so that states like California are made up of a majority of people of color. As Bob Scheiffer of CBS news put it, there aren't enough white people to make up for the minority votes the GOP will lose with Trump.
Where the fart lighting comes in, and you can thank me for the new turn of phrase, is in the GOP's not even acknowledging that these comments were made. It's like when someone farts in a room such that everyone heard it and smelled it, but the farting party continues to pretend like it never happened. What's worse -- they will deny that it happened if you call them on it and blame it on you instead. Kinda like the way Donald Trump turns the table on the press and insults them when they seek to hold him accountable for his words or his record.
Even more insulting to the increasingly diverse American electorate is that the GOP has in no way tried to explain away or apologize for the offensive remarks Trump has made. It's as if the remarks don't matter, the people offended by the remarks don't matter, or both.
As one of my cousins often writes on Facebook, GTFOOH.
I am a member of a predominantly African-American sorority whose founders marched for the equal rights of women of all races to vote. I am a member of a race whose people marched, sat in and died for the equality and dignity of all races. I am an affirmative action baby whose potential was realized because of the sacrifices of generations who came before me. I am highly educated.
I will not be fart lighted or gas lighted. I will not forget Trump calling Mexicans rapists, denigrating women, and painting all Muslims as terrorists. The more the GOP wants to fart light me and pretend those words were never spoken by Trump or that they don't matter, the more I will speak up and put my money where my mouth is by donating to the DNC. If the GOP is determined to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with a racist, sexist and xenophobic candidate, I will not remain mute. I will call them out on their choice. To my mind, standing with Trump is no better than standing with David Duke.
I will be neither fart lighted or gas lighted when it comes to Donald Trump. My ancestors and all who sacrificed for my freedom and equality under the law deserve more from me.
