80 is the new 100
It’s not easy being 80 years old in today’s world. All we hear on the news is how 80 is too old for just about anything, especially the presidency. On television this morning, a Washington Post editor was asked if she thought Donald Trump would change after the recent E. Jean Carroll verdict. She replied, “He’s 77 years old. I don’t know many 77-year-olds who are willing to change.” That comment shows how deeply embedded ageism is in our culture. It’s not easy being 80 if you don’t want to be irrelevant or invisible.
My old friend, Bill Zaner, always said, “Youth, beauty, and energy will never outsmart devious old age.” After watching this week's news, I would say that power and wealth will never outsmart an 80-year-old woman.
E. Jean Carroll walked into a fight with a world-class bully who has been fighting and winning lawsuits all his life. She was ridiculed, called a liar, and physically threatened. Nevertheless, she persisted.
“Nevertheless, she persisted” is an expression adopted by the feminist movement. In 2017, the United States Senate voted to require Senator Elizabeth Warren, another courageous woman, to stop speaking during the confirmation of Senator Jeff Sessions as Attorney General. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said, “We told her to stop, nevertheless she persisted.” It quickly became a Meme and appeared on t-shirts across the country.
E. Jean Carroll persisted when many of the powerful people in our government backed down in the face of Donald Trump’s threats to destroy their careers and reputations. Donald Trump destroyed her career and reputation; nevertheless, she persisted. A jury awarded her 83 million dollars, 65 million in punitive damages. E. Jean Carroll “punished” Donald Trump to the tune of 65 million dollars.
In a recent news interview, she talked about the terror she felt at the thought of facing Trump in the courtroom, but when she got there, she looked at him and said, “He was nothing, just an empty suit. We don’t need to be afraid of him”
Do you know how you feel when you watch those classic movie themes of the underdog being pushed around by the bully? That’s how I felt when I heard the E. Jean Carroll verdict.
The archetype of the battle between good and evil is a recurring theme throughout history. Unfortunately, evil often appears to win. While David and Goliath might be one of the earliest examples, we now have a modern-day equivalent that should restore our faith in justice and the common sense of our fellow citizens.
Those of us in these later years of life now have a role model who shows us that we don’t have to disappear into irrelevance and weakness as we age. She showed us that the system still works when administered by people of character and integrity who believe in the rule of law.
The foundations of our democracy, which are under relentless attack, have been protected by an 80-year-old woman. Regardless of which side of the aisle you’re on, that should mean something