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Trump, abusive officers don’t represent all men

Re: “RCMP apologizes to female Mounties, staff; settles suit,” Oct. 7, and “Trump’s ‘grab ’em’ line sparks outpouring from women,” Oct. 13.

Re: “RCMP apologizes to female Mounties, staff; settles suit,” Oct. 7, and “Trump’s ‘grab ’em’ line sparks outpouring from women,” Oct. 13.

The outrageous Donald Trump video and the recent RCMP apology for male employees’ longstanding abusive behavior toward women are a call for a response from good men everywhere. Here is mine:

These abusive men are sick and they do not represent me.

They represent a sickness of arrogant entitlement that is surviving today in a certain segment of the patriarchal power structure, but they do not represent all men. I am not like that, and I do not know, or want to know or be around, any man who is.

When I hear of abusers such as Trump or Bill Clinton, or these anonymous RCMP men, I am saddened by their failure to come to terms with their own sickness and the failure to use their prominence to create something positive by engaging in a public healing process that could help show other sick people that change is possible.

I apologize on behalf of such sick men to all women, and to all healthy, caring men — those men who understand the immense value of respectful, healthy relationships, and when appropriate, of healthy, committed, loving relationships. Perhaps the abusers will some day get to a healthier place and be able to take care of this kind of apology themselves.

Our society will be a far healthier place, thanks to those courageous women who spoke the truth about their experience with the RCMP abusers. “Bravo!” to these fine women. They are my heroes; they have hastened the healing process.

John McNamer

Kamloops