Hypocrisy: Trump controversy conjures selective outrage

Few things irk me more than hypocrisy, and hypocrisy is at the center of the newly released audio of Donald Trump's lewd, disgusting comments about women 11 years ago while speaking privately to Billy Bush. Trump's words are obviously unacceptable. Who would justify them? We can all hope he never actually did the things he mentioned. The selective outrage, however, at this Trump controversy merits discussion.

Republican leaders have done what Republicans do: thrown Trump under the campaign bus, withdrawing their support and demanding that he drop out of the race. They're not fooling anyone: most of these people didn't support him in the first place. Many have been anything but on-fire for him and are confused about how he got this far in the election process. They had been praying he would run out of gas, but instead, the Trump train gathered speed. Nothing he said or did derailed his campaign, and that ticked them off. But with this new controversy, they had renewed hope that he was done. He is not done -- partly because of hypocrisy that pervades our culture, a hypocrisy the average person despises as much as they despise Trump's comments.

Everyone is sickened by the audio, even the most ardent supporters. However, because people are turned off by hypocrisy, their support for Trump in the face of it grows more passionate -- not to excuse him, but in a show of their disdain for the two-facedness of those who are blasting him. The faux nature of their outrage at how women are depicted is illuminated by their lifestyles.

For example, there's a meme making its rounds on the Internet that says, "If American women are so outraged at Trump's use of naughty words, who in the hell bought 80 million copies of 'Fifty Shades of Grey?'" Then you have people who tolerate profane conversations, even appear to luxuriate in them, but have smoke coming out of their ears from what Donald Trump said. Selective outrage, however, sees not its own ridiculousness, so I posted on social media:

"Can we just be consistent, people? I've seen some rather nasty, perverted, and profane things in the comment sections of some people's Facebook statuses -- written by their friends. Their reaction to those things wasn't moral outrage, or unfriending, or even asking friends not to say such things. They reacted, instead, with smiley face emojis, LOLs and ROFLs -- but then they get all bent out of shape when somebody gets busted saying equally nasty, perverted and profane things on an 11-year-old video. I don't condone either; both are unacceptable. I just say that if you're going to be outraged, could you please be consistent with it rather than selective? It would really help me out 'cause I'm getting a bit confused with the hypocrisy."

Like it or not, I speak the truth.

Hillary Clinton's behavior toward the women who found themselves victims of her husband's behavior doesn't deter her supporters. Furthermore, Democrats and Republicans alike had laryngitis, and some were even gleeful, when Sarah Palin's detractors called her the c-word. Where was the outrage then?

I believe in forgiveness when someone is sorry. I have no way of knowing whether Trump truly is, but apparently, others know more than I, and have judged he is not. According to them, he said something more than a decade ago, and for that, we must not only condemn his remarks, but be utterly outraged because Â… well, you know, we ourselves never said or did anything for which we had to apologize. Give me a break! Many of us would run and hide if words we said privately in the past 11 minutes, much less 11 years, were made public. I'm just grateful the grace and mercy of God are available, and I pray Trump has taken advantage of them.

I am glad so many are so moral as to know that it is never acceptable to demean or abuse women. I hope that since Trump has reminded us of how sinful mankind can be, we will be outraged at wrong not just when it emanates from the opposing party or a candidate we despise within our own party, but across the board, sincerely -- because hypocrisy is just downright unattractive.

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Note: Friday, from 5 to 7 p.m., I am having a virtual/local book signing for my book, "#AuntAlma: Raisin' a Little Hell Heaven on Earth." I will sign the book "in your presence" via the Internet or see you in person at Creative Edge in Jackson. Find more information at www.facebook.com/events/215684512183540/.

Adrienne Ross is an author, speaker, columnist, editor, educator and Southeast Missourian editorial board member. Reach her at aross@semissourian.com.