Women Can Change Things

And the jury is deliberating on Trump's fate

I want to start with a sort of positive piece of news. Philanthropist Melinda French Gates announced yesterday that she would donate $1 billion over the next two years for women’s rights and gender equity around the world. In a guest essay in the NY Times, she wrote,

“In nearly 20 years as an advocate for women and girls, I have learned that there will always be people who say it’s not the right time to talk about gender equality. Not if you want to be relevant. Not if you want to be effective with world leaders (most of them men). The second the global agenda gets crowded, women and girls fall off.”

Because things are better for women than they were 20 or 30 years ago, it sometimes seems that we think it’s all fine. It’s not. I am so happy to hear Ms. Gates is bringing attention to this issue. And money.

I love Ms. Gates. I recommend her essay.

There are a lot of things going on in the world, and one could say that the criminal trial of Donald Trump in Manhattan is not all that significant. But I can’t say that. Yes, I am annoyed that he gets so much press attention, and that includes me. I think the possibility of that man becoming president is a threat to the world—not just us.

Yesterday, actor/activist Robert De Niro spoke passionately outside the courthouse, along with January 6th Capital Police Officers and some officials from the Biden campaign. I share his words here because they are passionate, clear, tough and heart-felt. His full remarks can be seen on C-Span, starting at 3:40. Along with a lot of other things, he said,

“If he is elected, I’m telling you he will never leave. He will never leave. You know that, he will never leave.”

The jurors in this trial are now deliberating, after Judge Merchan gave them his instructions this morning. You can read his instructions in their entirety, here. He was thorough and deliberate, explaining the law, the charges, their duty. Merchan also said,

“As a juror, you are asked to make a very important decision about another member of the community.”

That they were instructed them to think of Donald Trump as “another member of the community” is hard to hear. But this is our judicial system, and it makes me proud. If he were found guilty, isn’t it a bit of sweet justice that, in essence, he might be brought down by a woman? Stormy Daniels just may become Trump’s undoing.

I wait with anxiety for the jury’s verdict. If he is found guilty, I really think it will make a difference in how the next six months play out.

Happy Wednesday! I am going on a road trip tomorrow to Ohio, for a fun event that has to do with cartoons. I will tell you all about it then.