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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Dumb, Dumber … And Along Came Jones Perpetual Victim There’s Really No Excuse For Women To Even Be On That Path Anymore.

She’s a Perpetual Victim. Don’t you know one? She’s the woman who picks a man who trashes her verbally, treats her like scum, chisels away at her self-esteem. Finally, she dumps him. Next month, new guy. This guy trashes her verbally, treats her like scum, chisels away her self-esteem. …

Perpetual Victims make bad choices in men and in life. And then they blame. It was the man’s fault. The boss’ fault. The system’s fault. Perpetual Victims whine. They yell. They sue. They survive one bout of chaos only to whirl into another.

Paula Jones is a Perpetual Victim. Yes, we are blaming the victim here, something women aren’t supposed to do to other women. But Jones’ life, before her encounter with Clinton, was messy. Her mess made it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s called acting out on a national level.

This isn’t an apologia for Clinton. God only knows what happened in that Little Rock, Ark., hotel room in May 1991. Maybe it will finally come out in court and women will finally learn that you don’t go to a man’s hotel room unless you think sex might be involved. Even if that man’s the governor.

Camille Paglia, in her book, “Sex, Art, and American Culture,” talked about the sexual dangers women face in our society. They need to learn, she said, that you don’t blindly walk into that danger. She writes: “A woman going to a fraternity party is walking into Testosterone Flats. A girl who lets herself get dead drunk at a fraternity party is a fool. A girl who goes upstairs alone with a brother at a fraternity party is an idiot. Feminists call this ‘blaming the victim.’ I call it common sense.”

If the case does make it to court, maybe Paula Jones will become a symbol of Perpetual Victim. Maybe it will stop other women from walking her path. There’s really no excuse for women to even be on that path anymore. Not in these days of counseling, women’s groups and 12-step programs. Not in these days of strong women role-models. There are plenty of women not living lives of perpetual victimhood. Find and emulate them.

The Paula Jones case is wasting lots of media time right now. What a shame. And to think it might all have been prevented if someone had just asked Paula this question: “What part of hotel room don’t you understand?”

, DataTimes MEMO: See opposing view under the headline: Woman deserves her day in court

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = EDITORIAL, COLUMN - From both sides

See opposing view under the headline: Woman deserves her day in court

The following fields overflowed: SUPCAT = EDITORIAL, COLUMN - From both sides