Sex and its relation to national news stories

Surfacing again for 2024 run

Just another day in paradise I guess: Donald Trump in a deposition gets shown a photo of his rape accuser, E. Jean Carroll, and identifies her as his ex-wife Marla Maples. It took his attorney to make a correction. When speaking of the real accuser, Trump blares out "she's not my type." Ought not to be the kind of comment that endears him to women. 

But none of the usual rules apply to Trump. He could do or say anything with total absurdity, and if you were to point these things out to his supporters here in Stevens County, they'd just smile in a dismissive way. They would be dismissing you. I have experienced this. Maybe I should refrain from talking or writing any more. It's no use. 

Maybe we all should just brace ourselves for a new iteration of the Third Reich. Under those conditions, you'd better stay quiet or you'll be shot. Happened in Germany once. And it's all starting again with the orange man. I'm ashamed to say his first big rally coincides with my birthday later this month. My birthday is on the anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. 

Obedient acolyte Lindsey Graham will of course be present as supporter at the rally. The event will be in Graham's state of South Carolina. First state to secede in the Civil War. We don't comment enough about how so many of the craziest politicos come from the states of the old Confederacy. It's rather verboten, probably based on the "let's all get along" credo. Stereotyping verboten, except that it is certainly not stereotyping in my own mind. 

Sometimes we are forced to walk on eggshells. 

 

Sex and true crime

I see a parallel with the explosion of attention on the Idaho murders. We have heard speculation about drugs. There's the prevalent rumor about how the house was a place to go get drugs. The house was such a party house, it seemed rather a parody of the college party house. I have heard or read about the possible drug angles - a plausible basis for speculation - but I have wondered too about sex. 

Look, my point is not to make a judgment but simply to wonder if it's a valid basis for discussion. I have asked without getting a response, on how such a "cluster" of incredibly attractive girls could coalesce in this one place, the "party house." Weren't the five girls the only residents? 

Kaylee got most of the attention at first as a "looker." Which she most certainly was. As weeks passed, I viewed the group is pretty much equal. Xana was not so much glamorous as she was cute in a "girl next door" way. Most definitely cute. There's video of a police call at the house and Xana answers the door - she is wearing shorts that are up to the crotch. Why? Another video of a cop at the door shows a girl standing there in a highly suggestive way. 

Is this generational? Am I detached? 

 

Examining Dylan

Eventually we heard more about the resident named Dylan. Talk swirling about how she would wait so long to call authorities? And I'd ask: if she actually retired to bed for several hours, as the account goes, wouldn't she have had to leave the room to go to the bathroom? Putting her right next to the horribly cut-up bodies of Xana and Ethan? With the odor quickly mounting? 

Dylan Mortensen (ny post)

But the point I'm making here about Dylan is this: she too is highly attractive. This does not come across so well in the most common photo of her. The photo shows the whole group at the house, plus Ethan. Ethan is the lone guy in all these reviews, did not reside there. A star-crossed guy: spending the night with his girlfriend. 

Dylan is very grubby-dressed in the famous photo of the group. She doesn't knock you out with her looks there. But, I assure you there are other photos of Dylan where she looks like a young Hollywood actress, drop-dead cute. She ought to consider acting classes in Hollywood. How is she living day to day now? Must be nigh impossible for any normality. So how does she do it? 

Bethany Funke has succeeded in being pretty low-profile. She was sleeping on the bottom level when the horror happened. She looks cute in the group photo I have cited here. The photo that has Maddie up on Kaylee's shoulders. Becoming an iconic photo, should maybe inspire a famous painter to apply his brush. 

 

"Turn it up to 11?"

While Bethany looks fine, there are other photos that - just like with Dylan - show her still more attractive. 

It was obvious from the get-go that Kaylee and Maddie were both worthy of the old "10" rating. Is it dated to cite that now? A woman being a "10?" Like Bo Derek? We might cite Spinal Tap also in the sense of "turning it up to 11." Rim shot. 

And I frankly think all the girls of the home were 10s (or 11s). So how did this happen? Coincidence? I don't usually believe in coincidences. Was there a screening process for acceptance? Ordinary-looking girls, or to use Donald Trump's terminology "not my type," need not apply? 

Drug transactions have entered discussions as a theory since the tragedy happened. In other words, you could speak of such in polite company. Getting into sex is more of a problematic thicket. Well, there's this thing called "slut shaming." There is a legitimate expectation to speak of women with a floor of respect. But in true crime, the gamut of theories must be weighed. 

In my own writing I have tossed out the term taught to many of us by Arianna Huffington. Arianna, who is not as high-profile as she once was, wanted to put the term "sugar baby" in front of the public. She went on talk shows. A tawdry matter? Well it doesn't matter because it is a real phenomenon and must be fielded as such. College gets ever more expensive all the time. Young girls have something to offer older men with money. 

With that understanding in place, I should not cast any stones in specific directions. But didn't Kaylee drive a brand new Range Rover? Oh, her parents bought it for her most likely. 

Sex as a transactional thing has become more accepted, more mainstream, so Trump could have his trysts with the porn star and Playboy model - money offered as attempted "hush" compensation - and it's hardly a disqualifier for Trump seeking the presidency. 

It's a fool's errand to try to point out Trump's character flaws with his many supporters here in the Morris area, and elsewhere around outstate Minnesota. We have elected a congressperson who voted against certifying the election results. So we apparently don't care if the framework that was bequeathed us by the Founding Fathers is destroyed.

 

E. Jean Carroll, rape accuser

Earthy language, at least?

Trump can say a woman is "not my type" in a rape case deposition. What would "Ike" Eisenhower say? But the man's first campaign rally in South Carolina is set to launch with all systems appearing "go." I have wondered if I should stop writing about him. But here I am doing it again today. 

It's another depressing mid-January day in Western Minnesota with that persistent "haze." School called off. Surfaces slippery everywhere. 

Reflecting more on Trump and his women, those who give him an erection I guess, it makes me realize that the term "prostitute" has an archaic ring to it. Frankly I think these laws were always difficult to enforce. I guess the enforcement was concentrated on "street prostitution." But as with all areas of the law, the rich people can do essentially the same thing but with a gloss of legitimacy. Is it prostitution if a woman allows herself to be "wined and dined" by a man? Well no. 

Trump has taught us that everything can be transactional. Why not sex too? Consenting adults exchanging what they have to offer. As for the "Idaho Four" who are no longer with us, it seems untoward to put forth theories of seamy behavior they might have been involved in. Some of the "sleuths" do cross the line but I sense real hesitancy with sex. I guess I'm willing to cross the line: just speculation of course. 

Again, what a group of drop-dead beautiful girls living in the quintessential party house. Xana seemed like a wholesome girl but we didn't really know her of course. That's just it: we feel like we have come to know the kids but we barely know anything about them. 

As for the killer, why aren't more people commenting about how he ought to just confess? Would save so much time and trouble. What about the basic ethic of just telling the truth? Why don't more people weigh that? I have not even heard it. So maybe in my own way, I'm a little like the boy who said the emperor has no clothes. 

For all the suspense to end right now would deprive the public and the media of all the salacious pleasure of hashing over the case. Which I guess I'm doing right now. But we are looking at a prolonged legal process, a seemingly never-ending one, as everyone assumes their expected roles for the circus. 

And speaking of circus, there is the rape lawsuit vs. Trump, and his upcoming campaign rally launch which will have lap dog Lindsey Graham at his side. Lindsey Graham of the "nationwide abortion ban" idea. Get up and cheer? I guess it's your decision.

Hey, I have used the words "tawdry," "seamy," "earthy" and "untoward" in this post. How about that?

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com