In light of recent events regarding the sex abuse scandal of Ray Moore, President Donald Trump spoke out questioning not only the validity of Moore’s accusers, but the authenticity of his infamous Hollywood Access tape. Regardless of the PSA he released near the end of his campaign acknowledging and apologizing for his words caught on the tape, Trump has questioned whether he was the one speaking on the tape. Trump also defends Moore against the allegations, comparing them to the accusations of sexual harassment filed against himself.
His stance on the surge of sexual harassment and assault victims has shifted depending on the political party of the accused—supporting the women speaking out against Senator Al Franken, but challenging those accusing Moore. Comparable to his recently changed view of the Hollywood Access tape, Trump continues questioning the voice and credibility of the tape. “It’s dangerous to democracy; you’ve got to have shared facts. There’s empirical evidence that says no, that was your voice on the tape, you admitted it before,” Senator Jeff Flake commented last Tuesday. Many political figures are frustrated with Trump’s denial of the truth for which he has already apologized. In recent press conferences, White House representative, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, denies to comment on the president’s current belief regarding the tape, continuously stating, “This has been previously addressed at the end of his campaign.”
Trump’s sudden questioning of the tape, despite its release over a year ago, is a significant example of our society’s acceptance of an alternate reality. This tape was the beginning of the media’s focus on sexual harassment and abuse. When our president debunks the tape, he is creating false beliefs regarding any case of sexual harassment or abuse, as a situation can easily be re-written. The facts continue to change and we need to care about questioning rather than accepting. This quality of acceptance allows society to live in denial, failing to ask why history is constantly being rewritten.
