There are a lot of people attempting to justify evil. As I outlined in the above Chief Thoughts, I was influenced by an article entitled What If We've Been Misunderstanding Monsters? from JSTOR Daily. The article used the story of Medusa and her rape at the hands of the God of the Seas Poseidon to justify the evil she perpetrated by turning men to stone. The story that the writer used was not the original story of Medusa but was the story written by the Roman poet Ovid in his work Metamorphoses where she is originally the most beautiful of her Gorgon sisters. In Hesiod's Theogony she was always a hideous Gorgon along with her sisters Stheno, and Euryale and always had a head of snakes. Some myths state that she was raped by Poseidon/Neptune and Athena/Minerva "blamed the victim" and transformed her into a serpent haired monster for having sex in her temple, some myths surmise that Medusa seduced Poseidon/Minerva and some myths divulge that Medusa made the mistake of thinking she was as beautiful or more so than Athena and that is why Athena transformed her into the infamous monster.
I believe that the writer of the article chose the specific myth of Medusa being raped because it fit their narrative. It also fits with how certain segments of society empathize with historical monsters, like Stalin, Mao, Castro, and others who committed unspeakable atrocities to achieve their goals of "equity" in their separate societies. This thinking is the pretext that many in the this society will use to justify evil deeds and embracing evil as some atonement for past harm endured. So any evil action committed against anyone has an advocate because the perpetrator is themselves a victim. It does not matter if the person is good and innocent or bad and guilt blood can be spilt by a hurt person without consequence or there should not be any consequences.
There is no vindication, no exoneration, no exculpation for those who behave like monsters. You are not innocent of atrocities or you should not receive any empathy if you take your past pain and turn it into current or future wickedness. You shall receive no pardon for being a monster towards the innocent, for any trespasses against the guiltless (at least those not guilty of crimes against you or them). The harm they commit is some way that they palliate their past victimization. That will not happen. If you have been raped, a victim of molestation, child abuse, elder abuse, spousal abuse, domestic violence, that is not license to enact a selfish malevolence against society. You will pay if you do so.
Comments