Last month’s issue of Marijuana Venture featured a cover story on Women Grow. I’m no expert on its business model, or how it’s helping women in the cannabis industry, but I know that in many ways and in many industries, women are still at a big disadvantage over men. Men often make more money than women working the same jobs, and women regularly see advancement and management positions come at much slower rates.
I currently have a daughter in college and often think about how she’s going to fare in her post-university life and career. I wonder if my 20-year-old daughter will face all the hurdles so many women face in their careers today, or if she will live and work in a world that continues to make real progress toward equality in the workplace.
In 2015/2016 we saw a great — and rather ugly — example of how the “good old boys” network still works today to “put women in their place.”
Remember the “lock her up” chants when Donald Trump and his gaggle of useful idiots were going after Hillary Clinton at his rallies? Think back to how the crowds laughed and seemed to enjoy the thought of a powerful woman, a former senator, secretary of state and accomplished lawyer, being charged with a crime and possibly landing in jail. Well, it turns out that Hillary — a highly qualified, but far from perfect, candidate — has never been charged with any of the crimes that Trump and his cronies alleged.
On the other hand, Mike Flynn, Paul Manafort, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon and Trump Organization chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg (just to name a few) have all been either indicted, charged and/or convicted of a whole slew of crimes ranging from tax fraud and witness tampering to sex crimes, lying to the FBI, wire fraud and numerous other examples of wrongdoing. Trump himself is in hot water as numerous state and federal investigations continue to look at the ex-president — not the least of which is his scheme to overturn a democratic election based on a Big Lie about non-existent voter fraud. Thankfully, Trump is looking increasingly isolated and bereft of supporters, save for those without a properly functioning brain.
To me, the part of this sad chapter that sticks out more than anything else is this vision of a bunch of spoiled, immature frat boys ganging up on a woman who was an easy target. Hillary may not have been the most lovable presidential candidate ever, or even the most qualified. However, it turns out she was a whole lot smarter and more honest than the gang of bullies that Trump surrounded himself with. Bannon, Flynn, Manafort, Stone and many other Trump acolytes have proven themselves to be neither patriots nor honorable men who respect women. In the end, I suspect that history will place Hillary Clinton in a position of respect and admiration. The men who ganged up on her and who then ended up charged with a variety of crimes? Not so much.
Pretty ironic how the tables have turned on a big group of women-hating bullies who only a few years ago were yucking it up on stage in front of big crowds. Hopefully in the future, we’ll learn to better appreciate and trust the smart, decent women trying to lead us, whether as a nation, or an industry.
Greg James
Publisher