ArcaMax

PARIS – Sayonara, scarlet letter. Puritanism is now a thing of the past in America, thanks to wild oats broadcast seeder – and President Donald Trump’s candidate for Pentagon chief – Pete Hegseth.

Or is it?

Here in France, and in Europe more generally, no one gives a toss about anyone’s private life, professionally speaking. If anything, the ability to manage intense personal drama while also juggling important work responsibilities is seen as proof of multitasking excellence.

But in North America, we’re told that because character matters, you don’t deserve to progress through the career ranks if you have a blemish on your private life – particularly if you’re a woman. Guys get much more leeway because, well, boys will be boys. A woman, on the other hand, is committing the error of rocking the boat – particularly for men, or for the women who are sticklers for their rules.

It’s as though the only people who would behave corruptly, or blindly follow along with a system that’s rife with cronyism, are those whose private lives are absolute disasters. If that were truly the case though, then a lot of them have apparently slipped through the cracks. Either that, or it’s just a total nonsense worldview that’s peddled for the purpose of automatically excluding potential competitors from the playing field, ultimately resulting in the risk of more control being left in the hands of the less professionally competent.

But as of this month, something extraordinary has happened. The American establishment is now apparently cool with people doing whatever they want in their private lives – or has at minimum cracked open a door to the idea. At least if the recent confirmation hearing for Trump’s nominee for secretary of defense is any indication.

“Let's get into this allegation about sexual assault, inappropriate workplace behavior, alcohol abuse, and financial mismanagement during your time as a nonprofit executive,” said Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), in slipping on the kid gloves and addressing former soldier, Fox News co-host, and veterans nonprofit executive, Hegseth. “I should note that the majority of these have come from anonymous sources in liberal media publications, but I want to give you an opportunity to respond to these allegations, sir.”

Would the distinguished senator have sought to preemptively defend a woman in the same position – even a Republican one on his own team? Would he be just as accommodating if Pete were a Patricia and wanted the top job running America's largest administration – the Pentagon – despite a demonstrated enthusiasm for recreational mattress testing and difficulties with budget math?

We’re talking about the same Sen. Wicker whose voting record strongly suggests that a woman’s own reproductive choices ought to be dictated by the state. And who just as preemptively dismissed any potential future B lack female Supreme Court nominee as a surefire beneficiary of affirmative action.

“I'm not a perfect person, as has been acknowledged, saved by the grace of God, by Jesus and Jenny,” Hegseth replied, referring to his latest wife. “But redemption is real. And God forged me in ways that I know I'm prepared for.”

Wow, he's practically Mary Magdalene, out of whom Jesus cast seven demons. Can anyone imagine for a second a woman with an eyebrow-raising personal life, with accusations which, like those against Hegseth, have led to published police reports, daring to suggest that she’s now been absolved of responsibility by God?

But hey, what’s good enough for Him is apparently good enough for the uniparty of old establishment cronies in the Senate, who mostly didn't want to push the issue, with the exception of a few Democrats. This is perhaps the first time that the Republican Party has shown itself to be so trollop-friendly.

“I'm sure there are millions of Americans watching who would agree that they've experienced that same sort of redemption,” replied Wicker. “So, I do appreciate that. I realize that it involves a little bearing of the soul, but thank you for that.” Indeed, how horrible that this poor fellow has had to “bare his soul” in front of the nation. Would any woman with the same media coverage of her sensational personal life have ever even made it into that same hot seat? Highly doubtful.

The next issue: Hey, Pete, what’s the deal with that tramp stamp? Well, at least that’s what tattoos are often called when women have them and used to marginalize them, regardless of size or depiction. But Hegseth expressed indignation during his hearing that the massive black Jerusalem Cross emblazoned across his chest had raised concerns of "extremism" and resulted in his exclusion from serving with the National Guard at President Joe Biden’s inauguration.

Poor guy is just trying to catch a break from the morality police as he blasts open the Overton Window on conventional respectability, but it looks like he may have actually scored a breakthrough.

Hegseth’s confirmation should serve as a watershed moment in American life, when private lives are no longer considered automatically disqualifying for professional consideration.

“The DEI policies of today … are dividing troops inside formations, causing commanders to walk on eggshells, not putting meritocracy first,” Hegseth said, in a discussion about the impact of diversity on war fighting. Hegseth himself could be considered a diversity candidate for the Pentagon chief’s job, since his candidacy marks the first time that someone has multiplied publicly documented accounts of drunkenness, bedroom trampoline artistry, and ditz fiduciary accounting, and has still managed to emerge largely unscathed.

If only it could also serve as a turning point for the many women who routinely face persecution from the North American establishment for so much less.