Begoña Gómez and the persecution of first ladies

If the latest events of the 21st century don't have you confused or distracted, it's because you live outside of everything. And if you're still operating with 20th-century codes, you'd better get a move on, or the tsunami will catch you by surprise. Because in the midst of the era of "fake news, trying to fit what happens into the logic of reality is a useless task, as useless as trying to live without an internet connection.

The tradition of using women as a projectile weapon is a long one. It is likely that, from the very first clashes between men, violence against the women of enemies – including sexual violence – was used to neutralize them, a custom that apparently has not been lost and which we find in every single current war conflict. Likewise, the harassment and downfall of first ladies is not new. Thus, the Begoña Gómez case is an evident case of wanting to destabilize a government. By the way, to see that the case does not hold up anywhere, one doesn't need to be left-wing or socialist; one only needs to have common sense.

Since they cannot finish off President Sánchez at the ballot box – because, apparently, he has more lives than a cat –, some have seen the opportunity to erode his figure by attacking his wife, after having bothered his brother, who is as much of a delinquent as Ayuso's partner is honest. Let us not be afraid to call it police and judicial far-right, which we all know exists. Nothing new, because, as I say, the practice of attacking first ladies to try to overthrow governments is not new.

In the 20th century, we can mention a couple of notable cases. In today's controversial United States –vade retro–, both Eleanor Roosevelt and Hillary Clinton received numerous attacks in their day aimed at weakening the power of their respective husbands, whose political opponents did not hesitate to use any method to achieve their goals. The right wing became so obsessed with Eleanor Roosevelt, for example, that after her husband's death she had to carry a gun because the Ku Klux Klan even offered a reward for her head.

Already in the 21st century, we can highlight the cases of Michelle Obama and Brigitte Macron, accused, among other things, of not having been born women, a medal that they have also wanted to hang on Begoña Gómez. The difference is that, when they were first ladies, both Mrs. Clinton and Mrs. Roosevelt were politically very active, while it has not been necessary for Mrs. Macron and Mrs. Sánchez to be politically active for them to have been attacked.

If the 21st century has brought us gratuitous attacks against first ladies who have a more passive and politically non-threatening role, it is because in the era of fake news attacks no longer need to respond to any real threat. It is simply the same old story: trying to bring down men by hurting their wives. Given the situation, I don't know about you, but I am sharpening my common sense to not believe the siren songs of those who have no scruples when it comes to using lies as flammable material.