Daddy: A Mad Incestuous Dance
Groundviews
Incest in this country has probably been always spoken about, albeit in hushed, almost reverent whispers. Curiosity has probably always led to incestuous acts among children, but then, is that something we can say out loud? It is universally accepted that Adults who engage in incestuous acts are despicable. Filthy. Sick. There is a joke about a Hillbilly family that suggests however, that we like to nervously giggle at the fact that it might be far more common than we allow ourselves to imagine. Far more common than what we admit to, is what we know though, we’re just too afraid to say it out loud and hear the truth. So, the joke:
A Hillbilly son comes home and sits down with his father on their wooden porch, plucks at a banjo, and tells his aging dad that he can’t marry the girl next door because neither her father or brothers had copulated with her. To which the Hillbilly dad replies, “That’s a damn fine decision son, if she ain’t good enough for her family, she ain’t good enough for ours.”
Funny?
What is funny is that report after report of incestuous fathers and adult older brothers appear in our newspapers. And we placate ourselves by believing that this person, this perpetrator of incest, is as far removed for me and mine as can be. ‘Alleged’ becomes a popular word. Also, if it did happen, it must be an isolated incident. And you’re right – incest happens so often as isolated incidents. The isolation of a woman, a girl, who has no escape from her situation, because who would believe her, who would want to believe her. As for the little girls and boys, the ones who are four, what can they say to make you believe they’ve been violated?
