By Audrey Elwood, Campus News Editor

The so-called “online generation,” Gen Z has been wholly desensitized to pretty much every event. Everything is a joke, with no tragedy unscathed. The constant onslaught of news and perpetually moving to the next big tragedy leaves no room for reflection or real change. 

The Department of Justice (DOJ) released the long awaited Epstein files on Friday including witness testimonies. These files have been in the public zeitgeist for years, but now that they are out, it’s… a little too quiet. 

Some of the things in the files are truly, utterly heinous. Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein allegedly had “Calendar Girls” parties, or parties where young girls were auctioned off. 

 “Jeffrey Epstein would bring the children in and Trump would auction them off. He measured the children’s vulva and vaginas by entering a finger and rated the children on tightness,” the complaint stated. These claims are not verified, however Florida businessman George Houraney corroborated the story to the New York Times. 

Alongside this, a page was removed that stated that Trump was present while a newborn was murdered. 

 “Donald Trump participated regularly in paying money to force her to perform sex acts with him and alleged Trump was present when her uncle murdered her newborn child,” the complaint stated. This complaint was made by a 13-year-old girl to the New York Police Department (NYPD). Again, this is not confirmed by the DOJ, but when the statement is searched for on the DOJ’s website it comes up with the exact statement. When attempting to access it via PDF, it displays an error message.

Former President Bill Clinton was seen in photos in a hot tub with Epstein and a victim. Alongside him, Elon Musk is seen emailing asking for details of an Epstein party on St. Barts. Epstein replied that there is “always space” for Musk. 

Yet, all I see on my social feeds are jokes about how Epstein “mogs.” Since the possibility of the files being released was such an impossibility for so long, I think people have internalized a sense of apathy. Now that the big bombs are metaphorically dropped, what happens now? 

Instead of caring about the victims and justice, we just care about the celebrity names. I do not care if it is my favorite celebrity ever, they should be investigated. Republican or Democrat, male or female, it does not matter, period. The victims who have for so long been slienced, many of them driven to suicide are finally getting justice.

With what has been happening in Minnesota, the country is distracted and broken. These files, that have been in constant conversation since 2016, will be swept under the rug. One tragedy overshadows another perpetually until we move on to the next tragedy.

Victims of sexual abuse are often used as the gotcha. A “Look this person is bad,” and then left at that. We will yell “a minorrrrrr” at a club, but be silent when that minor asks for justice. These were children. If we cannot give them justice, what can we do? If a society cannot protect the most innocent and vulnerable, that society has fully and utterly failed. 

If we are constantly belittling the significance of important matters, how far will we go until it is too late? Let’s believe the victims. Let’s listen to the victims.