I’ve already said I don’t automatically believe women or men as a class. In fact, I don’t believe or disbelieve a member of any group simply because that person is a member of that group. I evaluate each accusation on its own merits, knowing how difficult that is when the only evidence is often just the competing stories of the parties.
That’s why the proliferation of accusations that are part of the #MeToo campaign on Twitter and elsewhere troubles me. Sexual harassment exists; no doubt about that. There are all kinds and all degrees. There are avenues for redress. And there are sometimes reasons that the victims don’t report the offenses when they first occur.
And there are also lies, both big and small, on all sides.
The process of sorting it out is very difficult, and doubt often remains. But now it’s happening more often that the legal process is circumvented and we are left with the court of public opinion, and the acceptance of every accusation as the gospel truth by a huge segment of the population.
I don’t operate that way. But I seem increasingly to be a dinosaur.
Some of the newest misdeeds reported include an old man’s lame joke. Really? Is a woman so very weak and defenseless that this constitutes some heinous crime? Can’t we save the real outrage for more egregious offenses such as those Weinstein is alleged to have committed, and/or times when there is a quid pro quo (or threat) stated or at least implied?
Take a look at the Mark Halperin story:
Five women told CNN that Halperin sexually harassed them while at ABC News, with some accusing him of inappropriately propositioning him and pressing his genitals against them without consent. Halperin served in powerful positions at ABC, including as the network’s political director, though none of the women who spoke with CNN say Halperin threatened their careers or promised to help them in exchange for sex.
In a statement to CNN, ABC News said that Halperin has not worked at the network for a while and that “no complaints were filed during his tenure.”
The five women told CNN that they did not report the incidents to human resources because they feared retribution from Halperin. They spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity because they know Halperin is an influential member of the media.
I hold no brief for Halperin. I don’t ordinarily watch the news on TV and until today was almost completely unfamiliar with him except for a few brief moments he was connected to some story or other. He appears to be guilty of some of these offenses, having admitted to the following:
Halperin apologized for “[pursuing] relationships with women that I worked with, including some junior to me”, but denied pressing his genitals against a woman and grabbing another woman’s breast.
More about the accusations:
On October 26, 2017, CNN reported that five women had come forward and accused Halperin of sexual harassment. One woman told the network she was assaulted after visiting Halperin in the early 2000s. “I went up to have a soda and talk and ”” he just kissed me and grabbed my boobs,” the woman said. “I just froze. I didn’t know what to do.” Another woman told CNN that Halperin once pressed his penis on her shoulder during the 2004 campaign cycle. “I was obviously completely shocked,” she said. “Given I was so young and new I wasn’t sure if that was the sort of thing that was expected of you if you wanted something from a male figure in news.”
As I said, it seems to me that Halperin is guilty—perhaps not of every single element of every single alleged offense, but of the general pattern and of many if not most of them. They are not trivial; although they’re not in Weinstein territory, they are offensive if unwanted.
But I am surprised at these women’s self-reported reactions, too. After all, these are not women who came of age in the 40s and 50s. These are women steeped in the idea that they are strong, and that unwanted touching is bad and that they can report people who sexually harass them at work and get some sort of redress. So, they “froze” and “didn’t know what to do”? Why not? Even a woman of my generation knows what to do—have some courage, and step up to the plate! Is it so hard to tell someone his behavior is unwanted and unacceptable? Is it so hard to report him? Is it so hard to do something that might jeopardize your job? Isn’t it the case that people often have to take a stand that might threaten their jobs, or risk being morally compromised? Is it too much to ask that people do it anyway?
Apparently, it is. Here’s some more:
Halperin served in powerful positions at ABC, including as the network’s political director, though none of the women who spoke with CNN say Halperin threatened their careers or promised to help them in exchange for sex.
In a statement to CNN, ABC News said that Halperin has not worked at the network for a while and that “no complaints were filed during his tenure.”
No threats. No promises, either. And no complaints.
So why were these women so very afraid? What are they willing to stand up for if it threatens their job? Anything? Are they only coming forward now—post-Weinstein, post Ailes and O’Reilly—because it involves so little risk?
I’m not asking everyone to be a profile in courage. But certainly, in the absence of any overt threat, it shouldn’t be too much to ask that a woman report harassment. If you want to mix it up in corporate life, you have to have some sort of spine, don’t you? Must everything be a completely Safe Space, with no risk whatsoever and no responsibilities on your part to even defend yourself in the ways that are available to you?
