Hypocrisy Rules Supreme

You can't argue for universality of human rights and dignity, bash Islamists for promoting child marriages, and for basically treating women like property (except when they are needed for propaganda), and then go and claim that 40 years ago Alabama culture permitted much older men to molest teenage girls (despite the laws to the contrary) and that it's perfectly ok and not at all creepy. If it's creepy when your political opponent does it, it's creepy when your guy does it as well. Just sayin'.

One of the issues that really bothers me about this whole thing with Moore is how easily the public has created double standards. The same religious Christians who are all up an arms for the horrific Islamist cultures that have no regard for women or for individual rights are completely nonchalant about allegations concerning Moore so long as they can score a political victory. Well, if in your cost-benefit analysis, a 2-year Senate seat outweighs any moral considerations, that's certainly up to you, but you will have lost any right to sit in moral judgment of other people and the nasty or blatantly illegal things that they do. And expect me to question the defenders of Moore every time they express outrage about Hollywood pervs who are accused of doing similar things, which are likewise from long ago and at this point, unprovable. No, I don't expect politicians to be saints. I do expect their supporters to have enough intellectual honesty to hold themselves to the same standards they expect of their opposition.

Simple Rules for Sexual Harassment Claims

To those who are now gloating about Mike Pence's position on never having one-on-one dinner with women who are not his wife - that's his personal business, and I respect his position, but I do NOT want the United States turn into a cultural theocracy with Biblical laws being enforced for every interaction between the sexes. I'd rather risk being sexually harassed. That said, to guard people's reputations, the following guidelines should be ensured:

Any reporting of alleged harassment should be reported within a reasonable period of time (i.e. a few days), regardless of victim's age. If it's not reported within that time period, the victim automatically is assumed to be lying. Every reported incident should be investigated, but if there is no evidence to support what happened, the target of the probe should be publicly cleared.

And people of all backgrounds, ages, and both sexes should assume common sense when interacting with each other. Unless you think your advances are going to be welcomed (i.e. if you are in a relationship), leave the other person alone! Also, there is a difference between an unwelcome but not forceful advance, that stops as soon as the woman says no, or shows displeasure, and demanding sexual favors in return for a job. And if you are drunk and then change your mind later, that should absolutely count against you. Don't be so passed out drunk that you can be taken advantage of or that your judgment is so impaired that you make decisions you otherwise wouldn't. There is no reason why society or anyone else should be held responsible for your stupidity.

A Word or Two on Roy Moore And Reputational Politics

Regarding the Roy Moore controversy, the circumstances and motivations around the accuser's allegations should be impeachable no matter who the accused is, an d if the alleged crime or grievance is of sexual nature, it is no different than any other set of circumstances. The fact that these accusations popped up in the heat of an election season is relevant. The fact that WaPo appears to contradict itself by claiming that all 4 alleged victims knew nothing of each other and yet somehow managed to find them all through one of them is relevant.

The circumstances around one of the accused leads credence to the high likelihood that politics played at least a part in in this accusation at this time. I urge you to read up about this individual, the one who is a mother of a troubled son, and judge for yourself. The court of public opinion should be no different than the court of law in judging all relevant factors before making a determination as to the guilt or innocence of the individual. I find Roy Moore a highly dislikable character, and I deplore the fact that he has been drafted to run, much less the fact that he was chosen over the eminently more qualified Mo Brooks by the people of Alabama as their nominee. I think it is indicative of very poor judgment on many people's part. However, none of the issues I have with him are a crime. To the extent that he is being accused of a crime of sexual nature, his comments about homosexuals, his actions as a judge, and everything else you could very reasonably criticize is completely irrelevant.

However, precisely because this candidate is so troubled by so many OTHER real, proven character issues it is very easy to pile on to him and make people who are already prone to dislike him believe that he is guilty of every accusation simple because he is an unpleasant man of low character in other respects. And we have seen it done before by REpublicans and Democrats alike to each other, as well as to their own last year, and on previous occasions. For that reason, I tend to be MORE skeptical of such accusations with unlikable, icky, annoying people like Moore than with popular seemingly pleasant actors or less controversial politicians. And I think no politician should EVER be forced to step down on the basis of allegation by one or even several people with a 40-year old history with no other apparent evidence and no admission from the politician himself. IF Moore were to admit to such actions or if information emerges showing these allegations to be true, I'll be the first to agree that his place is likely in prison rather than in the Senate. (Let's not kid ourselves: this is not about impropriety, adultery, fornication, or other personal flaws in judgment. Moore is being accused of a sex crimes against minors. If proven to be true, he should have a criminal investigation launched against him, never mind the end of his campaign).

If we let every allegation sprung up against a controversial politician in the middle of the election be grounds for immediate withdrawal, soon enough we will have no one to run at all, because beyond any doubt, the tactic of smearing reputations, however damaged by other factors through sheer fabrications that play into other popular controversies of the day, will become universal.

More Shocking News from Hollywood Coming Soon

Next thing you know, they'll discover that Hollywood people drink alcohol excessively, do drugs, and abuse their spouses and partners... oh wait. Everyone knows, and no one actually cares.

On the Harvey Weinstein Kerfuffle and Victimhood

Teaching would-be victims how to defend themselves and not be victims is not victim-shaming or victim-blaming. It's a way to prevent dangerous situations and potentially save people from traumatic experiences. No one is taking moral culpability off the offender. But would you rather have to survive sexual assault or exploitation and then get to talk how evil the attacker was or prevent sexual assault or exploitation was and talk about how evil the attempted attacker was? And frankly, if stopping the attacker first time around is going to deter him/her from future assaults, it's well worth it.

Not a Popular Point of View about the Hollywood Feminists

Same "feminists" who are supportive of FGM and burqas, kept silent on Harvey Weistein (and most likely dozens of others like him in Hollywood), and are now all outraged.

Sorry, I have a difficult time gathering up sympathy right now.

I have even less sympathy for all the women who were ok with the actors grabbing at them, and didn't say anything at the time. Unlike the rich powerful producer, the actors at these random parties were not in a position of power.

You don't get to be a willing participant in the game and help oppress other people and perpetuate this sick culture, and then expect to be treated as a victim. You don't get to promote and cover up abuse, and perhaps hush up others who wanted to speak out, and then claim shame.

The Harvey Weinstein Kerfuffle.

Love when men tell me how I am supposed to think about and discuss sexual harassment. Also love the faux outrage when everyone is jumping on the bandwagon of shock and awe over Harvey, and all the wealthy, hypocritical women who covered up for him. Please don't pretend not to have known this goes in Hollywood on a daily basis. And you know what, all these people choose to live surrounded by other hypocrites and only speak up when they are shamed into it. I am not shocked or impressed by all the profiles in courage who are repeating the same outcries as during identical two week "crisis" over Charlottesville.

Want to help women? Lead by example and help create work environment where this is not tolerated. Advocate for individual women who are abused. Educate your kids on how to stand up to inappropriate behavior. Teach your daughters strength and self-respect. And don't stay silent when you see someone else, in academia, in politics, in law firms, engaged in supine behavior. Your internet courage of attacking me is not impressive. When I see you defending women, instead of attacking them, maybe then I will be incline to take mass condemnations seriously. But I can't now, when women's empowerment and safety is largely a rhetorical point for promoting political agendas by the usual suspects.

One Of These Two Is Not LIke The Other

On the Harvey Weinstein-Trump comparisons:

One has been accused of rape by multiple people and caught on police tape actually groping someone.

The other bragged about the women who let him grab them and acted crude and off-putting.

The first is deeply illegal. The second is in exceptionally poor taste and undignified, but NOT RAPE.
So no, not all uncouth behavior is created equal. If it turns out that Harvey rumors are unsubstantiated and he never harassed anyone and there is no truth to rumors of rape, maybe then you can say that the comparisons Trump have been appropriate.

But as of now, the allegations against one, that appear to have at least some merit, are significantly worse than the allegations against the other. You just can't compare the two.

Dislike Trump all you want. There are plenty of things you can say about him. You can say that HIS videotape was shocking, inappropriate, unpresidential, immoral, and awful. All of that is true.

But comparing someone who is possibly a rapist to someone who is definitely not is doing no favors for the victims of rape and sexual harassment.