OPINION:
In the end, Hollywood superproducer Harvey Weinstein will be remembered for his (alleged) sexual crimes far more than for his films.
But even more poetically, his greatest impact may be ushering in a new era of shame and consequences for sexual predators and men behaving very badly.
If you live your life in a way that aims to treat everyone with respect, as I certainly try to do, then the last six weeks have been horrifying.
Who are these men who behave this way? Who enables this behavior? Who are the managers who looked the other way? Why hasn’t law enforcement been involved in these cases for years?
Wealthy, elite men — in the fields of entertainment, journalism, politics and government, among others — have been preying on women for decades. And they’ve been getting away with it.
The #MeToo movement may have started as a hashtag, but it has become a truly powerful catalyst for change.
AUDIO: Matt Mackowiak with political consultant Doug Schoen
No woman should ever have to choose between professional advancement and denying an unwanted sexual advance.
In fact, a superior in any office setting cannot have a truly consensual relationship with a colleague who works for them because the lower-ranked professional must consider power dynamics. This is the reason why most employers have rules against workplace colleagues dating.
There has always been a natural tension between men and women — call it sexual chemistry or the thrill of the hunt. Men are simple beings; they have physical needs. Women like to be pursued. Thus, it has always been.
It has become common to say that “Chivalry is dead,” but recent weeks have certainly confirmed that it may be on life support.
Recent allegations against Sen. Al Franken, Minnesota Democrat, Rep. John Conyers Jr., Michigan Democrat, and U.S. Senate candidate Roy Moore, Alabama Republican, are all very serious.
In my view, none of them should hold public office.
Mr. Franken took advantage of a sleeping woman (not his wife), and the photo shows him groping her. He also forcibly kissed her. He has admitted the first part and says he remembers the second part differently, but he has apologized to her and his apology was accepted. A second accuser has come forward with a groping allegation against him during his time as a senator. The Senate Ethics Committee will investigate the matter, and resignation calls have been increasing.
Mr. Conyers first denied, then admitted, that public taxpayer dollars were used to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit made against him by a staffer. Why is this settlement sealed when taxpayer dollars are used? His hometown paper has called for his resignation, and even House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, California Democrat, has called for a House Ethics Committee investigation.
The allegations against Roy Moore are far more serious. He is alleged to have harassed and assaulted teenage girls three decades ago, when he was in his 30s and an assistant district attorney. It is an interesting circumstance that these allegations never surfaced in eight previous runs for office and now come up six weeks before an election. But the accusers have been far more credible than Mr. Moore has been. Mr. Moore should have had the decency to step down, and not put President Trump and the GOP in the impossible position they are in. Now a precious Senate seat may go to the Democrats for two years. Should Mr. Moore win, he will be radioactive, ineffective and harm Republicans everywhere. Alabama voters now must decide.
Where do we go from here?
The most encouraging thing about this watershed moment is that women are now presumed to be telling the truth. Accusing someone of sexual harassment or assault is not fun and does not benefit the accuser. I suspect it’s a miserable experience. But it is also part of the healing process.
For decades, perhaps beginning with Clinton accusers in the 1990s, women were not believed and, in fact, they were attacked when they stepped forward. Newspapers were afraid of lawsuits and rarely printed allegations.
Now everything has changed.
All men must realize that women must be treated with respect. Failing to do this could jeopardize their careers and perhaps even their freedom.
All employers must reassess whether they have adequate policies in place and strengthen the reporting system for allegations that victims have available to them.
It is abundantly clear that Congress has massively failed in this respect and an urgent remedy is needed.
The days of “boys being boys” are over. This is a good thing. There is no place for sexual violence in America.
These crimes must be investigated and prosecuted. Predators must be identified and shamed, with real consequences for their actions.
The #MeToo movement started as an idea, but it must continue through to achieve real, lasting reforms.
• Matt Mackowiak is the president of Austin, Texas, and Washington, D.C.-based Potomac Strategy Group, a Republican consultant and former press secretary to two U.S. senators. His national politics podcast, “Mack on Politics,” may be found on iTunes, Google Play and Stitcher.
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