So I feel I need to start this off by saying that it seems pretty clear that Harvey Weinstein is a disgusting wretch of a human being. It should also be very clear that he deserves some serious repercussions for his reprehensible treatment of women.
His career should be over. He deserves to be kicked out of his own company. He deserves to have his movies boycotted from here on out. I will even go so far as to say that we should make an example of him so that people think twice before behaving like he is accused of behaving. Even if you think about doing something like this, have a deep desire to do something like that, and possibly have the power to get away with doing things like he has, the fear of what may happen to you keeps you in check. Make scumbags fear being scumbags!
Let’s be reasonable about this. Let’s make sure we stick with reality. Let’s ask if the punishment fits the crime. Let’s ask if we are allowing others to get away with the same thing, while making him the scapegoat for every person like him.
How many of you still go see X-Men movies despite the deluge of stories about Bryan Singer molesting little boys? How many of you still watch movies from the Jeepers Creepers series even though the writer of every single one of them is a childmolester? Victor Salva was convicted in 1988 of sexually molesting a 12-year-old! Woody Allen is a highly respected filmmaker with his reputation intact, despite so many extremely creepy accounts of his behavior with children. The story reeks of typical Hollywood elite getting away with this kind of behavior. Fatty Arbuckle raped and killed a woman! Errol Flynn got away with having sex with two 17 year olds (Betty Hansen and Peggy Satterlee)! His reputation is still pretty good among women today. Roman Polanski anyone? It’s an endless list.
So how can we scapegoat one person while letting so many get away with the same repulsive behavior? Sure, let’s make an example of him! But let’s not stop with just him. Let’s treat all of the vermin the same.