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Many Say #MeToo is Bigger than Harvey Weinstein, Trial Outcome Doesn’t Matter

NNPA NEWSWIRE — The Weinstein case has been categorized by some as one of the most significant #MeToo cases in history. This is because of the severity of the allegations against him and the fact that those allegations came early on in the movement and attracted much attention. It’s also true that many of the allegations are fairly recent and involved some of Hollywood’s best-known female stars. Conversely, many of the allegations in several similar cases are often decades old and/or occurred far outside of the statutes of limitations.

Published

4 years ago

January 12, 2020

Stacy M. Brown

Harvey Weinstein in Paris at the César Awards ceremony in 2014. (Photo: Georges Biard / Wikimedia Commons)

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Former Hollywood and entertainment industry mogul Harvey Weinstein’s sexual assault trial is entering its second week. The founder of Miramax, who has produced such blockbuster films as “A Thin Blue Line,” “Sex, Lies, and Videotape,” and “Pulp Fiction,” is facing five sex crime charges that could result in imprisonment for the remainder of his life if found guilty. Weinstein appeared at the courthouse in December using a walker. Many believe that his use of the apparatus was an attempt by his defense team to garner sympathy from the court and potential jurors.

The Weinstein case has been categorized by some as one of the most significant #MeToo cases in history. This is because of the severity of the allegations against him and the fact that those allegations came early on in the movement and attracted much attention. It’s also true that many of the allegations are fairly recent and involved some of Hollywood’s best-known female stars. Conversely, many of the allegations in several similar cases are often decades old and/or occurred far outside of the statutes of limitations.

“If women with that influence and power could be victimized, anyone can,” stated Nora V. Demleitner, a Roy L. Steinheimer Jr. Professor of Law at Washington and Lee University in Virginia.

“Also, the types of accusations against Weinstein were so egregious that, as alleged, they easily met the standard of serious crimes. For all these reasons and the fact that we are now witnessing a criminal trial that keeps the case in the news, it is more important than the others,” Demleitner stated.

“Should Matt Lauer be tried, that may change the calculus as he is an even better-known figure than Weinstein in the public’s eye,” she added.

At least 100 women, including several A-list actresses, have alleged that Weinstein used the casting couch to sexually harass and assault them.

Former Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Emily D. Baker said, even with all of the evidence against Weinstein, a conviction is no slam dunk. “When it comes to sexual assault cases, juries can be funny,” stated Baker, currently a private citizen whose practice represents online business owners and entrepreneurs.

“Prosecutors still have to overcome victim-blaming and shamming mindsets that are so prevalent. While the defense may argue that Weinstein won’t get a fair trial because of the notoriety of the case and the allegations, the victims of sexual assault have to overcome our culture’s everyday biases against the women,” Baker stated.

In spite of the number of accusers, or perhaps because of them, Jonathan Farley, a Visiting Professor of Mathematics at the California Institute of Technology, who has a reputation for arguing unpopular viewpoints, believes Weinstein shouldn’t even be on trial.

“None of these women have proof, and common sense tells us that they were more than willing participants, in order to get roles,” Farley stated. “[One woman] says Weinstein raped her twice. How does that work again?”

Furthermore, Farley added that Weinstein’s lawyers should bring as witnesses “the hundreds of men the accusers have been carnal with to refute the idea that they were these innocent virgins before being despoiled by Weinstein.”

“Why are men second-class citizens? Why can any woman destroy a man’s life without a shred of evidence?” Farley stated.

The case of the People of New York against Harvey Weinstein occurs as the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office announced that they have also filed four felony counts of sexual assault against Weinstein.

Those charges stem from alleged attacks on two different women over two days in California in 2013.

Sophie Sandberg, the founder of the Instagram channel, “Catcalls of NYC,” said celebrity men all had become symbols in the #MeToo movement, and that can have a negative impact in many ways.

“First, it can result in the false impression that we can get rid of all the men who are abusers and fix the problem. Rather, the #MeToo movement should be about changing systemic inequality that results in widespread gender-based sexual harassment on the streets, in workplaces and schools,” Sandberg stated.

“Second, as a result of these celebrities being fired and put on trial, many men feel that they are being targeted and victimized by the #MeToo movement. This can result in retaliation and backlash,” she stated.

It can be argued that somewhere along the way, justice for victims of sexual assault seems to have taken a back seat to the desire for validation by parties from either side of the #MeToo movement divide. After all, if accused defendants, like Weinstein, are found guilty of their actions in a court of law, is their crime less heinous because it was executed on a casting couch instead of at the end of a weapon?

Nicole Porter, a professor of law at The University of Toledo College of Law, stated that Weinstein caused the current iteration of the #MeToo movement, but the action is about so much more than Harvey Weinstein or his criminal case.

“In my opinion, the #MeToo movement has had its biggest impact in two ways,” Porter stated. “Getting the public to understand how big of a problem sexual harassment and assault is and getting employers to take sexual harassment in the workplace more seriously,” Porter added.

“I don’t think the outcome of this trial will affect the #MeToo movement. If he gets convicted, I imagine the majority of the public will be happy about that, although there will be a sizable and likely very vocal minority who might feel like he should have been acquitted,” Porter noted.

She continued:

“If he does not get convicted, I don’t think that will hurt the #MeToo movement very much. The movement is not about him anymore. Whether or not the State of New York chose to prosecute Harvey Weinstein has nothing to do with what has happened with Charlie Rose or Matt Lauer.”

Stacy M. Brown

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

May 24, 2023 – Walker West Music Academy gets an early start on expansion. Join us for a Wednesday episode of The …
The post Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy first appeared on BlackPressUSA.