I agree we need to look at people as potentially flawed, and not as heroes. I don’t know how best to do that. The Bible does point out that we have to be constantly careful lest we stumble, too. With the latest sad story about Larry Nasser, we realize that physicians are equally at risk. I always bring a chaperone in with me for any appropriate exams; and I often ask her for advice as to how to avoid compromising situations. Our practice is reviewing standards thoroughly to be even more responsible. I’m glad.
Speaking for myself, I’m pleased that I’ve lived to see the positive effects of the #MeToo movement. But that does not deny that even the most valid of movements will have a minority of supporters who push it to far and too fast. I have no first hand knowledge of the Ayala case, but I’ll bet that the “more than 60 witnesses” that @beaglelady refers to failed to form a united front to report the harassment problem, because there was no forum to do so. As both students and faculty, they worked in a building with Ayala’s name on it–to which he donated millions of dollars to build. Had #MeToo been in existence (and a powerful force) a decade or so earlier, a complaint could safely have been lodged with University authorities stating that Ayala’s ‘Old World gentlemanly behavior’ (that most probably he honestly felt) was resented and must promptly cease. This might have avoided most of the damage done to both parties–harasser and victims. Hopefully it will have that effect in the future.
Al Leo
I just listened to Christianity Today’s “Quick to Listen” podcast,What Tim Keller Wants American Christians to Know... | Christianity Today
in which they discuss morality with Tim Keller (who advocates moderation in all things). What struck me was that he said (to paraphrase), that while he’s glad for the Me Too movement as a Christian, popular sentiment seems fickle. When he was in college, he said, all professors seemed to be sleeping with their students–and if you objected, you were considered a prude. That’s now revealed to be obviously very abusive; but it does make me think about how it’s important to look to a single standard, not just how the crowd feels. I wonder what others think of this–especially those that remember the '60s, and if this is accurate.
Having thought through that, Indiana Jones even had a rather scary remark, “You knew what you were doing,” and implied an improper relationship with a girl (see this link about how old–12 years was proposed by a discussion with Lucas) https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/problematic-faves-indiana-jones. It’s frightening how abuse can happen with such justification–and while I recall being uncomfortable when I first heard it (thanks to my parents’ godly upbringing) I don’t recall anyone complaining about how it glorified underage sex with an older male. Thanks.
At least people are getting more sensitive to stuff. You can tell when you watch old tv shows. My husband and I watched the first season of X-files recently. We never watched it when it was on in the 90s. We were surprised at the way Mulder treated Scully, saying things that would definitely count as workplace harassment today. And our kids were watching Saved By The Bell on Netflix and we kept being slightly horrified by things. Like the adult manager of the hangout restaurant hitting on his high school wait staff. Or the sexy school nurse trying to fake-seduce Zach, allegedly to teach him some kind of lesson. But we had to stop the show and tell our kids that no adult should ever even pretend to want to kiss a junior higher. That’s SO inappropriate. And I won’t even get into the racist stereotype characters that were always showing up.
Well I am afraid to ask.
I guess there can be a moral of compassion on those who come from other times and places, but only if one gives no excuses in bringing them lovingly up to speed . I am afraid I will look back with horror on my own current prejudices.
I do remember the fifties, and the reticence over matters sexual in films and TV that were, in the sixties, rejected as repressive and not “cutting edge” for the sexual freedom that would make the world a happy place… much as we have now, I suppose.
“I deeply regret that what I have always thought of as the good manners of a European gentleman — to greet women colleagues warmly, with a kiss to both cheeks, to compliment them on their beauty — made colleagues I respect uncomfortable,” Ayala, who grew up in Madrid, said Friday in a statement. “It was never my intent to do so.”
So he kissed them on the cheeks and complimented them? Once upon a time, this is how people said hello.
“more than 60 witnesses.”
People generally don’t do things they know to be wrong in front of so many…
How is that a good thing? The ‘Me Too’ political movement has destroyed more than a few innocent men’s lives already…
Keep in mind this is him trying to justify his behavior. Things like this depend an awful lot on the power differences. Many men have known for a long time that many women are uncomfortable with things like this – it just simply didn’t matter that much to them, or they didn’t believe it when they were told, or they thought it was somehow their job to teach them to like it. How many people should have to tell a person that his style of greeting is inappropriate and unwanted before he stops? Fewer than 60?
No doubt it has. Our justice systems have also many times punished innocent people. But that doesn’t mean that crime isn’t a big problem. When we live in a world of rampant crime, that kind of stuff happens more and more. Men would do well to ask themselves what made such a movement like this so necessary in the first place. Perhaps our ages-long habits of power-abuse are going to have “unpleasant” consequences for somebody other than the victims, maybe? If students in a school cultivate a reputation of being cheaters, then among all the needed vigilance, occasionally somebody is going get accused falsely. So if people who are part of a larger class of historic abusers wonder why they feel put upon now, maybe they need to collectively take a good look into their “systemic mirror”.
According to the report he was warned about the kinds of behavior women were finding offensive in 2015 and was given a chance to get with the program, but he did not seem to think he needed to. He resigned rather than contest the allegations.
The ‘Me Too’ movement is just another vessel for sexism.
Demonizing men and helping to create an over-sensitive society. Do we really want to live in a world where an innocent pick-up line can get you jailed?
The movement will only allow real evils to hide behind the smoke.
I would agree that any crowd mentality can cause abuse, especially if not tempered with godly awareness, grace and mercy. The truth in reconciliation commission of South Africa and Martin Luther King may be exceptions. May the God of compassion have mercy and grace on us as we interact and learn
We aren’t supposed to argue about politics here, and I can’t really answer you without encouraging what is essentially a politically-charged discussion, so I think I’ll leave this alone and just say that I see things very differently.
I think it is long over due. Young guys get all kinds of messages and many of them in my growing up were very disrespectful toward women. Maybe guys won’t grow up with so many messages telling them to be a caveman toward women now.
As the father of a 5 year old girl I hope it will help the environment for her growing up. However, I do see how any social movement can be destructive if taken in a vindictive instead of corrective manner, among other pitfalls. It can only be good for boys to learn to treat women respectfully.
I do think that any movement can have unintended victims. I’m not sure it’s really the causes that are the problem, but the crowd mentality and the black-and-white accusations that can occur with any movement, on either side, and stem in part from great insecurity. I do think that the “Truth in Reconciliation” Commission of South Africa, started by Archbishop Tutu, is a governed movement that we could emulate here and counteracts crowd mentality. The challenge is to communicate in Christ’s love, even if things are highly charged and really are greyer to others than they seem to us. For example, I once as a teen participated in a rally which centered around a typical Christian hot button issue. We wound up sitting down and really enjoying our talk with the other side. One of those on the other side remarked that they had no idea that we would be so nice. The funny thing is that we felt exactly the same about them! That sort of thing helps us open up our understanding to where each comes from. I understood better where they came from at the end, I want to emphasize.
Have you ever read GK Chesterton? I really like his short detective stories about Father Brown. My wife and I have read them together. “The Chief Mourner of Marne” reminds me of the savage hypocrisy of the crowd, and the soul rending purity of being able to go to God with our faults, gaining absolution only from Him, so that we are able to stand spotless in our grief and forgiveness in front of others.