Saelune said:
I want the bad people to be punished and the innocent to be protected. But we cant be all or nothing about it cause otherwise it will be nothing. Believe it or not, this is all a major step forward. Yes, we now need to ensure that false accusations dont prevail, but we should not let that be an excuse to deny true ones.
If people are going to outright oppose speaking out, then you are defending sexual assault.
And uh, I know someone else who liked to "grab em by the [genitals]". No right-winger has any ground to stand on here if they are going to pretend to be high and mighty.
It isn't about right or left, on my end.
And I agree with you. I'm an advocate for "trust but verify" when it comes to most things (a happenstance of a tinfoil hat upbringing). I also agree we can't be "all or nothing" on it; I'm saying that we (or, better, allow some kind of investigative body to) take a moment, douse our pitchforks, and evaluate claims based on evidence and reason.
What we should be doing is using this as a rally cry for people to come forward
when it happens and to go to the police. To file criminal charges. Maybe start a letter campaign to SAG and ask why these actresses weren't being protected from people who were apparently known predators? Start a letter campaign to California legislators to extend the statute of limitations on these kinds of crimes, maybe.
If you want to defend the innocent and punish the guilty, "listen and believe" is more of a platitude than an action. Advocating for a judicial process, for union representation, and for legal punishment is going to go a lot further towards these goals.
For me, I think this should get people lighting a fire under SAG to actually protect the people who are required to be its members. Maybe use some of its money to require a SAG rep at any private meeting between talent and a producer or casting agent, or even any professional meeting the talent has.