Like so many concepts, ideas
and even laws, good intentions often have unintended repercussions. The idea was or is that if enough people (95%
women) say they were sexually harassed then it would call attention to the
issue.
The principle that people should
not take advantage of others is undeniable but there are always people who do
so be it for money, real estate or sex. The
issue is the fact that the humans are built to be attracted to each other for
the perpetuation of the species and one must initiate the interaction making the
other the victim, if you will. Of
course, in the modern age, we expect the overture not be pursued if
unrequited.
Where that boundary is, is
not my concern here. What I find a tragedy is that we are throwing out the baby
with the bathwater. The situation has become so toxic that we have lost too
much talent as organizations are frightened to continue association with any
accused individual.
I am sure that the sex drive has something to
do with ambition, success and the sense of power. We have a perfect example of this in our president,
--you know what he has said about and done to women but with no
repercussions. He is certainly not the
first and won’t be the last. One of my
heroes, President John F. Kennedy, was a famous womanizer as well. In fact, I knew one woman whose apartment in
New York he stayed at regularly, who complained that every time he came to stay
in the apartment, he had a different woman with him!
But look at all the good
people we have lost in this frenzy to change others’ behavior. One of the saddest
“Me Too” victims was James Levine, Music Director at the Metropolitan Opera for
40 years. Levine was fired as Music
Director Emeritus the day after the New York Times published allegations of his
sexually harassing several performers early in their careers, male by the way. Am I saying that is OK? Of course not, but
this came out in 2017 about events that happened from the 60’s to the 80’s. It
seems trial and punishment with the trial missing. Banishment from music as orchestras elsewhere
have followed suit? That is not only a life sentence for the performer but also
punishment for all who enjoyed his talent. Levine sued the Met for defamation
and breach of contract and a settlement was recently reached but I resent the
fact that Levine was not allowed to continue to conduct.
James Levine still conducting from his wheel chair |
On January 2,
2018 Senator Al Franken resigned from the
House after allegations of sexual harassment.
He denied that one of these accusations ever happened but was obviously
complicit in a photo of him on a military transport coming from a USO tour
during his earlier career as a comedian.
He posed as if about to put his hands on a woman’s breasts when she is
clearly asleep but wearing at least three layers of clothing, including what seems to be
a life vest There is no question that this photo is in bad taste but is in keeping with his humor as a contributor
to Saturday Night Live where he often pushed the boundaries of taste. I do not believe it was justification for the
Democrats to force out one of their most dedicated and effective colleagues in the
Senate.
Just this
past week one of “The Three Tenors”, Placido Domingo, arguably the three most
famous opera singers of our time has left the Metropolitan Opera. The New York Times reported “The star singer, accused by multiple
women of sexual misconduct, dropped out of Verdi’s ‘Macbeth’ and indicated he
would not return to the Met”. An excerpt
from Domingo’s statement “I strongly dispute recent allegations made about me, and I am
concerned about a climate in which people are condemned without due process”
echoes my concern.