However, notwithstanding that fact nor how you feel about this most recent episode in the rash of sexual abuse cases that is sweeping the country, there is a disturbing trend here. And that is that an allegation by a news outlet or an accusation by someone claiming to be a victim of such abuse seems, now, to be tantamount to a "Guilty as Charged " verdict. Moreover, there also seems to be a lack of consistency in this application of this "doctrine of accusations equal guilt" among the commentators and talking heads one sees on TV. For example, Last week, I noticed that there was great skepticism among many of the "newsies" ( especially those with a Democratic bent) for the accusations made by Donna Brazile, in her new book, concerning Mrs. Clinton and the DNC colluding to deny Bernie Sanders the Democratic nomination for President in the last election. No, apparently there is no "there, there..." in these reporters' opinions. Nor are there calls for Bob Menendez of New Jersey to resign from the U.S. Senate because he is "unfit for office" even though he has not just been accused of wrong doing---he has actually been indicted!
And, by the way, if, as is being maintained in the case of Roy Moore, being accused of sexual assault forty years after the fact is a reason to be judged unfit for office, why were there no Democratic calls for Bill Clinton either to quit his run for president based on the accusations of Gennifer Flowers, et. al. or, indeed, to resign from office following the Monica Lewinsky revelations?
Now don't get me wrong. I am not suggesting that Roy Moore is innocent of the allegations made about him any more than I am suggesting that Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey and Dustin Hoffman et. al.are guilty of the misconduct of which they have been accused. All I am saying is that none of us, including the news outlets, knows the truth of these matters, and until we do know more, it is patently unfair to crucify people in public forums based on (so far) unproven assertions. Please remember the uproar and demonstrations when, in 2006, three Duke Lacross players were accused of rape, had their names dragged through the mud and were subjected to death threats even though the accusations were later proven to be false. As they say, "you can't unring a bell", so as a society we need to understand the possible unintended consequences of where we are going with this approach and to think twice before we decide to pillory someone in the "public square" of TV news shows.