무분별한 미투에 일침을 가하는 미국 여성 언론인

- 출처

---

BANFIELD: And tonight, dropping like a bomb, one of the country`s favorite actors and comedian is being accused of sexual coercion. An anonymous 23-year-old photographer telling the online publication Babe about her date night with Aziz Ansari, saying that he pressured her repeatedly to engage in sexual activity.

Ansari tells his side of the story too in a statement, saying, quote, in September of last year, I met a woman at a party. We exchanged numbers. We texted back and forth and eventually went on a date. We went out to dinner, and afterwards we ended up engaging in sexual activity, which by all indication was completely consensual.

The next day, I got a text from her saying that, quote, although it may have seemed OK, upon further reflection, she felt uncomfortable. It was true that everything did seem OK to me, so when I heard that it was not case for her, I was surprised and concerned.

I took her words to heart and I responded privately after taking the time to process what she said.

A lot of men in Hollywood and across the country are being asked to do exactly that. Process what they might have done. But with more and more accusations flying from a variety of alleged victims, women are being asked to process some things as well. Something our former secretary of state and national security advisor implied today in a profound moment with David Axelrod. Here`s Condoleezza Rice.

(START VIDEO CLIP)

CONDOLEEZZA RICE, FORMER UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE: I don`t know a woman alive who hasn`t had somebody say or do something that was 

inappropriate at best and aggressive at worst. I think that the movement to expose these circumstances is a good thing. Let`s clear the air about it.

I do think we have to be a little bit careful. Let`s not turn women into snowflakes. Let`s not infantilize women. And what I really don`t want to 

happen is that I don`t want to get to a place that men start to think, well, maybe it`s just better not to have women around.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

BANFIELD: Well, I would like to say something here. And maybe this is best done in the form of an open letter to Aziz Ansari`s accuser. Ready?

Dear Grace, not your real name. I`m sorry that you had a bad date. I`ve had a few myself. They stink. I am sure it must be really weighing on you. It`s hard being a victim. Very painful. Just ask anyone who has been on that end of "Crime and Justice." I cover them every day. It`s no picnic.

But let`s take a moment to reflect on what you claim was the worst night of your life, end quote. You had a bad date. Your date got overly amorous. 

After protesting his moves, you did not get up and leave right away. You continued to engage in the sexual encounter.

By your own clear description, this was not a rape nor was it a sexual assault. By your description, your sexual encounter was unpleasant. It did not send you to the police. It did not affect your workplace or your ability to get a job. So I have to ask you what exactly was your beef that you had a bad date with Aziz Ansari.

Is that what victimized you to the point of seeking a public conviction and a career-ending sentence against him? Is that truly what you thought he deserved for your night out? Let me be completely clear. If you were sexually assaulted, you should go to the police right now.

If you were sexually harassed in your bad date because his actions mitigated your ability to do your job, you should definitely speak up and loud, because that happened to me too and it stinks.

But if you just had an unpleasant sexual experience, you should have gone home. Maybe just tell your friends to avoid this guy. Go ahead tell the date himself he`s gross. That he is not the lover that he thinks he is. And without question, don`t go on a second date with him, certainly do not marry a guy like that.

But what you have done in my opinion is appalling. You went to the press with a story of a bad date and you have potentially destroyed this man`s career over it, right after he received an award for which he was worthy.

And now here is where I am going to claim victim. You have chiseled away at a movement that I along with all of my sisters in the workplace have been dreaming of for decades. A movement that has finally changed an oversexed professional environment that I too have struggled to at times over the last 30 years in broadcasting.

If you are lucky, there is a really good chance that you are not going to experience the toxic work environment that the rest of us have endured and that is because of the remarkable progress being made against the Harvey Weinsteins and the Kevin Spaceys of the world.

The "Me Too" movement has righted a lot of wrongs and it has made your career path much smoother. Here`s where I`m guessing it is going to be a long career path. You are 23. What a gift. Yet you look that gift horse in the mouth and chiselled away at that powerful movement with your public accusation.

And I`m going to repeat this because it`s important. If you were sexually assaulted, go to the cops. If you were sexually harassed, jeopardizing your work, speak up and speak out loud. But by your own descriptions, that is not what happened. You had an unpleasant date and you did not leave. That is on you.

And all the games that have been achieved on your behalf and mine are now being compromised, but the allegations that you threw out there, and I`m going to call them reckless and hollow.

I cannot name you publicly and sentence you to a similar career hit as Ansari because you chose to remain anonymous. Lucky you. But as you grow in your career, I really do hope that you remember what you did to someone else`s career all because of that bad date that was not a sexual assault, that was not sexual harassment, by your description.

And I hope the next time you go on a bad date, you stand up sooner, you smooth out your dress, and you bloody well leave. Because the only sentence that a guy like that deserves is a bad case of blue balls, not a Hollywood black ball.

HLN's Banfield Denounces Ansari Accuser: "You Had An Unpleasant Date And You Did Not Leave. That Is On You"

because you chose to remain anonymous. Lucky you. But as you grow in your career, I really do hope that you remember what you did to someone else`s career all because of that bad date that was not a sexual assault, that was not sexual harassment, by your description.