Me Too no more - Tom Brokow

[LaurenB]

Whatever happened to the Me Too movement?  Linda Vester made a comment about Tom Brokow and now 60 women have come out to support Tom.  

Doesn't Linda have a right to be heard and taken seriously?  I remember her reporting years ago and just looked her up to see what she has been up to.  She has an excellent education and background, good credentials, and married a very wealthy man over 10 years ago and retired to raise her children.  So she doesn't seem to be like Stormy Daniels, looking for her 15 minutes of fame.  

I'm just disappointed in the women who seem to have a double standard.  Me Too, unless it's one of us.  

It reminds me of women in the workplace who will defend a louse saying, "He was always a gentleman around me."  Well, honey, he wasn't attracted to you.  Harassers only go after the women they are attracted to.  

http://deadline.com/2018/04/rachel-maddow-andrea-mitchell-letter-tom-brokaw-harass-linda-vester-nbc-news-1202378644/ 

 

[Cat Guy]

I believe Tom Brokow.  I believe the professional women (colleagues) who signed that statement  I believe Stormy Daniels..

[robskynyc]

LaurenB said: "Well, honey, he wasn't attracted to you. Harassers only go after the women they are attracted to.”

that’s a disgusting thing to say.  And were you there with Stormy Daniels? You were in the room? No I didn’t think so. CLEARLY if the FBI and all this drama is involved there is SOME truth to her story.

Women like YOU LaurenB are disgusting- you tear down Stormy Daniels for her story and call her a liar, but then you’re SO upset no one believes Linda and they are defending Tom. You’re a hypocrite. Is it because of Stormy’s profession? Last I checked, credibility has nothing to do with your choice of career path.

[robskynyc]

And your comment about doesn’t Linda have the right to be heard and taken seriously.... think about that for a minute- these men who are accused and tried and convicted in the court of public opinion without a single shred of evidence. I’m not defending either side, but IMO you shouldn’t be making accusations that can ruin someone’s life, unless you’ve got something to back it up.

[LaurenB]

For the record, I actually believe Stormy Daniels. for the most part.  I don't care about her profession.  But she reminds me of Gloria Allred, always chasing the limelight.  That was my point, that she seems to be basking in the glow of the publicity, versus Linda Vester, who hasn't been chasing publicity, and doesn't need the money nor the notoriety.

But I am also willing to give Linda Vester the benefit of the doubt, and not dismiss her allegations out of hand just because of Brokow's reputation as a good guy.  Bill Cosby anyone?  Why do you think it took decades to convict him?  Because of his reputation and it is so hard to prove.  And before you jump to conclusions, I am not saying that Brokow and Cosby are in the same category.  I'm just saying that sometimes Boy Scouts can screw up, and no one is pure as snow.

But as a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace, I stand by my words.  Harassers can fly under the radar for decades, because they are not attracted to everyone.  (And in my case I kept my mouth shut and changed companies.)  And I am not saying Brokow is a serial harasser, but as I mentioned, I am not willing to dismiss her words out of hand.  We don't know enough.  And the fact that 60 women signed a statement attesting to his character is fine and dandy, but trust me, it doesn't prove anything either way.

"...but IMO you shouldn’t be making accusations that can ruin someone’s life, unless you’ve got something to back it up"

By your standards, victims should never come forward unless they can prove it.  That is a truly sad statement for the victims of rape or child molestation.  That is why so many crimes go unreported.  (Actually it was reported in the paper that she had told a few people of the incidents at the time (in the 1990's.))    

By the way, I'm not taking sides at this point, because we don't know enough.  My point was that in the spirit of "me too," I am not willing to throw Vester under the bus at this point, just because Brokow has the reputation of being a stand-up guy.  

 

[LaurenB]

robskynyc - Just a few final thoughts.  You accused me of calling Stormy Daniels a liar.  I did not.  The only thing I accused her of is being, imo, a publicity hound.  

You, a member of this board for only a few days, also called me disgusting and a hypocrite.  It used to be that one could actually have a discussion here, without hurling insults.  You are a discussion ender.  

[Steve C.]

Nope: Nada; Nyet: not for Vester....just read Tom Brokaw's 8 page op ed...She is just not credible. (And no woman works for Ailes and FOX for 10 or so years and not know what went/goes on. 

[SmoothLover]

It is amazing how the perpetrators from the last year have literally vanished. 

[Call_me_jorge]

SmoothLover said: "It is amazing how the perpetrators from the last year have literally vanished."

Yeah. I haven’t heard/seen anything from  Aziz or Franco and the plethora of others.

[yankeefan7]

There was article in the NY Post that said NBC kind of pressured these women to make statements of support. I thought Megyn Kelly handled it the best when she told these women who supported him that basically be careful with the support because you never know what happened.

[dramamama611]

I almost always support those that make claims.....but in this case, I find it hard to believe that, if it were true, there are no other victims stepping forward.   No, these things don't happen in a bubble.   There would be more.   

[John Adams]

I haven't read her claims, so I don't know what they are. Pertaining to #MeToo (in general) I find that the movement and its intention are becoming abused.

I think maturity and rational thought need to be applied to determine whether/not there truly is an issue present (meaning a demonstration of a pattern of behavior that constitutes ongoing abuse/harassment), or if a situation is merely an example of an annoyance.

Not all men who make a sexual advance on a woman are rapists, harassers, or abusers - regardless of whether/not the advance is unwanted, or untoward. (Not that Brokow did that - I wasn't there, I don't know)

I do not find it acceptable for any woman to think they are entitled to make public claims under the #MeToo umbrella in situations that are merely common annoyances; situations that do not imply or constitute truly harmful, damaging, abusive, harassing situations.

ALL women deserve to be protected, and I do agree that women should be believed, but that does not mean that men should NEVER be.

In response to the question, "Whatever happened to the Me Too movement?" - I think it's still very much alive and well, and serves the public and especially women (who have been victimized for FAR too long) very well. In this singular circumstance however, I'm failing to see how you might think it's 'gone' or 'dead'.