The sexual harassment double standard

In 2015, comedic legend Bill Cosby preformed in Denver. Protesters greeted him chanting, “Rape is not a joke,” and “Turn back Cosby!” Signs read, “If you support Cosby, you support rape.” At that time Cosby hadn’t yet been charged with criminal doing, but the allegations against him could not be ignored.

While absolutely due, it’s sad to watch Cosby’s downfall. He is one of the greats, on par with Bob Hope, Groucho Marx, Jack Benny, Richard Pryor and George Carlin. Politically, he had the courage to disagree with the entertainment elite, daring to say that African-american men should care for their children, clean up their speech and stop blaming others for their ills. Even though a Democrat who gave money to Democratic candidates, he didn’t toe the “victim” line, to which progressives are so addicted. Huge mistake for him.

A few months later another beloved alleged serial sexual predator came to town. Former President Bill Clinton was here to work his Clinton Foundation magic. When he had lunch with rock star Bono at a 17th Avenue bistro, people swooned, cameras came out, the press wrote puff pieces. It was a love fest.

But completely absent were those same protesters. Granted, the rape allegations against Cosby are more numerous and involve drugs, but doesn’t the same logic apply: If you support Clinton, you support rape?

After all, let’s remember what Hillary Clinton once tweeted on the topic: “To every survivor of sexual assault … You have the right to be heard. You have the right to be believed. We’re with you.” The unwritten part of the tweet was, of course, “Unless you happen to be Juanita Broaddrick, Kathleen Willey, Gennifer Flowers, Monica Lewinsky or a dozen others my hubby went after,” but damn that 140-character limit.

As with the Harvey Weinstein situation, could it be that politics causes a double standard on acceptance of sexual harassment?

The left celebrates speaking truth to power. It oozes through the smugness of every late-night TV comic and Hollywood actor turned activist. But it’s hard not to notice the power they speak to almost always seems to be on the right. Those on the left get protected.

There is no better example than movie mogul, funder of progressive causes and star Clinton contributor Weinstein. We’re learning that for decades it was a Hollywood open secret he was a predator. And truthto-power Hollywood kept quiet.

The New York Times has chronicled how Weinstein used his power to make or break careers to keep people squelched about his alleged harassment and rape. Of course, now that he is a harpooned whale, those who stayed silent for years will find bravery and dance on his grave. I can see the late-night talk show jokes now that Weinstein is completely impotent.

But Bob Mcmanus of the Manhattan Institute noted those brave TV comedians, like Stephen Colbert, who made a lewd joke about Trump and Vladimir Putin, were dumb as a post for days as this story made national news.

When asked why “Saturday Night Live” took no laughs at Weinstein’s expense, the show’s producer, Lorne Michaels, dismissed the scandal as “a New York thing.” And that from a guy who starts his national show, “Live from New York, it’s ‘Saturday Night’!”

Perhaps more curious are those courageous Hollywood stars who routinely speak truth to the power of evil energy companies and elected Republicans pillaging our planet, but for decades kept silent on their own predator, knowing he was continuing to prey.

I guess it’s a good thing only conservatives are raping the planet, otherwise Hollywood would be silent on that, too.