Men abuse power because they can
There is a campaign to demonize Jimmy Kimmel (“Kimmel has no leg to stand on,” Readers Write, Oct. 22) which appears to be a counterpunch to his recent comment that there is a moral equivalency between Harvey Weinstein’s predatory behavior toward women and Donald Trump’s.
Trump’s behavior was not mere “braggadocios locker-room potty talk” as the letter-writer opined. After he boasted in 2005 that “when you’re a star they let you do it. You can do anything” followed by an obscene depiction of what he meant, 11 women came forward to state he made unwanted advances. More women who were part of his beauty pageants, including five underage Miss Teen USA contestants, described how he waltzed unannounced into their dressing rooms. Trump said, “I’m the owner of the pageant and I’m inspecting the girls. I get away with things like that.”
Men who use their power to sexually harass women don’t do it because of their politics. They do it because, as Trump said, they get away with it. Whether the man is Harvey Weinstein, Roger Ailes, Anthony Weiner or Donald Trump, the predatory attitude toward women is the same. When a powerful man says he “can do anything” to women, believe him. He does.
SUSAN E. CAYLOR, DUNWOODY
Kneeling not a good way to protest
I truly wonder about the impact of kneeling during the national anthem.
While I fully support the protesters’ position on social issues, it’s difficult for me to support their mechanism for protest. Right off the top of my head. I can think of dozens of ways to address social issues far more effectively, than kneeling during a football game.
In my opinion, I don’t think we’ll look back in 20 years and say that kneeling during the national anthem at football games sure changed the course of social behavior and attitudes in this country. I just don’t see it happening.
DONALD VARN, ROSWELL
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