“We live in a funny time, a disturbing time at the moment, when people are accusing people of doing this and that… it’s all happening because of Harvey Weinstein and quite rightly so.”
I don’t agree with people being accused of something and not having due process. I think that’s bad.
I think the law should, you know? People who have been accused of something shouldn’t be dropped from television series until they’re proved to be guilty. On the other hand, I can understand how women have been abused for years, since time began….
I think the great thing about women’s empowerment is the wage gap, as well – that is a big thing, and it’s happening in England a lot, people are saying, I’m only getting paid this, and he’s getting paid that.
How about we take this to the next level?
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I think women have had it bad for a long time, and they’re trying to sort it out and make it better for themselves.”– Elton John, sharing his thoughts with CNN regarding the #MeToo movement and the sexual assault allegations rocking Hollywood
Polaro
What did he say that was wrong? I agree with all of it. If this infuriates you, you may be the problem.
EvonCook
So right Polaro! Otherwise, it is like a crazy inqusition, being tried in the Press, or the the Venetian Republic with anonymous condemnations or the Puritan witch hunt accusations. And, what is sexual harrassment to one person may be far from it for another! Remember, we are a very sex-phobic society and people can and do use sex to get at others. Let’s get some real standards of what is really harmful and hurtful and what is just silly, awkward or indiscreet. The physical needs to be distingusied frm the psychological. In life, there are things we all need to suck up and move on. Seems a lot of hysteria lately, some of it with little substance, overblown and way, way out of date.
Brian
This is the world we live in now. There are a shocking number of people who think things like due process, free speech, and personal responsibility are antiquated notions. All they care about is social media outrage.
Kangol
He’s 70 and from a generation when men in power were able to get away with the kinds of abusive behavior that are rightly being criticized and prosecuted today. But his comments don’t seem that off base, do they? He’s calling for due process, and also agrees with women’s fight for equality.
Ronbo
Give Elton a pass. He isn’t responsible. He loves, Loves, LOVES the money. Just ask his best bud, Rush Limbaugh. They both can’t be held responsible… money made them do it!
dmanhart
Elton is best buds with Rush Limbaugh? I thought you were best buds with Adolph Hitler.
See how easy it is to make an accusation without evidence? You are precisely what Elton was talking about. Making wild accusations as if they were true.
Throw a stone into a pack of dogs. The one that yelps is usually the one that god hit.
Bopper1
…the part that would infuriate are his remarks about “due process” which, ironically is guaranteed to all Americans by the Constitution…due process has been forgotten in the conversation about sexual misconduct, which is further aggravated by social media wherein individuals are being publicly accused, tried and pilloried not according to due process or laws (remember those?) but rather according to public opinion…it’s nasty and EJ is big enough to make the observation without having to fear consequences…
whatsaywhat
Due process and the rule of law are cornerstones of Western civilization.
Do away with those and you can also prepare to say goodbye to all the other rights we enjoy, including all the rights women (and gays) have secured in Western countries.
EvonCook
Exactly!
calpoidog
I don’t disagree with what he says but when people talk about “due process” you have to remember that there are statutes of limitation so if something happened a long time ago, or it was a civil matter that settled, you don’t get “due process” you only get the person’s account of what happened.
It really bothers me with Roy Moore and Trump that their supporters say “nothing’s been proven” Words coming out of someone’s mouth are “proof” in my book. Just because a jury hasn’t opined on their story doesn’t make it “proof.” The fact that Roy Moore couldn’t be put on trial to have it “proven” shouldn’t make someone’s story less credible. You just have the totality of the person’s story, the other person’s version of events and maybe that’s all you have and we’re going to have to be happy with that.
Does anyone really doubt that stuff like this happened to women on a regular basis (and continues to happen) and that, especially many years ago, women learned not to complain? Ask any woman who’s been in the workforce before the 1990’s….they ALL have these stories.
Polaro
This stuff is complicated and requires context, which has been lost in the hysteria. All situations are not the same. The snowflake mentality of everything that bothers me is a crime is diminishing the attention needed for the real problems. Its almost like some people (whom remain anonymous and unverifiable) are purposefully coming up with trivial nonsense as sexual assault to muddy the water. And, no, “I felt bad” is not an excuse to smear someone, nor is poor choices your made that you regret the next day, or expecting someone to read your mind…
Brian
“Words coming out of someone’s mouth are “proof” in my book”
That could be the saddest thing I’ve ever read on this site. Raise your standards dude.
Greg
Women seem to want to change the world now. They want to smash the patriarchy. I understand what they mean, but, for the Hollywood people, they’re not known to be quiet when it comes to issues that are unfair and harmful, but when they were put in a situation like with Harvey Weinstein, why didn’t they say anything then? It’s hard to care or have any sympathy after 30 years for some people, because they wanted a job or a certain role in a TV show or movie, they sold themselves out. Now they give excuses as to why they let it happen and then didn’t say anything to anybody. Why didn’t they report it? They have many reasons. They say they were afraid. They felt they didn’t have a choice. They didn’t want to lose their job. The offender is famous and/or powerful. They compromised their integrity. If somebody whips out their dick, say something to them. If somebody grabs your butt, say something to that person. Also, if it was somebody very good-looking like Brad Pitt instead of Harvey Weinstein, how many people would be complaining? That’s how this country is. Every is sex. SEX SEX SEX, but then people want to act innocent and virginal. They’re complaining now because they sold themselves out for a job in Hollywood. I’m sure they all have heard about the “Casting Couch”. The women are getting all fired up now. If somebody says a man did something to them in a sexual way years ago, they take it as the TRUTH. Then the guy is automatically guilty. He gets fired immediately from whatever job he has. He becomes a pariah. Some of these accusations are years old. The man might not even remember, but the women always remember it because it was something they didn’t like. How does anybody know it’s true? How does anybody know that the “victim” is actually telling the truth? How can we tell if their memory of the night in question isn’t faulty?
StuBur
t really bothers me with Roy Moore and Trump that their supporters say “nothing’s been proven” Words coming out of someone’s mouth are “proof” in my book. Just because a jury hasn’t opined on their story doesn’t make it “proof.”
You seem to be contradicting yourself by what you said above .Are you saying that if someone says something without corroboration then it must be taken as true ( proven) .
Thomas Loom
I don’t think nothing was wrongly said either. I totally agree.
Curtispsf
All of these queens jumping on the bandwagon and trying to “parse” every comment made about sexual exploitation need to ratchet it down a notch or two. What I look at when I read someone’s comments is “INTENT” and I don’t think Elton John’s statement warrants a clutching of the pearls. He points out wage inequality and says that “women have had it very bad for a long time.” His comment about “due process” is slightly off base since the statute of limitations has run on many of the alleged sexual crimes but I agree that one should not be prosecuted for alleged wrongdoing in the court of popular opinion. It’s also easy to dismiss claims when it’s a “She Said / He Said” thing. HOWEVER, I don’t doubt for one moment that Elton John wouldn’t stand up for women when there are multiple claims made by several victims alleging sexual abuse by a perpetrator. So please, Queerty, don’t create drama and a pearl clutching moment out of a statement made with good intentions.
EvonCook
Totally agree. Claims of long ago sexual harrassment are like spoils of war or war reparations. At some point you have to draw the line with history and say such and such bad things were done in the past, we are not going to tolerate them now or put up wth them going forward, but you can’t re-write history, make good for every past slight. Really, now is the time to establish just what is sexual harrassment and stop ALL the double standards concerning it. No one can forever eat their cake and have it too. People have to take some responsibility for themselves, or the selling of themselves, and the situations they put themselves in, what they are willing to tolerate or put up with and stand behind decisions made, deeds done and acts committed or accepted. Thoghts and views can really get distorted by persoanl interst, gain and time. Wild accusations can actually be worse trauma and damage than the supposed sins being remembered, recalled and reinterpreted. It is terribly messy and like most things human rarely simple, straightforward or absolute.
Ken A.
I agree with what he said.
chris33133
“Due process” as a legal concept has been sacrificed in the rush to claim that a victim/survivor’s words are always true.
However #1: something can be legal and still be wrong; and,
However #2: victims/survivors are not always right; and,
However #3: as we know from Ansari’s nighttime escapade gone bad, two people can experience things in very different ways such that both are partly wrong and partly right.
I think that society is coming to a new consensus about what constitutes consent that has been a long time in coming. But getting there promises to be a very painful process.
BTW: I don’t see what Elton John may have said that is so objectionable. When due process becomes a bad thing, it’s a short step to being in deep trouble.
jhon_siders
There is no due process because of the rabid news media !!! they cause a lot of trouble putting out false statements with out checking out the source or validity !!
jhon_siders
BTW god hes a old queen LOL !!!
Donston
I agree about allotting time and “due process” and not immediately banishing someone for a despicable but perhaps somewhat minor offense from years ago. However, Elton has always been a rather shallow, narcissistic, hetero-worshiping, money grubbing basic queen who has “beefs” with every other female pop star. So, it’s hard to take anything he says seriously, especially when it comes to women. And the reality is is that only in a couple cases thus far have the details come off fishy or inconclusive. And almost all the men who have been accused are multiple offenders.
While what he’s saying is not off-base, Elton is not new to the game. He’s not naive. So, his “insight” is rather naive and rings a lil’ hollow.
bobbyjoe
Wow, if saying people deserve due process is now controversial and will “infuriate a lot of people,” our society is in even far worse shape than I thought.
Donston
For me, it’s more about the source and also the reality that Elton knows what goes down in the industry and is trying to act clueless. Plus, I don’t see any people getting upset. Queerty, as usual, is looking to rile up with click-bait.
Rex Huskey
who the hell cares what this plastic zombie thinks? he’s shocked that he may be dying so now wants to focus on and spend more time with his kids!!!??? what an arrogant azzhole. Do your kids a favor and don’t!