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For some reason, it’s not so much the fact that Harvey Weinstein is using a walker to make his appearances in court that makes me want to burn the world down.
It’s the popped collars.
It’s the bevy of 400-pound “assistants”.
What a freakin’ charade.
Harvey Weinstein, Ex-Associates, Accusers Reach Tentative $47 Million Settlement [Wall Street Journal]
“Harvey Weinstein, his former associates, insurers and accusers have reached a nearly $47 million tentative settlement of almost all the civil cases pending against him, about $25 million of which will compensate women who have accused the Hollywood producer of sexual misconduct, according to people familiar with the matter.”
For some reason, it’s not so much the fact that only $25 million of the $47 million settlement is going to the actual victims of this serial rapist that makes me want to burn the world down.
It’s that the settlement will be paid for by insurance policies.
It’s that more money is going to creditors of the film studio ($7 million) than is going to the women who actually brought the civil suit ($6 million).
It’s that $12 million is going to pay the lawyers who defended Weinstein’s partners.
It’s that $1 million is going to Weinstein himself to defend him against accusers who didn’t join the settlement.
I think Harvey Weinstein will be acquitted in his criminal trial … or at worst he’ll plead out to a much lesser set of charges. And when that happens, he’s golden. He’ll still have all his money. He’ll still have his freedom. He’ll still have an audience willing to pay attention to what he says. Maybe he’ll move to France and hang out with his hero, Roman Polanski.
If you don’t see that there is one set of rules for the very rich and another set of rules for everyone else … if you don’t see that there is an unaccountable political power that accrues to the very rich in both big social ways and in small personal ways … well, you’re just not paying attention.
When I was boy, I would stand up every morning in school and pledge allegiance to a flag that promised liberty and justice for all. I bet you did, too.
More and more, I think we were played for fools.
As ever, members of the Ancien Régime go down hard or not at all. Grace, humility, and contrition are absent from their cloth. Either way will be ugly and unsatisfying. Still, like you, I suspect the “hard” outcome (less likely) would be vastly closer to justice in this case.
P.S. Ironic, isn’t it, that after a career proximate to film stars & scripts Harvey can’t act to save his life. If he honestly needed a walker he’d have a $200+ rollator model, not that ridiculous folding prop from the 1980’s his lawyers picked up at CVS on the way to court. File that one under: “They’re-not-even-pretending-anymore.”
I had a friend in college. He was a good guy and he would never hurt anyone. Very mild-mannered type. One day he was accused of a Very Bad Thing. He was able to prove that he did not do this thing, mostly because he was 700 miles away at the time it occured. But it still ruined his reputation within a certain circle of people, namely all the people he knew and was associated with. He left college, moved out of state, and after a year in exile came back. He paid more in terms of personal pain and opportunity lost for a crime he didn’t commit than Harvey Weinstein will for actual, real crimes against actual, real victims. There are–and always have been–two systems. That we just roll our eyes at it shows how willing we are to accept such a world.
This struck a chord with me as I’ve had similar reactions to the massive opiate related settlements. The states and other entities, who are sponsoring methadone clinics and other non-effective solutions are collecting the court awards as if they are the damaged parties. Yeah and the lawyers. From companies (and their “rake takers”) making millions who will still have their millions.
Someone close to me became addicted to these insidious opiates. Luckily we were able to get this person out of this before they became another of the hundreds of thousands of deaths. The way out - after three failed rehabs plus numerous failed aftercare programs - was to go to a long term intensive treatment program. It took about a year. Insurance covered about a month of that. Thank the Good Lord we had the resources to fund the rest. Most do not and we see the sad results.
All of that money being awarded - not sure where it’s going…
It really was a CVS special, right?
Well said. And so right.
Not only that, but think about how folks who really need walkers actually use them. Typical ambulation is (1) push the walker a step ahead of you, (2) support much of your weight using your hands and arms and (3) take a step forward into the confines of the walker. Repeat ad infinitum. Look at the top picture, and you’ll see that the walker is too far out in front of him to be legitimately used in this fashion…unless he’s using it differently, say to just push around in front of him, more like a prop…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pVFhz-Bff8