(¥ Sugar-coating history is not so sweet
(¥ What gets your goat: Phone etiquette

(¥ The Other Opinion

And more!

Let's not PTY
the abusers o

> Why we shouldn’t normalize the names of attackers

as to blame the victims or deny these
crimes in favour of a positive light.
Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski,
and Woody Allen have all been implicated
in awful sex crimes (the latter two against
children, condemning them to an even
deeper circle of Hell.) They’ve also all
made important contributions to cinema,
and their names will be remembered
long after their souls have departed to
scream in the fire forever. While their
names may now be said with a cringe,
there’s no doubt their legacies will be
defended and honoured. Many will try to
justify honouring these men and speak of
positive experiences working with them.
Their sex crimes have been known for
decades, but we choose to ignore these
allegations in favour of the person’s art.
Asa culture, we love stories of
violence and evil. We know the names

   

Photo of Woody Allen and Harvey Weinstein by Kevin Winter/Getty Image

and remind ourselves that it’s never
“cool” to abuse others.Victims of abuse
are reduced to statistics and seen as a
societal burden, instead of human beings
dealing with trauma. It’s seen as one’s
duty to avoid being a victim, instead of
everyone's responsibility to detect and
stop abusive behaviour. This behaviour
is left to rot and grow worse when it’s
someone powerful, and even more so
when they're male. Men ignore and
encourage behaviour among their own
kind, especially when it involves women.
I believe that we as a society can
barely come together to admit abusing
others is wrong, and have even more
trouble blaming and punishing abusers
for their actions. Having power and
importance does not give authority to be
a horrible person, but there’s a privilege
in our society of deflecting that blame.

of Ted Bundy and Robert Pickton, but
few of us know the names of the women
they raped and killed. These men will be
studied and discussed for decades, but
the names and stories of the women they
victimized will not have the same legacy.
How many movies and TV shows
are made about violent crime? Law
and Order: Special Victims Unit is one
of the most popular shows of all time,
and it deals entirely with sexual abuse.
Many dramas are about powerful men
and their victims, particularly women.
Breaking Bad, Mad Men, and House of
Cards all feature male protagonists that
harm and kill others in society. I’m not
saying Walter White and Don Draper
are intended to be role models, nor am |
saying that popular media is the reason
for violent crime. However, I do think
we asa culture have to respond to media

Cazzy Lewchuk
Contributor

 

his article may contain
sensitive content.

The Harvey Weinstein stories
currently in the spotlight—in which
over 40 women have now accused him
of sexual harassment and assault—is
one that is far too common. It’s no
secret that Hollywood—like any other
industry—has a culture which allows
powerful men to prey on the vulnerable.
When the perpetrator is powerful and
respected (Weinstein, Cosby, Trump),
it’s even easier for them to get away
with this awful, serial behaviour.
Their privilege and power allow for
a lack of consequences. Our society
celebrates these people, going so far

What gets your goat:
Phone etiquette

> People who talk on speakerphone

in public drive me insane

Jessica Berget
Opinions Editor

 

echnology is amazing. The ability

to connect, communicate and
form relationships with anyone from
anywhere in the world right there at
your fingertips—or, actually, you're
probably holding it in your hands as
you read this. However, as much as
I love modern technology, there is a
way some people choose to use it that
makes me hate everything about it. |
am talking, of course, about people who
talk on their speakerphones in public.

Why do people even want to do
this? It’s like they want everyone to hear
their conversation for some strange
reason. It’s loud and obnoxious and
people usually end up yelling into their
speakers just so the other person can
hear them. I can’t think of any possible
reason why people choose to do this.
Is it because they can’t hear what the
other is saying when they put their
phone up to their ear? Because that’s the
only reason | can think of. Let me tell
you, if you claim you can’t hear someone

talking through your phone when it’s
right up to your ear there is no way you
can expect to hear them better when
their garbled, staticky voice is being
played through your phone speakers.

It doesn’t make any sense. If you
claim you can hear better with the
phone speaker on in a loud environment
like the SkyTrain or a busy college, you
are lying to yourself and everyone else
around you. To quote the honourable
Judge Judy on this matter, “Don’t piss
on my leg and tell me it’s raining.”

Iam not completely heartless,
however. I can understand and
sympathize if your phone is broken
and talking on speaker is the only way
you can talk on your phone. There is
nothing you can do in this situation. Or
if your hands are busy and need to make
a quick call and can’t put the phone
up to your ear, but you could also use
earphones if this does happen. I don’t
mean to make people feel bad for doing
this, it’s your life, after all. Nonetheless,
if you decide to talk to someone on your
speakerphone in a public setting, I can
guarantee everyone is listening to your
conversation and silently judging you.

  

Photo by Analyn Cuarto