I Miss Nuance

I miss when people had nuanced approaches to thought, and when people allowed for more grey area. Today, nuance and grey area is a thing of the past, and everything is black and white. Makes it pretty impossible to have any sort of civilized discourse.

Why do I bring all of this up? Today, Harvey Weinstein was found guilty for various sex crimes and harassment allegations. I think everyone with any decency would say this is a good thing. I also think Bill Cosby is equally guilty, and the fact that he is locked up is also a good thing. 

The reason I bring up nuance and grey area, is because the narrative I have been seeing online since the unfortunate passing of Kobe and Gigi Bryant has been this: When a black man gets accused of a crime or violation of a sexual nature, certain black women are quick to shame them, but they never say anything about powerful white men who do the same thing. When making this statement, most people pick one of two sides. 

Side A: Oh, so you think because nobody (black) vilifies Harvey Weinstein, then black men should be able to get away with these crimes too? (Team Gayle/Oprah)

Or Side B: Oh, so you must only want to see black men go to jail for this activity but you’re cool with it when white men do it? (Team 50/Snoop)

See what I mean? No nuance allowed. However, I have a completely different take that I don’t think I’ve read on the internet before.

Both things are probably false. 

Shocking, I know. But think about it. Do you think Snoop and 50 Cent REALLY think what Weinstein did is OK as long as black men get away with it too?

Or do you think they are saying “Hey Oprah and Gayle, we know that when black men act in inappropriate ways towards women it’s not cool, but how come you NEVER talk about when white guys do it?”

This is my position. Do I think the R. Kelly’s, Russell Simmons’and Bill Cosby’s of the world deserve to be dragged in the media by everybody? Damn right I do. Do they deserve to go to jail? Of course (assuming the overwhelming amount of allegations against Russell Simmons are true, he hasn’t gone to court for any of it as of yet). 

But to think that they deserve punishment doesn’t mean you have to ignore other people’s bad behavior. You can walk AND chew gum at the same time. And if some people notice that all of your attacks are only focused on one side, and they say something, that doesn’t mean that they are by default defending the people Oprah and Gayle are talking about (exception Snoop Dogg, the nigga literally said ‘Free Bill Cosby’. I want to believe this was more out of emotion and that he doesn’t ACTUALLY want Bill free.)

Nuance used to be so cool. I miss it. Bottom line, ALL rapists and people who engage in sexual harassment or other types of misconduct are trash. Doesn’t matter there skin color. However, focusing all of ones energy into one particular group rather than all of the offenders, has several consequences, most of which I believe are unintended. Only focusing on black accusers will make your mostly white audience feel (if they don’t already) that black men are dangerous. Especially if someone the majority of America (black and white alike) trusts and thinks highly of. That person’s voice matters. 

So again, to be perfectly clear, I am all for dragging these terrible men in the media and I sincerely hope that they all get the punishment they truly deserve. All of them. Not just the ones who look a certain way. 

ALL.