Supporters of Donald Trump don’t get to be outraged at Harvey Weinstein

Based on the stories that continue to surface from women in Hollywood, film producer Harvey Weinstein bears all the markers of a serial predator; a man who for years, appears to have exploited his considerable power and position to take advantage of vulnerable women for his own pleasure.

If the allegations and the surfaced recordings prove true, they’re as sickening as it gets; a violation of any measure of human decency and humanity. Weinstein is now rightly experiencing the consequences of his allegedly abhorrent behavior. In the wake of the revelations, he was fired from his company, his wife announced she is leaving him, and he’s faced a torrent of social media outrage.

This is how we’re supposed to treat predatory behavior. This should be the fallout of exploitation and sexual misconduct. Those who advocate for sexual assault victims should be shouting for Weinstein’s head from the rooftops. But there is a sanctimonious choir seeking to add their voices to the film producer’s condemnation right now, who have no right to include themselves: fierce, passionate, steadfast defenders of Donald Trump.

Rewind twelve short months, as video surfaced of the then Presidential candidate saying the most explicit, vile things about women; bragging of forced affections, of sexual advances on married women, of the human spoils of power and fame he reveled in. At the same time, stories of several women surfaced, with accusations of their sexual assault by his hands.

And yet a month later, even with recorded revelations, even with Trump’s own damning words, even with the gathering storm of alleged victims—these same people rewarded him with their vote and with the Presidency of this country—and they remain unapologetic in it. They have relinquished any professed moral high ground. Their weeping and gnashing of teeth is fraudulent; their righteous indignation laughable—especially given their recent and current bedfellow.

Weinstein is now facing the fallout of his alleged behavior as that behavior is coming to light to the general population. He is being retroactively punished for past misconduct (as he should be if these stories prove true). Regardless of whether you believe those decrying it now; those terminating and abandoning him are doing so out of public pressure—they are doing it. The last thing they’d do is campaign for him for public office. No one with scruples would cast their vote for him.

Revelations about Donald Trump surfaced well before the Presidential election, and 62 million Americans armed with this information—summarily responded by elevating him to the highest position of leadership in this country. Their vote then nullifies their outrage now.

Men who use their position and their power to violate other human beings are a cancer, and they should be ostracized and exposed and unequivocally damned. This is isn’t about defending Harvey Weinstein or the behavior he is accused of. No one with any sense of decency is doing that. I’m certainly not.

The allegations surrounding him are egregious and fully sickening, and they merit condemnation and decisive response. As a person of faith, as a father sure, but also as a human being just seeking to be a productive participant in civilization, the things Weinstein is purported to have done make my blood boil and turn my stomach—but them again that is my reaction to such things wherever I see them.

Supporters of this President don’t get to now loudly call for Weinstein’s head, while simultaneously championing Donald Trump with equal vigor, while choosing to explain away everything in his recent past, while vilifying his alleged victims.

They don’t get to claim care for the well-being of Weinstein’s’ accusers, after having placed the lives of hundreds of millions of women and girls in the legislative hands of a man whose character, track record, and body of work show an equally stomach-turning contempt for inherent worth of women. This kind of inconsistent ethic of victim advocacy is the height of hypocrisy.

At this point, based on the accusations and the evidence, Harvey is correctly becoming a pariah in the public eye; a man forever marked by his mistreatment and violence toward women. Right now, given the allegations surrounding him, and his own words—Weinstein has nowhere to go.

His only viable option right now might be to fire off a hasty apology, state his opposition to abortion, his love of handguns, to claim he’s found Jesus—and then run for the Republican nomination. Maybe a few short years from now, 62 million supposed advocates for women, will slap his name on their hats and bumpers, and claim he’s making America great again.