The Taking Down of Bill Cosby

Let’s not be foolish, everything is a Black and White issue.  Everything is about Race. 

Bill Cosby was found guilty in his sexual assault trial on April 26, 2018.  There is not, nor should there be, a statute of limitation for criminal charges to be filed for certain crimes.  Cosby’s conviction proves this.  A few of the alleged sexual assaults Cosby was convicted of, happened dozens of years ago.

The #MeToo movement has exposed dozens of men who have sexually assaulted women.  What is the definition of sexual assault? According to Wikepedia, Sexual assault is an act in which a person sexually touches another person without that person's consent, or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will.  It is a form of sexual violence which includes rape (forced vaginal, anal or oral penetration or drug facilitated sexual assault), groping, child sexual abuse or the torture of the person in a sexual manner.

Dozens of women have alleged sexual assault against Harvey Weinstein.  Allegedly, some of his victims experienced overt assault and others knew about Weinstein’s reputation and said nothing about it, did nothing about it.  He was left to continue with his despicable behavior practically in the open.  At least 14 women have filed sexual assault reports with police in Los Angeles, Beverly Hills, New York and London.  Harvey Weinstein resigned from his Weinstein board with no comments. He has denied having non-consensual sex with anyone.

Matt Lauer was accused of sexual assault and was subsequently fired from his NBC Today morning show.  So was Charlie Rose from CBS morning show, and comedian Louis CK plus a few other prominent men. 

Remember Stephen Collins?  He played the pastor-dad in the TV show 7^th Heaven.  He admitted to sexually abusing underage girls and exposing himself to others.  "In the presence of his therapist, Stephen admitted that he has engaged in a long-term pattern of sexually abusing minor children, including sexually molesting three young girls over a decade ago".  According to LAPD report, a formal police report was never filed and therefore, Collins was never charged with a crime.

Then, there are the non-famous privileged white male who escaped prison for raping or sexual assault.  Widespread outrage erupted over a California judge's decision to give a former Stanford University swimmer, Brock Turner, a six-month jail sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious woman.  And of course, you may remember Austin Wilkerson who avoided prison for sexually assaulting an intoxicated woman.  The University of Colorado student was convicted of sexual assault but was spared a prison sentence by the judge who presided over the case.

Headed by Charlie Rose, a few of these famous men, are attempting a comeback by participating in a TV series where Rose interviews other men who faced sexual harassment allegations against them and subsequently lost their job.  They are angrier about the discovery of their abuse of women rather than apologizing.  A heartfelt public apology may get them back into the good graces of the American people.

So why was Cosby convicted and the others not?  Perhaps these men are free to continue planning their future instead of facing prison time because of the color of their skin.  Cosby’s accusers were 90% white women.  The accusers of the other white men were 98% white women.  By any means of imagination should you believe that I am condoning the alleged sexual assaults committed by Bill Cosby.  What I’m trying to highlight is fairness in our court system in the eyes of white Americans.  When it comes to who is convicted and for what, it always seems like the Black person is tried in court and is subsequently found guilty, whereas a white person is either never charged or if charged, most likely spends very little to no time in prison. 

Why does it seem like white women are harassed more often than other races of women?  Is it because they are more susceptible to being approached and taken advantage of by men?  Or, is it because other races of women does not report the incidents?  Or maybe, men do not act on their fantasies of being with a woman of color?  Honestly, I don’t know the answer.

Since the Cosby guilty verdict, a lot of comments and memes have been free flowing on social media.  One comment said that MSNBCs Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who announced their relationship last year and are now engaged, shows that sexual harassment works.  Let’s not confuse sexual harassment with mutual interest where the outcome turns into a bonafide relationship.  The women who accused Bill Cosby of sexual assault were not in a relationship, though I find it difficult to understand why some of them went back to spend time with Cosby even after the alleged assault.  That perplexes me. 

I am not delighted about Bill Cosby’s guilty verdict but at the same time, I believe that he deserves the guilty verdict.  He did acknowledge that he gave women Quaaludes and later had sex with them.  I believe he felt empowered by his stardom, money, and charming good looks.  Women wanted to be with him even though he was married with children.  From my view outside, it seems they wanted him to give them a chance at fame.  They saw him as their great Black hope.  Weinstein, on the other hand, wanted to make women believe that he was their great White hope.  That, I think was one of the differences between these two men and their sexual deviant acts.  Power can be a great thing but then it can also destroy you and the fall is bumpy and painful.

Cosby is 80 years old.  I pray that he is not imprisoned for his crime.  I pray that his accusers can find peace in their lives now that he has been convicted.  I also pray that the other white men accused of sexual assault get their day in court.  However, I don’t expect that will happen.

©2018 Radiance Smith (aka Radiance Lite)