The Wall of Silence Around Michael Shermer

[rug]

September 29, 2014
by Adam Lee

Earlier this month, I wrote about the serious allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault made against skeptic “thought leader” Michael Shermer by three women, who agreed to be named in an article published by Buzzfeed. That article, as you’d expect, has provoked an enormous amount of controversy and outrage.

But what I find more surprising is who isn’t discussing it. Some prominent individuals in the atheist and skeptical community are either minimizing this story, treating the allegations as if they were no big deal, or are trying to make the whole thing go away, acting as if the allegations never happened or shouldn’t be mentioned. It’s as if they’re trying to build a protective wall of silence around Michael Shermer.

One of them was named in the Buzzfeed article: James Randi, whose foundation was putting on the convention where Alison Smith alleges she was raped by Shermer. This is what he said to the reporter:

“Shermer has been a bad boy on occasion — I do know that,” Randi told me. “I have told him that if I get many more complaints from people I have reason to believe, that I am going to have to limit his attendance at the conference.

“His reply,” Randi continued, “is he had a bit too much to drink and he doesn’t remember. I don’t know — I’ve never been drunk in my life. It’s an unfortunate thing… I haven’t seen him doing that. But I get the word from people in the organization that he has to be under better control. If he had gotten violent, I’d have him out of there immediately. I’ve just heard that he misbehaved himself with the women, which I guess is what men do when they are drunk.”

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/daylightatheism/2014/09/the-wall-of-silence-around-michael-shermer/

[okasha]

1. Rape isn't violent?

What a clueless jackass Randi is.

[Dorian Gray]

2. He's been a

"bad boy."

Way to diminish the complaints.

I'm sure there are incidents of sexism and assault in every community. It's sad no matter where it occurs. But this "he's been a bad boy," attitude is truly abhorrent to me. No matter where it comes from.

[cbayer]

3. This is pathetic.

They are actually just digging a bigger hole with these kinds of statements. Somebody needs to get in there and kick some bad boy butt.

[AtheistCrusader]

4. That sounds awfully violent.

[Jim__]

5. James Randi comes off looking really bad.

“I have told him that if I get many more complaints from people I have reason to believe, that I am going to have to limit his attendance at the conference."

How many women do you get to rape before your attendance is limited?

[Goblinmonger]

6. Shermer needs to have charges brought against him.

Anyone know why he hasn't?

And Randi steps in it with the "if he were violent" comment. There's just no reasonable explanation for that.

[cbayer]

7. That's a really good question.

If none of the three women have pressed charges, it would be most interesting to know why.

[Goblinmonger]

8. I really have no idea.

All I have read about this I have read at DU. Seems odd that they would talk to the media and not press charges (I mean, from all I've read about things like this I get not wanting people to know, but that doesn't seem to be the case--though clearly I have no idea what is going on with these women and feel like guessing is just sexist bullshit on my part).

[cbayer]

9. Part of the criticism leveled in this article is in

regards to someone saying that rape victims should only tell the police and not go public. Perhaps the women involved felt that going public was a much more powerful and empowering thing to do.

As you know, rape and sexual assault victims are not always treated particularly well by the police or the courts.

I think these women are trying to make a big change by making a lot of noise, and judging from some of the dismissive reactions, they are fighting an uphill battle.

But they are fighting back and that is what counts.

[AtheistCrusader]

11. I think it's fine to go public, if true. But going to the police is of paramount importance.

On the other hand, if one goes public and the claims are not true, that has serious consequences of its own.

[cbayer]

12. Perhaps more information will become available.

I think there is little that would lead one to think these claims are not true. No one seems to be denying them at this point, but the dismissive attitude that "boys will be boys" is pretty damning.

There is a great opportunity here for these organizations to take a hard stand and break new ground in the way male dominated groups are often run. What is unfolding here is typical, old school bullshit.

[Goblinmonger]

13. The police and court system are often horrible.

But I think sometimes the public reacts with a "this is a he-said she-said instance and we don't know the truth" without a court conviction. Which is clearly a Catch-22. I think Randi might have been doing that but his comments seemed even more assholeish than that.

[cbayer]

15. Agree. I'm not sure which is harsher, the legal system or the court

of public opinion.

It's not easy to address, but Randi is totally out of line, imo. His remarks just add more fuel to the fire that these women are furious about.

[Goblinmonger]

16. Filter this through "I realize I have no clue about what they are going through", but

I think the court system is worse because there is the thought that that is in place to protect people. Public opinion is made up of assholes.

[cbayer]

17. Good point. I hope that they speak to this issue at some point.

It brings up a much larger issue of why many women don't report at all.

[AtheistCrusader]

10. I think Randy is taking the 'innocent until proven guilty' tack.

Shermer has sent PZ Meyers a cease and desist letter.

Until charges are filed against Shermer, I agree with Randi. And even then, I withhold judgment till both sides have their say in Court.


This is essentially a less-newsworthy repeat of Julian Assange's travails.

[Goblinmonger]

14. Yeah, but the "if he were violent" comment is pretty crappy.

He needed to make it more clear he meant "if I saw him being violent" if that was the approach he was taking. Perhaps he did and the interview didn't give us that.

[cbayer]

18. I also take issue with the "that's just what men do when they get drunk" comment.

[AtheistCrusader]

19. That's a better point.

Though, he doesn't elaborate on what his perception of 'misbehaved' is. That could mean a lot of different things quite unlike the main accusations.