opinions EDITORIAL misconduct accountable, and it is why misunderstanding of relationships and this final step is crucial for change. consent. Our entire society must learn How to apologize for to make amends to the victims it has created because we are all responsible. STEP THREE: Accept that There would not be countless abusers that have been able to remain in hiding sexual misconduct you are part of the system. for years had it not been for widespread One of the most damning revelations complicity. For every serial abuser, there had a candid conversation through that has come from the Me Too move- is a devil’s advocate. For every instance n a Dec. 28 Facebook post, senior a Jan. 2 Twitter thread in which he ment has been the sheer number of men of violated consent, an ongoing history theatre major Evan Louis Szewc acknowledged and apologized for dumbfounded that of inadequate sex education is behind Iannounced his resignation as his abuse of power as Ganz’s boss. their actions were it. For every man hungry for power, creative director for the 2018 Man- In the thread, Harmon let Ganz lead sexual miscon- there are generations that ifest Urban Arts Festival after alle- the conversation. He accepted blame, duct. In many of prodded him to dangerously gations of misconduct surfaced on did not try to deflect responsibility these situations wield his power over others. social media, as reported Jan. 5 by and asked for Ganz’s input on how he victims were The Chronicle. In his post, Szewc should address his misconduct, tell- left—often CKSO ACK JA N/CHR » Z ON IC acknowledged the allegations against ing her, “I’ll let you call the shots.” visibly—trau- L him and apologized for his actions. Harmon went on to discuss the harass- matized and the E It’s easy to become cynical about ment he committed in a Jan. 10 episode of men walked away apologies as more revelations of sexual his podcast “Harmontown” and accepted from the situation, misconduct have come to light, both in full responsibility. After listening to the unaware of the number Hollywood and closer to home. The dis- podcast, Ganz aptly called Harmon’s of boundaries they had crossed. tressing stories have become exhausting, response a “masterclass in How to Documentary film- and the generic apologies even more so, Apologize” in a Jan. 11 Twitter thread maker Morgan reading as desperate attempts at damage before announcing she forgave him. Spurlock’s Dec. control. The worst examples include 14 confession, Kevin Spacey’s apology in which he which he claimed not to remember committing STEP TWO: Make amends announced abuse and chef Mario Batali’s, which was before any accompanied by a cinnamon roll recipe. through actions. public accu- Is it possible to make an apol- It is easy to say, “I’m sorry.” But show- sations against ogy that goes beyond mere words ing that you are sorry is a much harder him arose, exem- and does something to rectify past feat. True dedication to redemption plifies the dan- wrongs? We think so, if the apology takes time, effort and an understanding gerous cluelessness is a first step and not a last one. of the role you played in another’s pain. many have fallen into. In his In a Jan. 17 Instagram post, actor account in which he Timothée Chalamet did not use the admitted to sex- Apologize to the word “sorry” when he recognized his ual assault and STEP ONE: role in Woody Allen’s unreleased film “A harassment, victim(s), not the public. Rainy Day in New York” as harmful, but Spurlock There is no test to measure the sin- his actions perfectly communicated details a cerity of an apology, but one can’t help his feelings. Chalamet stated he did night with a but assume that many of the public not want to profit off of Allen’s film girl in college statements made in recent months and announced he would be donating who cried weren’t intended for the victims. his entire salary from the film to the while in bed Instead, many of the apologies read as anti-harassment group Time’s Up, the with him, and carefully crafted attempts to salvage L.G.B.T. Center in New York, and the it never crossed his public reputations and cut losses. Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. mind that he committed Comedy writer Dan Harmon, however, Chalamet’s statement may seem out assault until he was later con- is an important example of accepting of place within the Me Too movement. fronted about the event. Spurlock responsibility and showing respect He wasn’t accused of harassment or wrote, “I believed she was feeling after Megan Ganz, a comedy writer assault; all he did was play a character better. She believed she was raped.” who worked under Harmon on the in a movie created by a man who was As much as Spurlock is to blame television show “Community,” accused accused. But this movement is more than for his actions, we must address him of harassment. Harmon and Ganz holding individuals who have committed the reason for his and others’ total

Editorial Board Members

Brooke Pawling Stennett Digital Managing Editor Jay Berghuis Copy Editor Did you catch a mistake, think we could have covered a story better or Tyra Bosnic Opinions Editor Eric Eldridge Webmaster have strong beliefs about an issue that faces all of us here at Columbia? Olivia Deloian Campus Reporter Jocelyn Moreno Graphic Designer Blaise Mesa Metro Reporter Sawyer Gaunt Multimedia Reporter Why not write a letter to the editor? At the bottom of Page 2, Mayan Darbyshire Arts & Culture Reporter Zachary Keltner Staff Photographer you’ll find a set of guidelines on how to do this. Let us hear Kelsey Kennedy Marketing Assistant Kami Rieck Media Sales Rep from you. —The Columbia Chronicle Editorial Board

22 THE CHRONICLE JANUARY 22, 2018