Oprah Gives Much-Ballyhooed Speech on #MeToo. Here Are 4 Problems With It.

Oprah Gives Much-Ballyhooed Speech on #MeToo. Here Are 4 Problems With It.

January 8, 2018

ByBen Shapiro

@benshapiro

https://www.dailywire.com/news/25504/oprah-gives-much-ballyhooed-speech-metoo-here-are-ben-shapiro?utm_source=shapironewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=010918-news&utm_campaign=position1

On Sunday evening, Oprah Winfrey received the Cecille B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award. She proceeded to launch into an emotional speech about the power of women to fight back against sexism and sexual malfeasance — a speech that led to widespread celebration in Hollywood, where everyone knew about the problem of sexual harassment and assault and nobody did anything for years, but where one speech from the most powerful woman in the history of media can apparently cure all ills.

Oprah’s speech was quite good, of course. She’s a terrific performer, and she’s world famous for her ability to connect with her audience on a personal level. The speech led NBC to tweet out its support for her presidential candidacy, and led actress Reese Witherspoon to elevate Oprah to the level of Jesus:

So, what was so special about the speech?

Not much, in truth.

Oprah didn’t name any names. She didn’t explain where she had been for the prior several decades, as all of this unfolded. She didn’t encourage any serious measures against sexual harassment and assault. She channeled the feelings of many women, which is terrific, for what it’s worth — but it isn’t as though women have been met with scorn and hatred for telling their stories of sexual assault and harassment. The level of national sympathy for victims has been overwhelming, as it should be.

In fact, there were several rather insulting moments in Oprah’s speech that we’re all supposed to ignore (and hey, if she’s a purported presidential candidate, she deserves to have her speeches analyzed). Here they are, in order:

1. Oprah Implied That Matters Are The Same For Black Women Today As They Were For Black People Generally In 1964. She led off her speech by talking about how moved she was in 1964 when Sidney Poitier won the DeMille Award. “I remember his tie was white, and of course his skin was black, and I had never seen a black man being celebrated like that. I tried many, many times to explain what a moment like that means to a little girl, a kid watching from the cheap seats as my mom came through the door bone tired from cleaning other people's houses.”

This is quite moving and beautiful. But then Oprah feels the need to state that young black girls will treat her victory in 2018 the same way, which is asinine. Sorry, it is. Oprah stated, “In 1982, Sidney received the Cecil B. DeMille award right here at the Golden Globes and it is not lost on me that at this moment, there are some little girls watching as I become the first black woman to be given this same award.”

Michelle Obama has been First Lady. Condoleezza Rice has been Secretary of State, Loretta Lynch has been Attorney General, and Susan Rice has been national security advisor. Many of today’s top stars are black women, in music and sports and television and movies. It’s insipid for Oprah to compare herself to Poitier, or 1964 with 2018.

2. Oprah’s Press Pandering. Yes, we all appreciate the press for doing the hard work of digging. But it’s nothing but pandering to suggest that they’re engaged in the “insatiable dedication to uncovering the absolute truth that keeps us from turning a blind eye to corruption and to injustice.” It’s even more ridiculous to say this in the context of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, an organization of international journalists who report on . . . Hollywood, where they apparently had nothing to say for decades about sexual harassment and abuse.

3. “Your Truth.” This one is a pet peeve. Oprah stated, “What I know for sure is that speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we all have.” She’d go on to praise women for telling their stories of assault and harassment, which is wonderful and positive. But the phrase “your truth” is the opposite of truth — there’s the truth, and there’s your opinion. End of story.

4. She Equated The Status Of A Raped Black Woman In Alabama In 1944 To Women In Hollywood Today. Oprah told the story of Recy Taylor, who was kidnapped and raped in Alabama by six white men. She only died ten days ago. The story is heartbreaking. But then Oprah stated, “She lived as we all have lived, too many years in a culture broken by brutally powerful men. For too long, women have not been heard or believed if they dare speak the truth to the power of those men. But their time is up. Their time is up.”

This is plainly absurd. To compare the fate of women in Hollywood in 2018 with the fate of Recy Taylor in 1944 is ridiculous. But it’s precisely the sort of nonsense Oprah routinely preaches: when The Butler was released in 2013, Oprah compared Trayvon Martin to lynching victim Emmitt Till.

The conclusion of Oprah’s speech was magnificent, by the way:

I've interviewed and portrayed people who've withstood some of the ugliest things life can throw at you, but the one quality all of them seem to share is an ability to maintain hope for a brighter morning, even during our darkest nights. So I want all the girls watching here, now, to know that a new day is on the horizon! And when that new day finally dawns, it will be because of a lot of magnificent women, many of whom are right here in this room tonight, and some pretty phenomenal men, fighting hard to make sure that they become the leaders who take us to the time when nobody ever has to say "Me too" again.

But it would be nice if Oprah had used some of her power to fight the Harvey Weinsteins of the world years ago, rather than leading from behind.

Let’s connect the dots:

Loretta Lynch

Loretta Lynch was the attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice, and Sharon Malone’s Harvard classmate.

Note: Sharon Malone was Loretta Lynch’s Harvard classmate, and is married to Eric H. Holder Jr.

Eric H. Holder Jr. is married to Sharon Malone, a director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, was the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice for the Barack Obama administration, and a board member for the American Constitution Society.

Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, the Brookings Institution (think tank), the Aspen Institute (think tank), the International Rescue Committee, and the Robin Hood Foundation.

George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, Gavin Newsom was invited to his 2013 wedding reception, and is the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.

Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Susan E. Rice was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and was the White House national security adviser, former U.S. ambassador to UN for the Barack Obama administration.

Condoleezza Rice is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, and was a director at the ONE Campaign.

Tom Brokaw is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, and was an anchor for the NBC Nightly News.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign, Harvey Weinstein arranged for her to announce best picture at 2012 Oscars, was the first lady for the Barack Obama administration, and is married to Barack Obama.

Barack Obama is married to Michelle Obama, was the president for the Barack Obama administration, a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago), and the candidate for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Oprah Winfrey was a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago), and is a council member at the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

African American Religious Leadership Committee was an advisory group for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign.

Jeremiah A. Wright Jr. was a member of the African American Religious Leadership Committee, and is a senior pastor at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Trumpeter Newsmagazine is a publication for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Louis Farrakhan is awarded the 2007 Jeremiah Wright Jr. Trumpeter award from Trumpeter Newsmagazine, the organizer for the Million Man March, and the acting head for the Nation of Islam.

National Museum of African American History and Culture is a member of the Smithsonian Institution.

Joseph R. Biden Jr. was a regent at the Smithsonian Institution, and the vice president for the Barack Obama administration.

Xavier Becerra is a regent at the Smithsonian Institution, and the attorney general for the California state government.

Gavin Newsom is the lieutenant governor for the California state government, and was invited to George Soros’s 2013 wedding reception.

Eric H. Holder Jr. is the outside counsel for the California state government, married to Sharon Malone, a director at the NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund, was the attorney general at the U.S. Department of Justice for the Barack Obama administration, and a board member for the American Constitution Society.

Sharon Malone is married to Eric H. Holder Jr., and was Loretta Lynch’s Harvard classmate.

Loretta Lynch was Sharon Malone’s Harvard classmate, and the attorney general for the U.S. Department of Justice.

Barack Obama was the president for the Barack Obama administration, a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago), the candidate for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign, is married to Michelle Obama, and Harry S. Truman’s seventh cousin 3 times removed.

Harry S. Truman was Barack Obama’s seventh cousin 3 times removed, and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Elena Kagan is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, and was a solicitor general for the Barack Obama administration.

Samuel Anthony Alito Jr. is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Stephen G. Breyer is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Anthony M. Kennedy is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Sonia Sotomayor is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

David Hackett Souter is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and was a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Harry A. Blackmun was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Lewis F. Powell Jr. was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

John Paul Stevens was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Potter Stewart was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Byron R. White was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

William Howard Taft was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and a chief justice for the U.S. Supreme Court.

John G. Roberts Jr. is the chief justice for the U.S. Supreme Court, and the chancellor for the Smithsonian Institution.

National Museum of African American History and Culture is a member of the Smithsonian Institution.

Oprah Winfrey is a council member at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and was a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Trumpeter Newsmagazine is a publication for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Louis Farrakhan is awarded the 2007 Jeremiah Wright Jr. Trumpeter award from Trumpeter Newsmagazine, the organizer for the Million Man March, and the acting head for the Nation of Islam.

Harvey Weinstein arranged for Michelle Obama to announce best picture at 2012 Oscars, and is a director at the Robin Hood Foundation.

Jeff Zucker is a director emeritus at the Robin Hood Foundation, an executive producer for the NBC Nightly News, the CEO for the NBC Universal Television Group, and the president & CEO for NBCUniversal.

Brian Williams is a director emeritus at the Robin Hood Foundation, and was an anchor for the NBC Nightly News.

Tom Brokaw was a director at the Robin Hood Foundation, an anchor for the NBC Nightly News, and is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Michelle Obama was an advocate for the ONE Campaign, Harvey Weinstein arranged for her to announce best picture at 2012 Oscars, was the first lady for the Barack Obama administration, and is married to Barack Obama.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Colin L. Powell is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a council member for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank).

Susan E. Rice was a director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution (think tank), and was the White House national security adviser, former U.S. ambassador to UN for the Barack Obama administration.

Condoleezza Rice is an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), a trustee at the Aspen Institute (think tank), an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, and was a director at the ONE Campaign.

ONE Campaign is a partner with the International Rescue Committee.

Colin L. Powell is an overseer at the International Rescue Committee, a council member for the National Museum of African American History and Culture, an honorary director at the Atlantic Council of the United States (think tank), and a council member for the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

National Museum of African American History and Culture is a member of the Smithsonian Institution.

Oprah Winfrey is a council member at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and was a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Trumpeter Newsmagazine is a publication for the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).

Louis Farrakhan is awarded the 2007 Jeremiah Wright Jr. Trumpeter award from Trumpeter Newsmagazine, the organizer for the Million Man March, and the acting head for the Nation of Islam.