Oprah Must Disavow Harvey Weinstein

Oprah Must Disavow Harvey Weinstein

Started
9 January 2018
Petition to
Signatures: 30,137Next Goal: 35,000
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Why this petition matters

Started by Paul Watson

Given that Oprah Winfrey has set herself up as a figurehead for the #MeToo movement, and is even reportedly considering running for president, it is imperative that she disavow serial sex predator and her friend for many years Harvey Weinstein.

Oprah maintained a close professional relationship with Harvey Weinstein over the course of two decades and was caught on camera kissing and hugging the notorious accused rapist at numerous events and award ceremonies.

Even after Weinstein was exposed, TMZ reported that Oprah called him to offer her support. Winfrey's spokesperson denied the claim, although added that Oprah would be open to doing an interview with Weinstein.

British actress Kadian Noble said she met Weinstein at a 2014 event in London and that Oprah was "swinging off his arm". She said that Weinstein used Oprah to lure her in with the promise of boosting her career.

Weinstein subsequently allegedly raped Noble, prompting her to file a sex trafficking lawsuit against Weinstein in a Manhattan federal court in November.

"Harvey wasn’t acting alone. Harvey wasn’t allowed and enabled to do what he did to Kadian and other women without help," said Noble’s attorney, Jeff Herman.

How can Oprah Winfrey credibly claim to represent victims of sexual assault when she has failed to vehemently condemn Harvey Weinstein and refused to mention his name during her Golden Globes speech?

Are we to believe that during her close and sustained professional relationship with the disgraced director, Oprah had no idea whatsoever about Weinstein's behavior, despite other celebrities such as Seth McFarlane and Courtney Love acknowledging they knew years before Weinstein was publicly exposed?

According to screenwriter, actor and producer Scott Rosenberg, whose first two films were distributed by Harvey and Bob Weinstein's company Miramax, "everybody f**king knew" about Weinstein's behavior in Hollywood.

Matt Damon and Ben Affleck have also admitted that they knew about Weinstein sexually harassing Gwyneth Paltrow yet said nothing at the time as Weinstein helped their careers blossom.

What did Oprah know and when did she know it?

In addition, Oprah has never spoken out against another serial sex predator - Bill Clinton - prompting one of his victims, Juanita Broaddrick, to address Oprah in a tweet in which she said, "Funny I've never heard you mention my name. CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW? Guess not. My rapist was/is your friend, Bill Clinton."

Some of Oprah's previous comments on race are also incredibly divisive.

In 2013, Winfrey told the BBC that she thinks "generations" of older people "just have to die" to solve the problem of racism.

What are elderly Americans, including veterans who fought in World War 2, the Korean War and Vietnam, supposed to think about such a statement?

Surely Oprah should be keen to represent all Americans if she is planning on running for president and not ostracize a huge segment of them in such a vulgar way?

Please sign the petition if you think that Oprah should be held to the same standard as Donald Trump, who was forced to disavow David Duke numerous times during the election campaign despite having never met him.

If Oprah really wants to present herself as a figurehead for the #MeToo movement, she must disavow Harvey Weinstein immediately and give a full and frank explanation as to how she remained unaware of his abusive activities despite it being an open secret throughout Hollywood for years.

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Signatures: 30,137Next Goal: 35,000
Support now
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