Daily Times

During their first year at the Naval Academy, midshipmen must memorise material contained in ‘Reef Points.’ Reef Points is a manual for reinforcing naval values with fact and some history including quotations from naval heroes such as John Paul Jones’ ‘We have just begun to fight’ and Commodore Lawrence’s ‘Don’t give up the ship.’

Perhaps the weightiest of these famous quotes is Commodore Matthew Maury’s stricture: ‘when principle is involved, be deaf to expediency.’ Maury himself has been criticised for abandoning his pronouncement in joining his southern confederates in the Civil War even though it could be argued that his was principle wrongly exercised.

Today, American politics and values have become even more contentious and squalid over sexual harassment and abuse. Perpetrators from New York to Hollywood are falling like rotted timber to accusations and allegations of wrongful sexual behaviour some of which are decades old. While such social upheaval is not new — witches were burnt at the stake in Salem — the current situation dramatises deep cleavages in values over principle, expediency, free speech and the precept of innocence until proven otherwise mixed with massive doses of hypocrisy.

Roy Moore, an Alabama judge and senatorial candidate, sadly personifies the currently dismal state of American politics and values. Credible female witnesses have alleged his predatory and possibly illegal sexual conduct. Moore categorically denied all of these charges. President Donald Trump has defended Moore despite accusations of his own improper conduct made public on a TMZ tape in which Trump bragged about exploiting his celebrity status groping and making sexual advances on women. The excuse that this was just “locker room” talk between boys was nonsensical.

The real issue for the president is not whether Moore is guilty or innocent. Trump cannot tolerate a liberal Democrat winning the Alabama senatorial election no matter how qualified. While presidential prerogative can be deaf to principle, surely, Moore’s public remarks about homosexuals and other minority groups and his refusal to abide by the law as a judge surely are disqualifying factors for high office regardless of whether or not the charges are true. Hypocrisy ten, principle zero.

Unless or until civility and compromise can be restored to political dialogue, the contradictions among principle, expediency, free speech, presumption of innocence and hypocrisy will simply grow larger. This is not good for the health of the union and its values

President Trump is not alone. Bill Clinton was the poster child for sexual misconduct — on sensual or not. Yet, many forgave Clinton believing the president’s stand on women’s reproductory rights trumped any wrongdoing. Again, hypocrisy prevailed.

Despite the absence of no accepted definition of what constitutes sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour, mere allegations are often enough to convict. Whether Senator Al Franken is a predator or not, the photograph of him appearing to touch a sleeping woman’s breasts or patting another lady on the behind cannot be associated with abusing a minor or sexual assault. Yet in this environment, so far, the senator’s relatively minor indiscretions can be politically fatal. And further abuses by other members of Congress have yet to run their course. More charges are likely.

Here free speech abuts against presumption of innocence. What a woman may rightly regard as unwanted behaviour could be regarded by a man as entirely appropriate. But who is likely to win in the court of public opinion when it may be impossible to determine what actually happened? And workplace abuse with absolutely no sexual connotations — for example, a tough, demanding and even unpleasant boss — can potentially constitute grounds for legal action or dismissal.

Unfortunately, no easy policy or legislative solution exists. Nancy Reagan said just to say no to drugs. Just saying no to unwanted sexual advances could be one answer. The flaw is that where the offender has particular power over the victim such as being a boss, celebrity or with other leverage, saying no will not always work. Worse, because of increasing polarisation of society into ‘us and them’ mentalities, compromise and civility become as victimised as those being sexually assaulted. Hypocrisy flourishes when advancing one’s political agenda neutralises principle.

Common sense should apply. It will not. As American politics become more pernicious and divided, allegations of wrongdoing will become more attractive and usable weapons to attack the other side, regardless of whomever the other side may be. Unless or until civility and compromise can be restored to the political dialogue, the contradictions among principle, expediency, free speech, presumption of innocence and hypocrisy will simply grow larger. That is not good for the health of the union and its values.

The writer has served on the Senior Advisory Group for Supreme Allied Commander Europe (2004-2016) and is currently Senior Adviser at Washington DC’s Atlantic Council, chairman of two private companies and principal author of The Doctrine of Shock and Awe. His next book due out this year is Anatomy of Failure: Why America Loses Wars. It argues failure to know and to understand the circumstances in which force is used guarantees failure. The writer can be reached on Twitter @harlankullman

Published in Daily Times, December 3^rd 2017.