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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNeil DeGrasse Tyson?? No.
https://www.wftv.com/news/trending-now/neil-degrasse-tyson-sexual-misconduct-investigated-bynational-geographic-fox/881212344Tchiya Amet claimed that Tyson had drugged and raped her in 1984. Patheos published that allegation on Nov. 8. She also made the claim in 2014 in a blog post.
Fox Broadcasting, which is a majority owner of National Geographic Television, issued a statement on the new allegations:
We have only just become aware of the recent allegations regarding Neil deGrasse Tyson. We take these matters very seriously and we are reviewing the recent reports.
The Velveteen Ocelot
(115,735 posts)Demovictory9
(32,457 posts)Glorfindel
(9,730 posts)I wouldn't believe anything published in that Nazi-owned rag nor anything reported on the "news" service that owns it.
Roland99
(53,342 posts)LakeArenal
(28,820 posts)Hes very beloved by atheists. And very hated by right wing nut job smear campaigners so..... Ill take my time.
Heartstrings
(7,349 posts)mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)Loki Liesmith
(4,602 posts)HipChick
(25,485 posts)Loki Liesmith
(4,602 posts)And amount to creepy behavior if true. But thats a big if. I expect some solid proof if they want me to sign on to some kind of sanction for the man.
superpatriotman
(6,249 posts)" I wen to his apartment to visit like I did almost everyday. He was like my big brother, or so I thought. He offered me a glass of water. I accepted a liquid in a cup made out of a coconut shell. I recall coming back to consciousness briefly, then next thing I remember is seeing him in the hallway the next day."
The rest is so out there I couldn't bring myself to post it, but here you go:
https://tchiya.wordpress.com/2014/10/08/end-the-silence-end-the-violence-chapter-6-austin-texas-1983-1984-the-blue-lotus-speaks/
nolabear
(41,987 posts)Her account says both she was unconscious and had no memory and describes what he did. She really sounds a tad on the psychotic end.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)And very often rightfully called 'in the eyes of the beholder'.
Now ... what Ms. Amet is claiming happened ... that's something else entirely. We're talking some pretty damn serious accusations here, and I really hope this is untrue, or at the very worst is a case of 'well, we did a ton of shots, and then had sex, and I felt taken advantage of' ... which, while certainly not a 'good thing' ... in 1984, was really not understood the way it is now.
This to me is a gut-punch ... a lot like Bill Cosby, TBH. Though THAT case was overwhelming, there was just TOO MANY women to possibly reckon that it was something unfair against him.
At this point, I'm reserving judgement, but if women start coming out the proverbial woodwork ... man ... that'll be SOOOO friggin' disappointing.
Loki Liesmith
(4,602 posts)Its bonkers.
samnsara
(17,622 posts)...Im so sick of these allegations. I take classes at the local Sr Center and there are quite a few very elderly folks there. One of my favorites is a 93 yr old widower..WWll and Korean War Vet..same age and service as my own father. He comes there alone everyday.. drives himself everywhere. He came up behind me and put his cold hands on my neck the other day ( it was coooold outside)..then he quickly withdrew and said 'Oh I hope I didnt offend you!' How sad that maybe perhaps there was someone who would have found that offensive and made a huge friggen deal about it. He would have been horrified. I reassured him that nothing he does is offensive and then started joking about his cold hands means warm heart etc.
peggysue2
(10,832 posts)I smell a take down because Tyson is dismissive of Republican/Trumpy bullshit.
I have no problem with women having a voice but I suspect the MeToo movement has infiltrators, chaos agents who merely wish to bring people down for their own amusement and ulterior motives.
Think Al Franken. Then think again about these accusations regarding Neil DeGrasse Tyson.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,357 posts)Merlot
(9,696 posts)Not sure what you're referencing about trouble with boundaries, but when ever I see him on interviews I get annoyed. Not really sure why, he just seems to walk all over other peoples opinions. He uses his knowledge of science to put down other people who don't see exactly as he does. I'm not religious, but still find his pestering of religious people tiresome.
Being annoyed with someones persona is a far cry from believing rape allegations. I do see how he would be a target for the right.
realmirage
(2,117 posts)arrogance on religious matters. As if any human being has the proven answers to the ultimate mystery of life. Humility is rare and keeps the mind open to reality. Ego cripples intelligence.
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)To a scientist, it's no different to say 'God created life on Earth' than it is to say "An Eternal Being, who happens to be a Martian Named 'Ajax', and who now lives on the dark side of Earth's moon, shot his beam of anti-matter at the Planet ... and then life sprung forth".
All of religions 'hypotheses' are non-testable, random, 'made-up', and entirely a function of the current societal paradigm in which they spring forth. 4,000 years ago, in Egypt, it was 'Amon-Ra' who was responsible for life on the Planet ... to the Greeks it was Zeus, or whoever ... why exactly should ANY rational person ... give ANY CREDENCE whatsoever to the notion that magical sky creatures created life on Earth out of nothingness, or through their magical powers?
There's NO evidence for it, there's NO way to test for it, and frankly there's NO reason to actually believe that.
I'm sorry, but our current lack of a complete 'understanding' of 'how life came to be' is in NO WAY anything approaching any sort of proof ... of magical sky creatures being responsible for it.
That's a gobbledygook assertion, basically.
I would bet that we actually synthesize something very close to 'life', in a laboratory ... within (many of) our lifetimes.
Because Life? It's just very complex chemistry, and physics ... with no magic. I'm sorry, but that WILL BE 'the answer'. Because it has to be. You may call such a supposition 'arrogance' ... but a scientist calls it simple deduction, based on ALL available evidence.
Codeine
(25,586 posts)mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)edhopper
(33,587 posts)The Dude!
mr_lebowski
(33,643 posts)edhopper
(33,587 posts)that's, like, cool.
And shut up Donnie!
realmirage
(2,117 posts)push your atheist views as though theyre fact and that the religions of the world contain no basic truths concerning reality, do it in the atheist group. Thats not what this thread is for.
By the way Ive always gotten a chuckle out of Richard Dawkins fantasy about the source of life on earth, that aliens designed a form of life that they seeded onto... perhaps this... this planet.
Or he could just say unicorns did it or a spaghetti monster. In the end everyone is full of shit. No one knows.
Like I said though, thats not for this thread.
Blue_true
(31,261 posts)Fossils of early humans exist that are millions of years old, according to the bible, the earth is about 6,000 years old.
Here is what I think happened. When people learned to write prose, they starting making stuff up to explain nature that was happening around them. A lot of biblical stories are of God smiting enemies of one of god's chosen people. The ancient Greeks and others had gods that played favorites and withdrew favor if not appeased with sacrifices (worship). Gods in Greek mythology often had sex with earthbound women to produce special children (not exactly like the story of Jesus, but pretty close). Several religions before Christianity and Islam had a God and an earthly born son of that God that was sacrificed.
I don't buy the atheist line that somehow there is no higher intelligence, a long look at nature says there is likely a higher intelligence, but it's doubtful that it's a vengeful God that demands worship. Of course NONE of us, and that is EVERYONE won't know until we die, if then.
But people have to believe something. Can you imagine if we find out that we are just here with no real important reason why we exist? So, although I don't see what they believe, I am ok with religious people, as long as they give me my space.
N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,734 posts)Is sometimes mistaken for arrogance. Especially by those who disagree with the premise.
Not saying this applies to you personally, it is a general observation.
realmirage
(2,117 posts)Polybius
(15,437 posts)He thinks everything is a joke. He can't even answer a question without trying to be funny with a stupid response. If I hear his stupid "I'm not authorized to answer that" answer again when asked about UFO's, I think I'll scream.
elocs
(22,582 posts)of sexual assault or sexual misconduct by a woman to destroy a man's career.
Except that they don't know what we know, that no man on the Left is capable of committing any sexual misconduct or assault, but every Republican accused is guilty automatically.
realmirage
(2,117 posts)are already dismissing the accusers before theres even been a god damn investigation. Really stupid to use it as an excuse to attack the metoo movement and then write the whole thing off because tysons a Democrat. Justice sees no party. Innocent until proven but that doesnt mean you decide the case in his favor either after reading a short article. If these were your sisters youd take this shit more seriously.
misanthrope
(7,418 posts)When people have tried to hem in the science educator about such, he usually sidesteps it by deferring to science above politics.
realmirage
(2,117 posts)misanthrope
(7,418 posts)automatically makes Tyson a Democrat? I don't believe the world is binary. "Beware the tyranny of either/or."
Tyson can stand against those who damage or discredit science without pledging allegiance to a specific party.
realmirage
(2,117 posts)If not, then what are you talking about?
misanthrope
(7,418 posts)I've heard him refuse to get sucked into this on several occasions. The most recent time I heard someone try to pigeonhole him was Nov. 30, 2018 when he appeared on Firing Line with Margaret Hoover. He performed the same sidestep he usually does.
Tyson's aim is to be a science educator. He voices opinions on policies and tactics that harm science or critical thought. He offers observations on movements and trends. I've yet to hear him say, "I'm a Democrat." I doubt I ever will hear him say such a thing because it would affect his efficacy as a science educator.
Baclava
(12,047 posts)Renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is reportedly being investigated by the companies behind his show Cosmos after being accused of sexual misconduct.
Two women claimed deGrasse Tyson acted inappropriately during personal interactions. In one, Katelyn Allers, an associate professor of astronomy and physics at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, claimed Tyson inappropriately touched her in 2009 while admiring a space tattoo on her upper left arm.
Another woman, Ashley Watson, claimed that she quit a position as Tyson's assistant due to inappropriate sexual advances.
Those claims follow an earlier allegation by musician Tchiya Amet, who claimed Tyson raped her while both attended graduate school.
https://www.space.com/42606-fox-cosmos-investigate-claims-against-neil-degrasse-tyson.html
question everything
(47,487 posts)And, yes, I know that many here will come after me as they did when I posted about Cosby but any woman who is going to a man's room expecting to recite Shakespeare cannot be that naive.
LakeArenal
(28,820 posts)Just like its the same old characters here that want to wait to see if these allegations from 2014 about an alleged episode in 1984 have any credibility.
Loki Liesmith
(4,602 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)Roland99
(53,342 posts)4 HOURS AGO · PUBLIC
For a variety of reasons, most justified, some unjustified, men accused of sexual impropriety in todays me-too climate are presumed to be guilty by the court of public opinion. Emotions bypass due-process, people choose sides, and the social media wars begin.
In any claim, evidence matters. Evidence always matters. But what happens when its just one persons word against anothers, and the stories dont agree? Thats when people tend to pass judgment on who is more credible than whom. And thats when an impartial investigation can best serve the truth and would have my full cooperation to do so.
Ive recently been publically accused of sexual misconduct. These accusations have received a fair amount of press in the past forty-eight hours, unaccompanied by my reactions. In many cases, its not the medias fault. I declined comment on the grounds that serious accusations should not be adjudicated in the press. But clearly I cannot continue to stay silent. So below I offer my account of each accusation.
The 2009 Incident
I am asked by thousands of people per year to take pictures with them. A flattering, time consuming, but delightful chore. As many in my fan-base can attest, I get almost giddy if I notice youre wearing cosmic bling clothing or jewelry or tattoos that portray the universe, either scientifically or artistically. And I make it a priority to point out these adornments for the photograph.
A colleague at a well attended, after-conference, social gathering came up to me to ask for a photograph. She was wearing a sleeveless dress with a tattooed solar system extending up her arm. And while I dont explicitly remember searching for Pluto at the top of her shoulder, it is surely something I would have done in that situation. As we all know, I have professional history with the demotion of Pluto, which had occurred officially just three years earlier. So whether people include it or not in their tattoos is of great interest to me. I was reported to have groped her by searching up her dress, when this was simply a search under the covered part of her shoulder of the sleeveless dress.
I only just learned (nine years after) that she thought this behavior creepy. That was never my intent and Im deeply sorry to have made her feel that way. Had I been told of her discomfort in the moment, I would have offered this same apology eagerly, and on the spot. In my minds eye, Im a friendly and accessible guy, but going forward, I can surely be more sensitive to peoples personal space, even in the midst of my planetary enthusiasm.
Summer 2018 Incident
While filming this past summer, I had a (female) Production Assistant assigned to me, to ensure, among her countless tasks, that every ounce of my energy was efficiently allocated to the production needs of the show. As part of this, she was also my driver, to and from the studio, ensuring that I arrive on time. In the car we would review details of the shoot and she would help me anticipate parts of the shoot to come. Across the many weeks of shooting she and I spent upwards of a hundred hours in one-on-one conversation. We became so friendly that we talked about all manner of subjects, even social-personal ones, like the care of aging parents, sibling relationships, life in high school and college, hometown hobbies, race, gender, and so forth. We also discussed less-personal topics in abundance, like rock lyrics, favorite songs in various musical genres, concert experiences, etc. And we also talked about food Im kind of a foodie, and her fiancé was a chef. In short, we had a fun, talkative friendship.
She is a talented, warm and friendly person -- excellent traits for morale on a high pressure production. Practically everyone she knows on set gets a daily welcome-hug from her. I expressly rejected each hug offered frequently during the Production. But in its place I offered a handshake, and on a few occasions, clumsily declared, If I hug you I might just want more. My intent was to express restrained but genuine affection.
In the final week of shooting, with just a few days left, as a capstone of our friendship, I invited her to wine & cheese at my place upon dropping me off from work. No pressure. I serve wine & cheese often to visitors. And I even alerted her that others from the production were gathering elsewhere that evening, so she could just drop me off and head straight there or anywhere elsewhere. She freely chose to come by for wine & cheese and I was delighted. In the car, we had started a long conversation that could continue unabated. Production days are long. We arrived late, but she was on her way home two hours later.
Afterwards, she came into my office to told me she was creeped out by the wine & cheese evening. She viewed the invite as an attempt to seduce her, even though she sat across the wine & cheese table from me, and all conversation had been in the same vein as all other conversations we ever had.
Further, I never touched her until I shook her hand upon departure. On that occasion, I had offered a special handshake, one I learned from a Native elder on reservation land at the edge of the Grand Canyon. You extend your thumb forward during the handshake to feel the other persons vital spirit energy -- the pulse. Ive never forgotten that handshake, and I save it in appreciation of people with whom Ive developed new friendships.
At that last meeting in my office, I apologized profusely. She accepted the apology. And I assured her that had I known she was uncomfortable, I would have apologized on the spot, ended the evening, and possibly reminded her of the other social gathering that she could attend. She nonetheless declared it her last day, with only a few days left of production.
I note that her final gesture to me was the offer of a hug, which I accepted as a parting friend.
Early 1980s
I entered astrophysics graduate school directly out of college in 1980. Its a grueling adventure-marathon, and many people do not finish the PhD. In fact, it was not uncommon for half the admitted students to leave after two or three years, finding some other kind of work in their lives. While in graduate school I had several girlfriends, one of whom would become my wife of thirty years, a mathematical physicist -- we met in Relativity class. Over this time I had a brief relationship with a fellow astro-graduate student, from a more recent entering class. I remember being intimate only a few times, all at her apartment, but the chemistry wasnt there. So the relationship faded quickly. There was nothing otherwise odd or unusual about this friendship.
I didn't see much of her after that time. Our student offices were on different floors of the building and we were not in the same classes. A few years later, I ran into her, pregnant, with who I think was the father by her side. Thats when I had learned that she dropped out of graduate school. Again, this is not itself an unusual fact, but I nonetheless wished her well in motherhood and in whatever career path would follow.
More than thirty years later, as my visibility-level took another jump, I read a freshly posted blog accusing me of drugging and raping a woman I did not recognize by either photo or name. Turned out to be the same person who I dated briefly in graduate school. She had changed her name and lived an entire life, married with children, before this accusation.
For me, what was most significant, was that in this new life, long after dropping out of astrophysics graduate school, she was posting videos of colored tuning forks endowed with vibrational therapeutic energy that she channels from the orbiting planets. As a scientist, I found this odd. Meanwhile, according to her blog posts, the drug and rape allegation comes from an assumption of what happened to her during a night that she cannot remember. It is as though a false memory had been implanted, which, because it never actually happened, had to be remembered as an evening she doesnt remember. Nor does she remember waking up the next morning and going to the office. I kept a record of everything she posted, in case her stories morphed over time. So this is sad, which, for me, defies explanation.
I note that this allegation was used as a kind of solicitation-bait by at least one journalist to bring out of the woodwork anybody who had any encounter with me that left them uncomfortable.
Overview
Im the accused, so why believe anything I say? Why believe me at all?
That brings us back to the value of an independent investigation, which FOX/NatGeo (the networks on which Cosmos and StarTalk air) announced that they will conduct. I welcome this.
Accusations can damage a reputation and a marriage. Sometimes irreversibly. I see myself as loving husband and as a public servant a scientist and educator who serves at the will of the public. I am grateful for the support Ive received from those who continue to respect and value me and my work.
Respectfully submitted, Neil deGrasse Tyson, New York City
peggysue2
(10,832 posts)It's something I wish Al Franken had done--an explanation--because it helps to defuse the initial hysteria. I'm also glad to hear he welcomes a thorough and independent investigation, something Al Franken was never afforded. All parties should be heard, details recorded and credibility measured. Only then, can evaluations be made. When we all have a voice and an objective investigation is carried out.
Thanks for posting this.
grantcart
(53,061 posts)I think he should sue the woman who has assumed something she cannot remember.