Ron Paul, a Republican from Texas, stood by his former statements that the victims of sexual harassment in the workplace should share the responsibility for finding an answer to the problem. He also stood by his idea that society as a whole shouldn’t have to bare the weight of finding a treatment, or cure, for AIDS sufferers.
When Ron Paul first made these statements he was writing a book called “Freedom Under Siege: The US Constitution after 200-Plus Years.” The book was published in 1987. In the book, he points out that the morals of the harasser can’t be defended, but in the same breathe he wonders why the “harassee” escapes some responsibility about the matter.
Later in the book, Paul mentions AIDS victims are indeed victims, but only of their own life style. On Fox News, Ron Paul was asked if he still believes that sexual harassment victims are still partially responsible and if AIDS victims are still a burden to main-stream society, he answered – “yes.”
On the topic of sexual harassment, Paul did try to make the difference between verbal and physical sexual harassment but remarked that neither abuse should be punishable with a federal law. Paul also remarked that people have the right to work where they want or leave at their own will if the environment doesn’t fit their prerequisites. Ron Paul went on to say, “Because people are insulted by rude behavior, I don’t think we should make a federal case about it.” He went on to say that those kinds of sexual harassments, verbal harassment such as jokes, should be dealt with outside of the courtroom.
Many of Paul’s views about sexual harassment may not be popular, but others may be down right dangerous, as when he commented that there is no reason at all for federal harassment laws, because there are already state laws prohibiting assault and rape. His comments have been building anger and resentment from sexual harassment victims all over the country; many think that his ideas are bad social and economic policies that could lead to even more civil rights lawsuit.
In the 1980’s and 1990’s, Ron Paul published a series of newsletters that contained several instants of homophobic and even racist remarks. Paul didn’t deny that the remarks are in the newsletters, but defended himself by saying that he was simply the publisher, not the editor of the newsletters. “I didn’t review them. It was an error on my part,” Paul admitted.
Paul went on to say that the errors that he made were human, and said that his own views on racism can be seen in his past criticisms of the judicial system when it has mistreated minorities.
Ron Paul would be able to make a stronger case for his own presidential candidacy if he would do two things. The first, accept the idea that sexual harassment should have federal laws protecting the victims. Secondly, he should make public his record of stopping racism and going after courts that have mistreated minorities