Thread by @jradavenport

OK Twitter, I'm going to say a bunch of things...

You don't need to read it, but I need to write it.

1) we need clear & enforced codes of professional conduct. If you harass a student, you should lose your job. I have friends who have been harassed AND friends who have lost their jobs for harassing. I have no stomach for people (esp. men) who treat people so poorly.

I know people who have been harmed by G. Marcy and other harassers. I believe them. I know we need to support them, with our words and deeds, and make sure more people aren't harmed.

2) Astronomers are not experts in social science, law, justice... & not in a good position to be driving what society should do. We spend our time at the top of the ivory tower looking at outer space, & filled with hubris about how things should be done down on Earth.

3) Just because Marcy didn't get arrested/go to prison, doesn't mean he wasn't clearly in the wrong.
His guilt is not in question.
He lost a faculty position, booted from National Academies, kicked off papers... I think that's light after harming several people!

4) you don't know me well. I am a huge believer in Restorative & Rehabilitative Justice (e.g. criminals should pay their debt to society, make right the harm done to victims, & be allowed to regain full status in society). This is esp. important w/ our racist legal system

Saying "I don't care about restoring offenders back into society" is an overly simplistic view of how/why people break laws & rules of a society. Victims should be given justice & made whole, communities repaired, debts paid. Redemption should always be possible.

Full status in society doesn't mean "you get your job back", OR escape the bad reputation you earned. If Marcy wants a faculty job, he can get in line & apply like everyone else. I wouldn't hire him. He had his chance. CoC, esp. in professional societies, should incl restoration

5) I do believe Marcy has been punished (some), but I've seen little evidence of restoration for victims (nor their forgiveness), no evidence of rehabilitation. A letter of acknowledgement/apology seems like thin justice or rehabilitation for serial behavior.

6) It is not up to me - or most of you - to deem Marcy restored. I go back to #2 & #4 in this thread. We are not experts here, and we're trying to use lots of words to sound smart and well reasoned. (Incl. me) We're out of our depth here.

7) People close to an offender/perpetrator feel loss, anger, depression, guilt... If you have no sympathy for the struggle to know what's right after a loved one does wrong, then you need to grow your heart. It is OK to not simply cut someone out of your life (see #4).

"guilt by association" is wrong. If you knew Marcy was hurting people and said nothing, then you are guilty and damn you. If he always did/has treated you well, I have no malice towards you. If you love(d) him, I understand you maybe can't simply abandon him

8) I think it is just to exclude Marcy from our professional society currently. This is not a lifetime ban, eternal damnation/canceling. The path to redemption for him - for us all - is paved with restoration and rehabilitation.

I don't especially care if you want to work with him, if he's on your Christmas card list, if you're still friends... I don't know Marcy. Today I wouldn't invite him to my party, or write a paper with him. I would like to see his victims made reasonably whole

9) Everything here is shades of grey. There are many assholes in our field, and I might think less of you if you work with them (or ARE them). There are whole Depts with bad reputations. I warn my students of both when I can. People/places aren't simply good/bad

10) I understand why B. Villarroel is upset, & why she has+continues to work w/ Marcy. I don't agree with her about Marcy. That's OK. I personally like and respect Beatriz, have agreed to do events w/ her, and would welcome continued collaboration. No canceling here

11) I think PSETI/OoO did a good job of setting a CoC and enforcing it, while still trying to welcome everyone to participate. I think there's prob. changes to the CoC that could be made to be more clear/fair, but again I am not an expert on this

I am the sole owner and operator of . I pay for the hosting out of my own pocket, and feel Marcy is not currently welcome to have his work & influence advertised by my personal labor or my "platform".SETI.news

I'm proud to continue to work w/ Jason+PSETI on many things. I believe & support the brave people that came forward to expose Marcy for the harm he was doing. We owe them justice, restoration, and vigilance

@carolynporco I respectfully disagree that it’s time to let Marcy out of “jail”, since - as I said - he hasn’t done the restoration and rehabilitation part as far as I can see. Please LMK if you see evidence to the contrary

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