I appreciate you taking the time to write such a detailed response.
I think, first, it’s worth repeating, I’m not trying to address Allen’s guilt or the degree of Farrow’s credibility. Referencing the latter: just because a charge is credible, doesn’t make it true. Dylan’s on the face of it, is credible. I.e. there are no satanic rituals, animal sacrifices, UFOs, or people levitating, claims that turned the McMartin case into a circus.
Now, your first point: maybe I was misread it, but I thought Ronan’s reference to “serial fixator” included the characters Allen wrote & portrayed. That elicited my comment “underage” e.g. Mariel Hemingway’s character in Manhattan.
2. I don’t call Orth an “investigative reporter” I was just citing her article.
3. I was referring to support of other, well established #metoo malefactors & their victims, apart from Allen. In linking to #metoo, the Farrows are trying to imply that one must either support Dylan along with the rest of #metoo, or reject them as a whole. I don’t believe that to be the case.
4. Dylan & Ronan present themselves as underdogs. Yet they also seem to expect that their word alone be enough to prompt Allen’s friends & supporters to desert him. Is that really the attitude of an underdog? It’s a bit of a shopworn strategy that has always annoyed me.
5. Yes. I did mean it as a challenge presented by Dylan. Perhaps it’s unclear.
6. Well yes. If Dylan’s accusation is true, then Soon-Yi is married to a pedophile. Such an accusation, apart from its impact on Allen, has got to hurt.
7. No. Sorry. From what I’ve seen both sides have claims & counterclaims & so on. One might as well try to parse JFK in Dallas. What’s it tell me? That sometimes the truth is unknowable, at least to outsiders.
8. When I claim the facts don’t matter, I mean in cases such as these people usually apply their pre-formed biases in deciding which side to support. For the public at large, support for Allen comes mainly from fans & those who admire his work. Detractors are mainly, as I wrote, people who are aghast at his relationship to Soon-Yi (which they nearly always mischaracterize), or who have been abused themselves, or don’t like his work, find it sexist &/or disturbing. Celebrities who denounce him, again as I wrote, seem motivated more by career concerns & the desire to show solidarity with women, at relatively little cost.
So, facts…? Not really.
9. Yes. I think the accusation is credible. I.e. “believable”. What’s not believable about it? If, on further study & reflection, you find you do not believe it happened, okay. You might be right. A jury might find either way. But, as I wrote, I’m not qualified or inclined to delve into Allen’s guilt or innocence here.
You accuse me of many dubious statements, but then claim Allen was “exonerated” in court. False. There was never any jury or bench trial. And even if there had been, judges & juries lack the power to exonerate. They can only find “not guilty” (i.e. case not proven). While it’s true Allen’s supporters point to the fact that Dylan has never tried to face Allen in civil court, but there could be a lot of reasons for that. Meanwhile, Farrow supporters point to the custody rulings that gave Mia full custody & which were extremely critical of Allen
Look, I’m genuinely sorry you found the article unsatisfactory. When I have time, I might make some edits based on your & WAML’s suggestions. I was hoping that my not being a particular fan of Allen, combined with my belief in at least the possibility of his guilt in the case, might carry some weight when I say that even a guilty Allen doesn’t belong in the #metoo stockade.
