Re: my earlier statement about complicity:
The link Wilco shared shows that Alessi was aware (could not have been unaware?) of some of these goings on. He was certainly aware that his former pupil La Rosa was accused of various assaults and affairs, continued to work with him, and make concert appearances with him. And it thus seems much more likely he was aware of Muckey’s repugnant behavior.
A related note:
Disclaimer: I’m not excusing the beavhior of any of perps mentioned. I’m certainly not excusing any of the harrassment that Daemondrae Thurman inflicted on Deni Travis (read the link), or Muckey, or Wang, or any of the “bros” who have assaulated, harrassed, badgered, or “teased” anyone who is not a “bro.”
Having previously worked as a drug and alcohol counselor (in private settings and in community health settings), I’ve heard and seen a lot of shocking, disgusting, and horrible things. One normal human reaction to watching someone harass, badger, pester, even assault someone else is disbelief: “I can’t believe this is happening right in front of my eyes.” It’s the kind of shock where your mind is trying to process that something like this can actually happen, that one human being can actually do
something like that to another human being. It’s not that a person
can’t believe it. It’s that it’s almost unthinkable that one person would deliberately harm another person. There are many other cognitive and emotional reactions, of course, but shock is one that can make us almost paralyzed with disbelief in these kinds of situations.
That shock, however, is only an explanation for the immediate reaction, as if to say, “I didn’t do anything at first because I couldn’t believe what was happening.” After that initial moment of shock, however, anyone—everyone—who sees it is morally obliged to do something, to intervene, to make it stop.
I get it: it takes courage to intervene in this kind of situation. Also, who wants to get between the bully who is harassing or assaulting someone, and risk personal bodily harm? But if not you, then who?
The type of assault and predatory behavior from some of these “Brass Bros” isn’t always out in public, like Thurman’s twerking. When it is, it only takes one person to call it out to allow others to get over their own shock. When it’s not, we are again morally obliged to help those who need help.
If you see something, say something or do something. Nothing changes if nothing changes.
