Tarana Burke Quotes

I work in politics and media, two industries that have been particularly affected by the issue of misconduct. We have seen famous and powerful men finally pay a price for behavior they got away with for decades. Many have lost their positions and status - rightly so.

We must have zero tolerance for sexual harassment, even if the perpetrator is somebody we like and admire.

Let's not be afraid to speak the common sense truth: you can't have high standards without good discipline.

Letterman, despite whatever idiotic (or worse?) things he may have done with women on his staff, was wise enough to realize that silence isn't permanent and peace of mind can't be bought.

Punish the first insult: because an insult unpunished is the parent of many others.

Just maybe when the Weinstein scandal has run its course, progressives will discover the virtue of toning down their own excessive claims to righteousness.

Using the term 'locker room talk' blurs the line between what is criminal and what is simply oafish. That's not a line anyone should want blurred.

Once I will warn you, and then I will fire you! I have a zero-tolerance-plus-one policy for gossip. I will teach you once, and then I will fire your butt.

We need more women in higher roles, because the tone for sexual harassment would no doubt be different.

I want the pitcher to know he can't take a pitch off, or I'm going to damage him.

It's no longer permissible to have sexist comments, but growing up in this industry, I spent time in many other organizations where it was just commonplace for men to talk about how a woman looks or give a woman a little bit of a harder time in a meeting and then say, 'I'm just joking - it's because I care about you.'

There was one director who crossed the line. I scolded him so much that he later never tried anything.

Civil rights icons, famous journalists, big-time movie producers may all have credits to their name that we can recognize and be grateful for, but their record of good works cannot excuse their harassment of women.

Firstly, what anyone does in their personal life, I am no one to comment on that. Secondly, allegations can be levelled at anyone. What if tomorrow someone makes an allegation against me? What do I do? How do I? Is there a probe? Does it get proved? Is it true... there are many questions I have regarding #MeToo in my head.

We have to start calling sexual harassment out because only then can we start to make progress on it.

One comment by a female lobbyist really shocked me. She said, "Washington is a contact sport." I asked, "What do you mean by that?" And she just said, "Well, it's all men - and they're very contact-y. They touch a lot." Women say that's just part of the game.

Don't punish people who repent; heal them. I don't believe that private sin requires public rebuke or removal from office if repentance is taking place. However, when no evidence of true repentance exists, then discipline is in order.

An act of justice closes the book on a misdeed; an act of vengeance writes one of its own

So if you want a culture where people work hard, & pay attention to detail, focus on the customer, are frugal: you have to do it yourself.

You'll consider what you did wrong & bookend your reflections with hunger - no supper, no breakfast.

I was punished for communicating.

What Joe Hamilton lacked more than anything else in the world was some one to kick him. Many a man who might have lived decently and become a fairly respectable citizen has gone to the dogs for the want of some one to administer a good resounding kick at the right time. It is corrective and clarifying.

The military taught me the importance of getting something done in a timely manner and the importance of completing a mission on time. My lieutenant would say, 'If you don't, you die.' In many ways, life is the same. If you don't pay attention to a timeline, you lose out on the ability to accomplish the task at hand.

The only women who don't believe that sexual harassment is a real problem in this country are women who have never been in the workplace.

Our response to an offense determines our future.