Joe Berkowitz‘s “Time’s Up, Woody,” an article that posted in yesterday (1.12) Fast Times, calls for a recognition of an ethical line in the sand. I’m speaking of a difference between supporting and applauding the #MeToo movement, which everyone favors, and rashly calling for the career death of an alleged predator who has never, in fact, been charged or even half-proven to be one.

I fully understand the impulse to stand with #MeToo and throw spears on its behalf, but when the facts don’t support your allegation or position, you spears are made of brittle clay and you’re standing on shaky ground.

This morning I sent the following to Berkowitz by email. I’m also posting it here:

“Joe — Based on what little I know about the Woody Allen case, it is my opinion that portions of what you wrote yesterday about Allen were sloppy, partly dishonest and ill-informed. Your piece also delivered a whiff of McCarthy-ism. You should really wade into the extensive, very exactingly researched Robert Weide defense that was posted in mid December.

“The Weide article is, by my sights, fair, balanced, scrupulous and very exacting. A significant part of what you wrote yesterday was not. IMHO portions of what you wrote yesterday were straight out of The Crucible.

“There’s also Weide’s 3-part Twitter response to “every low-information ‘expert’ who insists that #WoodyAllen married his daughter (adopted, step, or otherwise) or that she was underage when they got involved, or that he was ever a father figure to her. #IBelieveMoses,” not to mention his Twitter page for the latest slings and arrows. — Jeffrey Wells, Hollywood Elsewhere”