[Int-koordination] Fwd: PPI statement on the Bordelais affair

[Patrick Breyer <europa AT patrick-breyer.de>]

Hallo,

ich habe dem PPI-Vorstand mal was zu seinem Statement geschrieben.
Vielleicht könnt ihr das gebrauchen/aufgreifen.

Beste Grüße
Patrick


-------- Weitergeleitete Nachricht --------
Betreff: PPI statement on the Bordelais affair
Datum: Thu, 04 Apr 2019 14:02:00 +0000
Von: Patrick Breyer <europa AT patrick-breyer.de>
Organisation: Team Patrick Breyer (Piratenpartei)
An: Guillaume Saouli - PPI <guillaume.saouli AT pp-international.net>,
vorstand AT piratenpartei.de

Dear Guillaume, dear PPI board members,

I am referring to your statement on the Bordelais affair
(https://www.piratenpartei.de/2019/03/15/waehlerinformation-betreffend-unsere-liste-zur-europawahl-2019/
) and, being PPDE's lead candidate in the upcoming elections to the
European Parliament (but not a member of its board), I would like to ask
you some questions on your text.

First of all I agree with many parts of your statement, including not
tolerating any downplaying or victim blaming, thanking Julia for her
great work, pointing out the importance of our movement's credibility
etc. But other parts of the text don't seem to be fair to me:

1) Have you studied what the PPDE board (
https://www.piratenpartei.de/2019/03/15/waehlerinformation-betreffend-unsere-liste-zur-europawahl-2019/
) and I (https://www.patrick-breyer.de/?p=575559#en ) have published on
the affair? It is important to know the facts before making a judgement.
Did you present your draft statement to PPDE's board beforehand so they
could comment?

2) Your statement criticizes PPDE's board for "lack of action and
oversight" and "apathy, lack of common sense and lack of leadership".

What exactly is the action you believe was lacking, and how would it
have prevented the terrible outcome of the affair?
Unless you can say specifically what other course should have been
taken, it would be better not to voice such criticism.

In hindsight it was certainly a mistake to trust Gilles Bordelais to
honor his promise to step down. However I don't think this mistake is
fairly appreciated with words such as "apathy" or "lack of common sense".

3) The headline of your statement "Sexual harassment cannot be accepted
in our circles" can be read as suggesting that PPDE is accepting sexual
harassment in its circles. Do you intend to say that?
I am sure you are aware that the party has instituted proceedings to
expel Gilles Bordelais, so I don't think such allegation is fair.

Likewise, your text says: "we have no right to ask for votes when we
tolerate oppression and unequal power dynamics". In the context, this
can be read as saying that PPDE tolerates oppression. Is this what you
intend to express?

4) You are saying that due to "the apathy, lack of common sense and lack
of leadership displayed by its board", "the entire movement is now
paying for this and most likely will for a long time, in addition to the
actual victims who will live with their experiences forever".

Pointing out the devastating damage done to the movement is fair, but
the sexual harassment took place before the PPDE board had any
knowledge. So it is unfair and unacceptable to blame the board for the
victim's suffering. Certainly the victim is likely to be as appalled as
PPDE by itss failure to have Bordelais removed from the list of
candidates, but your statement does not make it clear that this is what
you mean.

5) Your statement alleges "that so-called legal obligations were
prioritized over what was morally right". What do you mean by this? In
which way were legal obligations prioritized?

6) You end by presenting your apologies to Julia and her team "for the
ordeal they have endured", apparently due to the actions of PPDE's
board. It appears to me that the greatest part of the ordeal they went
through is due to the actual harassment, the bringing complaints,
dealing with terminating Bordelais employment etc. None of this can be
attributed to PPDE. So I don't think it is fair to indirectly attribute
the "ordeal they have endured" to PPDE's board.


I myself am dissatisfied with some decisions the board took (or didn't
take), and have myself voiced loud criticism at various stages. However
I insist that we should deal with the affair fairly and seek a common
approach, rather than begin blaming one another publicly. If you are
prepared to answer my questions I am confident PPDE's board should be
happy to issue a joint statement with PPI to replace your post, and
accept that part of responsibility that can fairly be attributed to
them. In PPDE's post I mentioned above they already express regretting
the failure of having Bordelais removed from the list, and having
trusted him to honor his promise to step down.

Best regards
Patrick