NCDP committee member defends Rep. Duane Hall
The following is a letter to the editor written by Michael Schaul, a long-time member of the NC Democratic Party’s State Executive Committee.
At the beginning of the #MeToo movement, I wondered when the targets would become guys who had been a little too aggressive or who misjudged situations. I looked at Al Franken, a former comedian, who, I thought, made some bad jokes that seemed harmless to him at the time and came back to bite him. I thought that somewhere in my past, in every guy’s past, there probably was a girl or woman who could bring back some forgotten incident to haunt any of us famous enough for it to matter. And now, someone I know has been attacked.
When I first met Duane Hall a few years ago, he seemed painfully shy. He was quiet and a little socially awkward. As I got to know him, I discovered a wry sense of humor. I noticed that the first picture I saw of him online after the attacks was one of him introducing Bill Clinton two years ago. Perhaps it was chosen to link Duane with Clinton’s behavior. To me, it was a reminder of the funniest introduction of a politician by a politician I’d ever seen. Duane, though, was terribly worried that he had allowed himself to be a little too uninhibited. During that time, he developed a relationship, and I have never known any guy who seemed more excited to be engaged to be married. His shy aspect was replaced by a confident smile.
It’s been a pleasure to know him. I don’t know what all the incidents were. The ones I’ve read about strike me as Duane’s trying to make jokes that backfired. The wryness seems to have gotten lost in his awkwardness. For example, I read and reread the story of his telling a woman she couldn’t work for him unless she gained weight. I can understand that she didn’t get the joke. I can’t understand why she seems so insulted.
I think about my own social situations. Some women like being hugged (friendly and warm, not sexual). Some don’t. Sometimes I have to learn which is which. I doubt any in the second group would try to publicly embarrass me about it. Similarly, unless there is something far more serious in the undisclosed stories, I think Duane Hall made a few mistakes navigating middle-aged singlehood, but I don’t think it deserves many of our mutual friends ganging up on him. He should continue to serve and lead (he’s gotten better at that, too, thanks to his fiancee).
This story was originally published March 2, 2018 at 11:30 AM with the headline "NCDP committee member defends Rep. Duane Hall."