Letters to the Editor | May 4, 2023

Despite the wish by liberals that Tucker Carlson’s firing was somehow karma for his on-air racism or his lies finally coming to get him, when considering the move in light of other recent ousters at Fox News, a pattern emerges that makes one explanation the most likely: This firing, as was the case for Roger Ailes and Bill O’Reilly, is about Carlson’s treatment of women. The timing is telling: one month after revelations emerged from former producer Abby Grossberg’s discrimination and defamation lawsuits that allege a remarkably toxic workplace culture at Carlson’s show. It was a culture that routinely viewed and discussed women as sex objects. Sexual harassment is bad for business and is once again being taken more seriously by Fox than any other bad behavior by its hosts because of the consumer power of its female viewers. As a professor of business law and ethics who specializes in sexual harassment and workplace culture issues, I am often focused on teaching, researching, and writing about what is lawful or unlawful, and what is ethical or immoral. But what Carlson’s ouster demonstrates once again — and perhaps what the #MeToo movement itself demonstrated — is that power creates change. Power in the form of numbers, and power in the form of money. Irrespective of legal doctrines and courts’ decisions, women in positions of power and women with buying power decide what is acceptable or unacceptable. That reality, more than any other, explains the decision to fire Carlson. It is a lesson those of us in law and business should take to heart.

Leora Eisenstadt, director of the Center for Ethics, Diversity, and Workplace Culture, Temple University

It is impressive that Philadelphia was able to legislate a plastic bag ban. Can we go a step further and create a redemption system for aluminum cans and plastic bottles? (Cash for trash? Sure we can?) This would go a long way to cleaning up our streets. I walk a lot in Philadelphia and New York City. One big difference in New York City is that you don’t see many discarded aluminum cans or plastic beverage containers on the streets. Why? Consumers pay ahead to recycle those items and get their money back when they take them to a redemption center.

Peggy Kovich, Philadelphia

I read with much interest the article about the Philadelphia Water Department. I am also having a problem with its billing, though thankfully not quite of the magnitude of the people profiled. I’m sure it’s almost entirely due to a faulty meter. The department replaced it, but it will not acknowledge that it was the source of my problem. I was told to request a hearing. I sent my request around April 11 but have yet to receive a date. I had no idea there was a widespread problem with PWD. Thank you for exposing this situation.

Rheta Smith, Philadelphia

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