Phylicia Rashad
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What was the Accusation?
Phylicia Rashad’s decision to gleefully congratulate Bill Cosby after his conviction for sexual assault was vacated by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court did not go over well. Rashad, whose messages carry extra weight as she is dean of the College of Fire Arts at Howard University, tweeted: “FINALLY!!!! A terrible wrong is being righted – a miscarriage of justice is corrected!” Rashad, who played the actor’s wife on The Cosby Show, was swiftly condemned, with critics pointing out that she has a “responsibility” to “hold perpetrators of sexual violence accountable” and calling for her resignation. Even Howard had trouble with Rashad’s actions, saying that while a follow-up tweet by the actress acknowledged “victims must be heard and believed,” Rashad’s initial tweet “lacked sensitivity.”
Rashad deleted her original tweet and posted that she was sorry: “This week, I tweeted a statement that caused so much hurt in so many people both broadly and inside the Howard community. I offer my most sincere apology.” Cosby, 83, had served two years of his 10-year prison sentence after being convicted in the 2004 sexual assault of Andrea Constand. But dozens more have claimed that he assaulted them 60 in all. Though Rashad said, “I vehemently oppose sexual violence, find no excuse for such behavior,” was her apology heart-felt? Many did not think so. As Evelyn Atieno, editor in chief of Affinity, tweeted: “I love @PhyliciaRashad but Howard need to remove her cause how safe would you feel if your dean is defending a man who ADMITTED he drugged and raped women.”
Key Apologia Strategies:
Mortification, Bolstering, Corrective Action
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Transcript
Formal letter to Howard University Students and Parents:
