Austen and Weinstein

Today's Wall Street Journal features an opinion piece entitled "What Jane Austen Can Teach Us About Sexual Harassment."  Far be it from me ever to disapprove of Elizabeth Bennet as a role model, but it takes some mental gymnastics to see Mr. Collins as a sexual harasser.  The man proposed marriage to a woman out of his league and was turned down; he didn't invite Lizzy to his hotel room while he was in the shower, or drug her, or ask to show her his little friend, or threaten that she'll never be proposed to in this town again.  Elizabeth finds him ridiculous, not intimidating; she has no fear of him. 

I think that when we've reached a point that asking out a woman who isn't interested in you counts as sexual impropriety, we have painted all men with a broad brush.  How are they to know if a woman would like to go out with them if they aren't allowed to ask?  I've turned down dates with men who have asked me out in my day without deeming them moral monsters for asking.  I mean, sure, if they won't take no for an answer and start stalking you, like Richard Nixon did to Pat, that's creepy and may call for a restraining order, but considering that Mr. Collins moved on to Charlotte Lucas the same day, one cannot fault his behavior (in this respect, anyway).  Is it not enough that Mr. Collins is held up for posterity as a buffoon without also stigmatizing him as a cad?