Hollywood is still reeling from the ousting of multiple prominent men in show business amidst sexual assault, harassment, and misconduct allegations. As soon as Weinstein toppled, so too did other previously beloved stars. Some that come to mind are Kevin Spacey, Louis C.K., Matt Lauer, and Jeffrey Tambor, although I think we all know that there are far more offenders that have yet to be revealed in the scandals that have shaken the bedrock of the entertainment industry. It’s not a matter of who but a matter of when.

We’ve debated the nature of memorialization before in a far more racially volatile climate—the events of Charlottesville are ingrained well into our memories. Confederate statues around the nation were taken down as swiftly as the media took down some of the biggest names in show business.

These men (and women too; let’s not forget Melanie Martinez was recently accused of rape) have had their reputations thoroughly stamped on, their careers certainly thrown out the window, and their personal relationships fractured and fragmented. If jail time wasn’t enough, then a life of shame and eternal disgrace certainly is. But how far do we go to punish and defame these people?

The Hollywood Walk of Fame is another form of memorialization; it’s an honor and a privilege for celebrities to have their names forever suspended in the amber of the infamous sidewalk along the Greats of film-making and the silver screen. Then again, does their place suddenly become undeserved once serious allegations emerge about sexual misconduct that trace back to that terrazzo star-enshrined name? In this current climate, it’s clear that America cannot, and will not, separate the artist from his work. We don’t want to celebrate symbols of violation, misogyny, or any other serious offenses just for the sake of saving someone’s art.

Spacey was both released from Netflix’s House of Cards and was replaced by reshoots of Christopher Plummer in All the Money in the World. Their careers have been absolutely demolished, so why do they still hold stars? In fact, why are reruns of The Cosby Show still telecast to our televisions?

Part of me recalls the McCarthyism of the 1950’s (seems as if we can make more than one connection concerning the Cold War era to today). The witch-hunt for communists may not be unlike today’s relentless pursuit of men who have violated women in some way. We are constantly, especially on a platform like Twitter, searching for someone to harass even if it involves the most minute and irrelevant details. The effect is so detrimental that lives can be ruined in a span of seconds, with that one tap of a screen or that one share that has the potential to expand into the thousands.

But unlike then, this punishment and swift action that is being taken is deserved. From the beginning of time, women have been subjected to such degrading and defiling acts and only now those at the very top are being called out on their inexcusable actions. It’s retribution that has been long overdue.