Al Franken Did the Right Thing<\/p>\n
Al Franken announced his resignation from the Senate today. He did so, because seven women have claimed that in some way, Franken acted sexually inappropriately towards them in the past. While those actions should be unacceptable, in this age of Trump and Moore, politicians have followed the path of denial and blame to stay in political life. Franken did not, instead doing the right thing and resigning.<\/p>\n
There are concerns about whether Franken was targeted by the alt-right. The fact the original charge against him, brought by radio commentator Leann Tweeden, \u00a0first came \u00a0to media attention by alt-right tweeter Mike Cernovich, and \u00a0was fore-shadowed by Trump\u2019s advisor Roger Stone saying, \u201c\u2026it\u2019s Al Franken\u2019s time in the barrel\u2026\u201d raises questions about the legitimacy of the charges. Franken himself describes his memory of the \u201crehearsed kiss\u201d as completely different, and the photographer claims the damming photo was staged.<\/p>\n
It doesn\u2019t matter. It is all about political math. Before Franken, Democrats could use the GOP support for Roy Moore, an accused pedophile, and the acknowledged statements by the President (\u201c\u2026I just start kissing them, it\u2019s like a magnet\u2026\u201d) to make Republicans the party without principles. They would do anything for a vote or a political win.<\/p>\n
Franken cancelled out the equation. Regardless of the severity of the offense, an inappropriate kiss versus a thirty-four year old man \u201cdating\u201d a fourteen year old; Franken (and Congressman John Conyers of Michigan) leveled the playing field. Every party seemed to have its perverts, and as Senator Kristin Gillibrand of New York said yesterday:<\/p>\n
\u201cI think when we start having to talk about the differences between sexual assault and sexual harassment and unwanted groping, you\u2019re having the wrong conversation. We need to draw a line in the sand, and say that none of it is ok\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n