Fuck, another Franken accusation.
I'm changing my mind and think that he needs to go. Hopefully soon to send a powerful message. It's the most good that he can do now.
Here’s where I’m struggling with this.
Franken has two incidents right now, objectively, neither really cross over into much more than kinda sleazy creep. To which he is apologetic about and the more pertinent context, the first victim and him have had closure and she forgives him. After Franken reached out and publicly apologized, acted proactive toward the situation in calling for an investigation. Has been an ally of systemic changes his whole career. Granted this apology was after the fact, not before, which is a problem in and of itself. But that too may be complicated depending on how Franken and others are handled IMO.
First off I struggle putting George H W Bush and the Al Franken’s on the moral equivalency plane of the Roy Moore’s, Roger Ailes, or even Bill Clinton’s. Not that people here are doing it necessarily. But the sought after sentencing for all seem to be the same: publicly shame, career ruined, legacy actions removed from public consciousness, walk away from your occupation and passions and never come back.
It’s more a question of concern about correction vs over-correction and potential self-defeating behavior/unintended consequences.
Should improprieties like this come with social pillorying? I definitely think so. As it speaks to and aides in improving social norms and customs still steeped in patriarchal behavior. But should we be reflecting out that genuine remorse, redemption, reconciliation, and willing rehabilitation are not enough? Blood must be demanded every time? That the victimizer’s context and post incident behavior and actions barely, if at all, register into the social sentencing? And what are the consequences of arranging a social structure where doing the right thing is treated that way? That coming forward yourself, even in a state of remorse and rehabilitation, may be the same sentence as being exposed for indefinite deception or apathy? Crimes big and small. All while contrasted with a counterforce from the Trump’s and Moore’s who signal that the best and most successful defense is a good offense and a strong lie.
I don’t know if I have the answers there but it is something I’ve been mulling about. And well before Franken.
