Thoughts regarding the sad resignation of Senator Al Franken. I believe he has made a strong contribution to the central issues of democracy and justice for women and minorities during his short but active tenure:
Any major change from male dominance of women displayed from our beginnings by sexual abuses of women by men unfortunately is not made by finding a balanced position at the beginning.
If these Congress women and men did not take a severe stand against sexual harrassment, by asking Senator Franken to resign, this opportunity can easily become just another temporary look at the issue and soon forgotten again.
Such a major and real culture change is probably not possible without some paying more than a fair price.
If we really do make a serious change in this enduring shadow of humankind we will in time establish policies and procedures for more justly evaluating the truth of allegations and the level of actual harm done to victims. We don't and can't have those in place yet so there will be, otherwise positive contributors, fallen heroes that in the future would be given a more fair and complete hearing.
This means that Franken in the short term may have gotten a relatively raw deal and Congress losing an outstanding spokesperson for middle class and minority concerns. But it does not mean he automatically will not yet be able to make an important contribution to helping with this culture shift in or out of Congress.
That is my effort to evaluate this thorny reality as a person who much appreciates Franken's work and who has not given up on the continued development of his and all our character. He made some serious ethical mistakes and is paying more than many others who have done far worse. He shows the kind of collateral damage that is part of any significant cultural revolution.
I don't think the Democrats who asked him to resign have been outplayed by their political opponents or are over reacting for this potentially epichal kind of social change. I see them acting for long term cultural goals, not temporary and tempting political ones.
Any major change from male dominance of women displayed from our beginnings by sexual abuses of women by men unfortunately is not made by finding a balanced position at the beginning.
If these Congress women and men did not take a severe stand against sexual harrassment, by asking Senator Franken to resign, this opportunity can easily become just another temporary look at the issue and soon forgotten again.
Such a major and real culture change is probably not possible without some paying more than a fair price.
If we really do make a serious change in this enduring shadow of humankind we will in time establish policies and procedures for more justly evaluating the truth of allegations and the level of actual harm done to victims. We don't and can't have those in place yet so there will be, otherwise positive contributors, fallen heroes that in the future would be given a more fair and complete hearing.
This means that Franken in the short term may have gotten a relatively raw deal and Congress losing an outstanding spokesperson for middle class and minority concerns. But it does not mean he automatically will not yet be able to make an important contribution to helping with this culture shift in or out of Congress.
That is my effort to evaluate this thorny reality as a person who much appreciates Franken's work and who has not given up on the continued development of his and all our character. He made some serious ethical mistakes and is paying more than many others who have done far worse. He shows the kind of collateral damage that is part of any significant cultural revolution.
I don't think the Democrats who asked him to resign have been outplayed by their political opponents or are over reacting for this potentially epichal kind of social change. I see them acting for long term cultural goals, not temporary and tempting political ones.
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