(I’m currently listening to the Cave Theme from Pokémon Sun and Moon. It’s very soothing, which is something I need right at this moment.)
It happened today. Something that I feared would happen but had been hoping against hope that it wouldn’t.
I had to leave a Facebook group. A progressive one. It’s all due to Al Franken.
Most of us know about Al Franken and what has been said about him. We’ve seen the picture of him, groping a sleeping female soldier with that “I’m such a bad, bad boy” grin on his face. We’ve been hearing more and more accusers come forward and say, “This is what he did to me.” We’ve been hearing a lot of things and they are anything but good.
So now it seems that Senator Franken will be holding a press conference tomorrow. The main rumor that I saw on “The Political Resistance Against Donald Trump” was that Franken is probably going to resign. Cue the wailing and gnashing of teeth by every other member there.
Me, I say don’t let the door hit you on the way out. And I made a comment with that same sentiment. Mine was the only one calling him out among hundreds that were begging for this guy to stay, to keep his office.
You see, it’s bad when the other guys do this sort of thing. But when it’s one of ours, we find a way of making excuses, because he’s one of ours and he just “isn’t like that”. Because glass rocks and stone houses and something about not throwing things.
Our guy isn’t one of the bad guys because we “know” him. He wouldn’t be abusive. He doesn’t do that sort of thing. He’s a nice guy and thousands of other excuses that people make to cover for someone like this. I’ve seen it with the Roy Moore case and I’m seeing it here.
The only problem? I’m not staying quiet about it. Oh yes, there are those getting pissed that I dared say that Franken needs to go. There are those who are downplaying what his accusers have said. There are those saying that since he’s said sorry, it’s magically enough and can’t we just leave the poor guy alone?
He’s sorry. He’ll never do it again. Stop being so bitter. What the hell is wrong with you, anyway? Didn’t you get that he was sorry?!
If it sounds familiar to you, it should. It’s the same shit that every victim has been forced to hear when they name their abuser. As a society, America loves to talk bullshit about how awful abusers are and “if I was in a room with one of them…”
But then someone these people know and admire is accused of horrific things. Suddenly, it’s no longer “I’ll stomp a mudhole in his ass”. It’s “You can’t believe those women because they’re lying”.
Second verse, same as the first.
Only this time, we’re not going to stay silent. We’re not going to sit by and let this shit happen. In my case, it cost a Facebook group. There are other groups out there, so no great loss. But I will not sit by and watch as others make excuses for the inexcusable. No more. Those days are over.
#MeToo
Iacon East 