Al’s problem is the woman’s complaint was clearly performative, but there was no way for him to say that without relying on the rhetoric of rape denialists and victim blamers. If he had fought back against it, he would forever be invoked in both sides arguments.
That’s the downside of being the party of empathy and human dignity.
Yeah, me too! I’d totally rather die in a camp or be deported than stand for my values and fight for what’s right, especially if it might give the appearance that I’m compromising on my values which I’m absolutely willing to compromise in the interest of politics. /s
Snark aside, I wish we’d stood up for Anthony Weiner. Dude was legit amazing back in the day. Corporate media networks were absolutely gleeful to tear him down and people just watched it happen and laughed the whole time. Then again, I think maybe my values are just more in line with the idea of actually accomplishing political goals (read: legislation and policy) and not so much with making performative gestures that only serve to hurt said political goals. Obviously, in Weiner’s case dude committed crimes (iirc), but again he was an incredible politician, which is what he was hired for. Politicians are tools, like doctors and mechanics, they’re not our friends; they’re fellow citizens that provide a necessary service. I wouldn’t let Weiner or my mechanic babysit but that doesn’t mean they’re not skilled at what they do.
Anyway, we’re probably going to just continue arguing about bs like this while the right consolidates power and supports ruthless leaders. All while we’re asking/tearing down our leaders what pronouns they use or their opinions on eating steak or who knows what. Else Not saying pronouns and the beef industry/climate change aren’t important to some/many people - power to em, for sure - but it seriously feels like people need to get a grip. The distractions are real. We need to focus!
/rant
I’ll miss Al Franken and I was disappointed he didn’t stand up for himself. His supporters and his constituents deserved that, imo
I get it, but the fact that Wiener was later convicted of sending obscene materials to an underage girl really undermines your point. It’s pretty obvious in hindsight that he shouldn’t have been in a position of power and influence. There are things that can be overlooked - but actual crimes that could create a conflict of interest or leave someone vulnerable to blackmail cannot.
Should he have been forced out in 2011? From the perspective of say, 2012, there is a good argument against it, but 2015 demonstrated that it was, in fact, the correct call after all.
Anthony Weiner is a shitbag who sent photos of his dick to an underage girl if I remember correctly. That is not the same as Al Franken. Even Jon Stewart, his old college roommate, rebuked him harshly.
Weiner in particular is probably a bad example, as the other responder to your comment pointed out, but in general I think we need to see more of that kind of thinking. The Left eats its own - like Al Franken - leaving the Right to gobble up power, pushing forward even people like George Santos, revealing the total lack of ethics standing in their way to get it.
Which is why they will win, eventually - facts be damned, bc this is the era of Alternative Facts - unless we pull our heads out of our asses and focus! e.g. if people protest not-vote for Biden due to the Gaza situation, or gas prices, or whatever, I don’t see how the “moral purity” that would result will in any way be preferable to Trump doing far, FAR worse.
Al’s problem is the woman’s complaint was clearly performative, but there was no way for him to say that without relying on the rhetoric of rape denialists and victim blamers. If he had fought back against it, he would forever be invoked in both sides arguments.
That’s the downside of being the party of empathy and human dignity.
And also that Gillibrand was forcing him onto that sword to up her own “Me Too” cred.
At the time, a lot of people wanted Al to push back. I’m glad he didn’t because sometimes you have to lose a battle to win a war.
Yeah, me too! I’d totally rather die in a camp or be deported than stand for my values and fight for what’s right, especially if it might give the appearance that I’m compromising on my values which I’m absolutely willing to compromise in the interest of politics. /s
Snark aside, I wish we’d stood up for Anthony Weiner. Dude was legit amazing back in the day. Corporate media networks were absolutely gleeful to tear him down and people just watched it happen and laughed the whole time. Then again, I think maybe my values are just more in line with the idea of actually accomplishing political goals (read: legislation and policy) and not so much with making performative gestures that only serve to hurt said political goals. Obviously, in Weiner’s case dude committed crimes (iirc), but again he was an incredible politician, which is what he was hired for. Politicians are tools, like doctors and mechanics, they’re not our friends; they’re fellow citizens that provide a necessary service. I wouldn’t let Weiner or my mechanic babysit but that doesn’t mean they’re not skilled at what they do.
Anyway, we’re probably going to just continue arguing about bs like this while the right consolidates power and supports ruthless leaders. All while we’re asking/tearing down our leaders what pronouns they use or their opinions on eating steak or who knows what. Else Not saying pronouns and the beef industry/climate change aren’t important to some/many people - power to em, for sure - but it seriously feels like people need to get a grip. The distractions are real. We need to focus!
/rant
I’ll miss Al Franken and I was disappointed he didn’t stand up for himself. His supporters and his constituents deserved that, imo
I get it, but the fact that Wiener was later convicted of sending obscene materials to an underage girl really undermines your point. It’s pretty obvious in hindsight that he shouldn’t have been in a position of power and influence. There are things that can be overlooked - but actual crimes that could create a conflict of interest or leave someone vulnerable to blackmail cannot.
Should he have been forced out in 2011? From the perspective of say, 2012, there is a good argument against it, but 2015 demonstrated that it was, in fact, the correct call after all.
Anthony Weiner is a shitbag who sent photos of his dick to an underage girl if I remember correctly. That is not the same as Al Franken. Even Jon Stewart, his old college roommate, rebuked him harshly.
Weiner in particular is probably a bad example, as the other responder to your comment pointed out, but in general I think we need to see more of that kind of thinking. The Left eats its own - like Al Franken - leaving the Right to gobble up power, pushing forward even people like George Santos, revealing the total lack of ethics standing in their way to get it.
Which is why they will win, eventually - facts be damned, bc this is the era of Alternative Facts - unless we pull our heads out of our asses and focus! e.g. if people protest not-vote for Biden due to the Gaza situation, or gas prices, or whatever, I don’t see how the “moral purity” that would result will in any way be preferable to Trump doing far, FAR worse.
Weiner was a creep. I live in New York and no one wanted him to fight. Everyone wanted him gone ASAP.
He fought the only way he knew how; by lying.
Dude, Anthony Weiner? Did you skip the second half of his wiki page, or…?