General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A statement made today by Al Franken [View all]Ms. Toad
(34,060 posts)If you specifically deny one of several things you are accused of, you are implicitly acknowledging the others.
If Franken is not denying it, why are you?
This double standard on DU of character assassination, excuses, denials, claims of political motivation, etc. v. righteous indignation when the Republicans make the same claims needs to stop.
The presumption that women are OK with men touching them without consent (or that they are to blame if they don't stop it, or don't speak out soon enough, or only feel able to speak out anonymously) is pervasive enough that it has infected a large part of the population (both men and women), including folks we see as progressive. In men it frequently manifests itself in relatively minor transgressions - like butt grabbing during an embrace; in women it more frequently manifests itself in slut shaming, victim blaming, etc. (all mechanisms of distingusihing onesself form the victim so we can feel safer - or, in this case, to justify supporting an otherwise progressive person).
We all grow up in a culture in which men are expected to exhibit some measure of sexual aggression and "good" women are supposed to resist it; and in which women who complain are routinely disbelieved.
There are going to be otherwise good people who inexplicably behave in ways that are not good. How we respond is a measure of our integrity. DU, from what I've been seeing, is failing - engaging in vicitim blaming, insistence that this is all politically motivated, etc.
We should be following Franken's lead. He has denied one claim, indicated his recollection of another is different, and either explicitly or implicitly acknowledged the rest. He has apologized, and promised to learn from it and be better going forward. We're still in the mode of assassinating the characters of the accusers.