re: #174 Belafon

She may have felt that now was a good time to get it out because of everyone else. Maybe just the fact that women are feeling a little comfortable talking allowed her to talk. I don’t begrudge her that, and the consequences of that are for Franken to deal with, which includes dealing with those of us who are worried about how it will affect the country if Republicans are successfully able to use it.

Franken apologized and she accepted it. Any other actions are up to her, but as of right now, she doesn’t want to drag it on. Could it be calculated by her? It’s not really a thing now.

But Moore and Trump are still creepy assholes that are willing to go after children.

Someone probably made some calculated decisions on this. Given that it is a sitting Senator involved, of course some people were going to be thinking about the politics. It’s naive to think otherwise. BUT she has a right to tell her story when and where she chooses. Even if she chooses to do so now for political damage and points, which we have very little evidence to suggest was the primary motivation (or even motivation at all, compared to the environment now being favorable for her to be believed).

I’ve read Franken’s longer apology. I have mixed feelings. At the end of the day, politics in a two party system is a cold, pragmatic thing. Everyone has lines they don’t want to see crossed. Everyone’s line is in a different place on different topics. (Most of us can agree on things like child molestation, which is good at least.) Sometimes generally good people make mistakes. Sometimes assholes accomplish things that make the world overall a better place. Sometimes you have to weigh the two and acknowledge the harm done by overlooking the small flaws in favor of the big picture. Perfect can be the enemy of the good. On the other hand, that’s what the family values voters said when they held their noses and voted for Trump. Where do I draw the line? How do I do it consistent with my principles and with the awareness that this is the reality I have to work with?

I don’t know. And this is before we get into the complex issue of mistakes and what it means to be a human who tries but sometimes fucks up and our current societal obsession with instant justice through mob censure if necessary, along with the permanent record of our transgressions through the unfailing and unforgiving memory of the Internet.

To sum it up, the world is currently a fucking trash fire and I’m exhausted.