Sexual Assault is Nonpartisan
I am a staunch liberal. I grew up talking about politics around the dinner table, going to caucuses with my mom, volunteering for campaigns and organizations, and waiting for my chance to vote. I supported and voted for Hillary Clinton, not only because she was, in my opinion, better than Donald Trump, but also because, despite her flaws, I believed that she would be a good President. I stand by this belief.
I am as partisan as they come. I support the Democratic Party, cognizant of its weaknesses, because it is better than the alternative. I understand that we live in a country with a two party system, and, as much as I might want that to change, that for the moment it is our political reality. I will vote with the Democrats as long as they continue to support my core values and beliefs, and especially as long as the Democratic candidate is better than the Republican one.
But sexual assault is nonpartisan.
I loved Al Franken before the allegations were released; I went to see him speak this past summer and got a picture with him. I deleted the picture as soon as I heard.
I will not stand behind Al Franken any more than I will stand behind Roy Moore. To me, it doesn't matter now that Al Franken has supported many pieces of legislation that line up with my beliefs; to me, his use of political capital to assault women is inextricable from his use of political capital to pass bills, and vice versa.
President Trump does not share my belief. In the wake of the allegations against Al Franken, Trump has publicly denounced the Minnesotan Senator (not in the best words, but rightly so). But where is his condemnation of Roy Moore? Of himself?
I will be sad in some ways to see Franken go, and I will be happy to see Trump and Moore go, but go they must. There are no excuses. We need candidates, legislators, and Presidents, Democrat and Republican, who do not assault. We need people in our governments, in our media, in our schools, and in our families who do not assault. It is shameful to excuse the behaviors of powerful figures in veneration of their accomplishments, political or otherwise.
Sexual assault is nonpartisan, and I am voting no.