Al Franken

[B.D.F.]

This will almost certainly end up in the Arena but here goes.

First of all, I abhor the man. I abhor his political stances, I abhor his intolerance for other political positions, and I abhor his demeaning anyone not of his beliefs behind the curtain of humor..... and it is not even good humor (when he railroads the 'other team').

All of that said, I honestly think he is being unfairly lumped in with some truly obnoxious and unacceptable humans. Mr. Fraken really does seem like he was making some jokes rather than violating anyone's personal sphere. Those jokes may not have been funny (above my pay grade to decide) and they may not have been in good taste (from me, who lives in a swimming pool of 'not good taste') but really, I do not believe he is even in the same orbit as some of the recent scumbags that have been uncloaked.

Speeding is a crime. Mass murder is also a crime. But they are not the same level of criminal behavior and are not treated the same way. From what I have actually seen (not hearsay) of Mr. Franken, it does not appear to me that he has done anything to rise to the level of Mr. Weinstein (sp?) et al..  It looks like his political career may well be over, and as above, while that is not only fine with me, it is desirable, it is also simply not fair treatment of the man IMO. While I would like to see him 'go', I would like it to be for more reasonable and applicable reasons.

OK, off soap box. Vote however you want and think you should but please people, do try to rise above FaceTwit justice and weigh the actual facts and evidence and make rational decisions. I realize this is going to fall on mostly deaf ears (no insult to the members of ZGGTR, it is a new, 'Net based world we live in) but still, is some people would stop and think before they "metoo", I think it would be a better world.

Brian

[gPink]

I have no sympathy for any of these self-proclaimed 'Betters' when they fall from their Ivory Tower for whatever reason. "Let them eat cake."

[VirginiaJim]

+1

[Tree]

First I feel that I have to write the following...  This is my opinion.  I'm not attempting to state a fact or prove anything to anyone.  I feel that it is silly that I have this feeling that I need to defend myself before I say anything.  But that is how I feel because of where my life experience has led me.  I look at it as a result of programming/brainwashing brought on by being exposed to and brought up in our society.  I like to think of it as exposure.  If I'm exposed to good then I will behave as a good person.  Something like that.  Define good.

That being so writ I must admit that I feel that Frankin was unjustly tried and convicted in the court of public opinion without due process.  Human nature is a nasty animal and we will jump on and off of the Band Wagon (at will) just because there is a wagon.  I must say that I feel the need to write this because I have personal experience with being vilified and had my character assassinated, all in the course of the divorce and dissolution of a marriage.  The effect of that unpleasantness will last for the rest of my life.  So, I kind of feel bad for the guy for what he is going through if, in fact, he is truly innocent of indecent activity.  I don't know what he was thinking when, allegedly, he said or did what he is accused of saying or doing.  Was it funny?  Distasteful?

My observation over the past few decades has been that we are becoming increasingly vindictive.  Here is something that has bothered me for some time now.   What may have been considered funny yesterday is not considered even remotely funny today.  The rules of polite society change over time and that fact has allowed the exercise of some very bad legal practice.  And, no, murder is still bad and I will control my behavior so as to not murder anyone.  But what of a long-forgotten encounter with someone that you met at a cocktail party?  You know, the one where you shared an innocent hug with someone that you just met?  Then, years later, you get accused of groping her?  It may sound like an over-simplification but it isn't.  Accusations like that are being made every day at an alarming rate.  It doesn't help the innocent person when there are so many high profile dirtbags being exposed for being dirtbags.

I thought I'd feel better after this rant.  Now I'm just pissed.  Gee, thanks Brian.  (insert pout here).

[B.D.F.]

I absolutely agree with you and feel the same way.

Humans' absolutely worst behavior is when we form a 'pack' or 'band'. Given the combination of the Internet and social media (FaceTwit, though I change that last vowel most of the time) has us forming 'packs' of enormous size, with terrific (terrifying) speed and absolutely no thought at all whatsoever. 'The Court of Public Opinion' will tear a human to pieces long before anything even resembling due process has any chance to have a method formed, never mind actually started. Today, someone (proverbially) yells "Pig Pile on XXX" and w/in a matter of hours, XXX is toast.

None of that has anything to do with reality. Of course the opposite is true also; sometimes people are vilified who really deserve it but again, I would much prefer a slower, methodical solution to 'shoot them all and let God sort them out'.

But I actually started this thread for a very specific facet of this mob mentality; it has no throttle and anyone who gets caught up in the net is equally bad along with everyone else. My specific mention of Al Franken is because at the time, he was being treated just like everyone else in the proverbial net yet all he seems to have done is perhaps act in bad taste and embarrass someone; the photo appears that he did not even actually touch that woman. Yet Mr. Franken is "metoo"'d right next to Harvey Weinstein, who is accused of many repeated, premeditated acts that are felonies. The two just do not compare. It would be the same thing as punishing someone who was speeding 10 MPH over the limit with the same punishment given to a mass- murder. It is wrong, unfair and simply ridiculous.

And that is just the latest fad; it seems we are now electing people and conducting international relations via social media. Truly an awful state of affairs. I really believe social media, being used by the majority of adults, may well be the worst single thing to ever happen to society, and I am including both World Wars, the Plague and anyone who has been forced to look at a Pollack "painting" in that statement.

Brian

First I feel that I have to write the following...  This is my opinion.  I'm not attempting to state a fact or prove anything to anyone.  I feel that it is silly that I have this feeling that I need to defend myself before I say anything.  But that is how I feel because of where my life experience has led me.  I look at it as a result of programming/brainwashing brought on by being exposed to and brought up in our society.  I like to think of it as exposure.  If I'm exposed to good then I will behave as a good person.  Something like that.  Define good.

That being so writ I must admit that I feel that Frankin was unjustly tried and convicted in the court of public opinion without due process.  Human nature is a nasty animal and we will jump on and off of the Band Wagon (at will) just because there is a wagon.  I must say that I feel the need to write this because I have personal experience with being vilified and had my character assassinated, all in the course of the divorce and dissolution of a marriage.  The effect of that unpleasantness will last for the rest of my life.  So, I kind of feel bad for the guy for what he is going through if, in fact, he is truly innocent of indecent activity.  I don't know what he was thinking when, allegedly, he said or did what he is accused of saying or doing.  Was it funny?  Distasteful?

My observation over the past few decades has been that we are becoming increasingly vindictive.  Here is something that has bothered me for some time now.   What may have been considered funny yesterday is not considered even remotely funny today.  The rules of polite society change over time and that fact has allowed the exercise of some very bad legal practice.  And, no, murder is still bad and I will control my behavior so as to not murder anyone.  But what of a long-forgotten encounter with someone that you met at a cocktail party?  You know, the one where you shared an innocent hug with someone that you just met?  Then, years later, you get accused of groping her?  It may sound like an over-simplification but it isn't.  Accusations like that are being made every day at an alarming rate.  It doesn't help the innocent person when there are so many high profile dirtbags being exposed for being dirtbags.

I thought I'd feel better after this rant.  Now I'm just pissed.  Gee, thanks Brian.  (insert pout here).

[Kelly E]

I saw the victim's interview and she claims that he(Al Franken) did other stuff besides the picture.