The Right Thing

Doing the right thing isn't always easy; sometimes it's very difficult.  I have to applaud Senator Al Franken for making the right decision to resign his seat in office.  Given the accusations against him, some of which are disputed, it was the honorable thing to do and his speech was heartfelt.  He noted the irony of him stepping down while we have a man in the oval office who has many accusers and has even bragged about his groping women.  We also have a man running for a senate seat whose accusers include women who were mere teenagers at the time, yet he is being openly supported by the President and the Republican party.  I find it so ironic that Republicans tout themselves as the party of family values and morals when it comes to issues like abortion and LGBT rights but many don't practice what they preach.  I'm proud that the  Democratic party is working towards a zero tolerance policy when it comes to issues of sexual harassment and abuse.  We have a long way to go but Senator Franken's resignation is a great first step in the process.  As a sexual abuse survivor I see the importance in taking such accusations seriously and giving accusers the benefit of the doubt.  While I'm sure there are those who would make up stories for either political or monetary gain, I can't believe that when so many people come forward to tell their stories that there isn't something to them.  It will be interesting to see if Roy Moore is elected in Alabama in spite of so many serious accusations.  It's a sad state of affairs when people think that electing an accused child molestor is considered a better alternative to a conservative Democrat.  Have our party line divisions become so extreme that this is actually the case?  Some might say that the issue is one of overemphasized political correctness, but it's not about that; it's about the dignity and worth of every human being.  In my humble opinion anyone in a position of power in the public trust who is justly accused of sexual misconduct should be terminated or should step down.  It isn't the easy thing to do by any means, but it is the right thing to do!  Hopefully Senator Franken's actions will set a precedent for all future similar situations.