So Long Al (Not the Ladies' Pal!)

United States Senator Al Franken (D-MN) has gotten caught up
in the national sexual harassment storm with seven women to date
alleging his having groped them. After hemming and hawing about
the allegations against him, also announcing that he would not heed
calls for him to resign from the Senate but would instead "reflect"
on the accusations and his behavior toward these women, about
whom he claimed that he didn't recall his interactions with them
in the same way they did, had announced his resignation after
all.

In one instance, the former Saturday Night Live performer
and comedy writer was photographed fondling a female reporter's
breasts while she slept. They were together on a plane flying
to a U.S. military encampment with other entertainers and reporters
to entertain the troops in the Middle East. Leeann Tweeden,
a California-based radio broadcaster and model, tweeted the photo,
touching off the whirl of accusations against Sen. Franken, adding
her account of her having been grabbed by Franken and forcibly
kissed on another occasion during the trip.

In the wake of the accusations and allegations rendered against
Hollywood movie chief Harvey Weinstein, many victims of various
types of sexually predatory behavior have come forward and spoken
out against their tormentors; both women and men in entertainment,
business, politics, and journalism (and some other fields I'm sure)
have found the courage to tell their painful stories. And their cries
have rocked the walls and halls of power, a very good thing.
In this case a United States Senator has been shaken out of his
comfy and rarefied surroundings, and a very haughty and arrogant
sort he is! Having attained the Senate seat he has occupied for one
term and part of another in controversy (Franken won election
with an overall vote total that included some district vote totals
being greater than the number of registered voters in same districts)
and now giving up the seat in controversy, the not-so-funny-after-all
Senator Al Franken will be leaving the Senate, and good riddance.
An arrogant, elitist pig in public office is abominable, but throw in
one that is also a sexual predator and you have a festering boil on
the body politic.

Thank heaven this boil has now been lanced.


MEM