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Guilded Lilly

(5,591 posts)
Thu Dec 7, 2017, 11:24 AM Dec 2017

Childhood Lessons, Sen. Franken and Surviving this Political Nightmare

I was asked by another DUer as well as a lurker friend to create this as a separate thread. Pardons to those who read this post elsewhere but today is a huge deal. We are in genuine trouble as a party.

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Childhood lessons: When I was nine, my father died of a cancer that now, is quite
curable. I sadly remember very little about him, as he was on the road carving out a living during the week and only home on weekends...but one thing he would always say was “if you are going to kill someone, kill them with kindness.”
Good, high road words, right? I lived those words and raised my children on them.
I struggle with that now, to an extent. There are nuances. Serious nuances.

My mother used to say over and over, if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. Again, good, high road words. Until you realize that in some instances, by saying nothing enables disgusting lies and hideously foul behavior to flourish in people who have no morality or conscience. Again nuances.

Neither of these high road life lessons will work societally or mean enough unless you temper them with truth and accountability. Fairness Is the third lingering but essential factor.

Al Franken is facing a serious situation that, societally, MUST be addressed.

Long overdue and insidious, the gender-inbred disrespect of females is a real ongoing and deep seated societal problem. Sexual harassment of the vulnerable of any gender is a very serious problem. Exploitation and abuse of children is a heinous, monumental problem.

Don’t just address these problems with blanket high road morality. Find the truth behind the problem or actions. Take the time to investigate. When those truths come to light, demand accountability using those TRUTHS. And do so with fairness.

There IS a difference between someone who recognizes there is an unacceptable behavior they may have performed, seeks an open examination of that behavior, takes accountability when truth is discovered in a fair and level investigation and someone who defiantly ignores said behavior, denies any accountability and blames/vilifies the rest of the world with arrogance or ignorance.

People will lie. For all kinds of reasons. Perpetrators most certainly and even some victims. People will practice vile behavior or stupid behavior for all kinds of reasons. People will get away with anything and too much in the process while too little is done for the weaker or less powerful. Crappy people could succeed and stagnate and never improve. Better people will learn and grow. There is a difference.

Nothing about this very real and painful process will be easy or quick for any of us.

Until truth, accountability and fairness are parts of the solution- bad, even criminal behavior will flourish. High road mentality must be tempered with a demand for truth, accountability and fairness or it is just a stance without substance or solution.

In this specific instance, Al Franken has immediately requested and will co-operate with an ethics investigation seeking the truth. He has indicated he will take accountability for those discovered truths. Give that stance the fairness it deserves.

Or, in the process of demanding the high road without truth, accountability and fairness, the ignorant, hideous and arrogant WILL flourish.

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