Al Franken is latest to be accused of sexual assault

[FatAndFaithless]

Specifically regarding Franken (not sure if this has been posted yet), the woman in question has accepted his apology, and said that she isn't calling for him to step down, or for an investigation (unless Congress thinks there needs to be one).

http://thehill.com/homenews/news/360709-...is-apology

The woman who accused Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) of sexual misconduct said Thursday she accepts his apology.

"The apology, sure I accept it, yes. People make mistakes and of course he knew he made a mistake," Leeann Tweeden said. "So yes I do accept that apology. There's no reason why I shouldn't accept his apology."

She said it's up to Congress to decide if it wants to have an ethics investigation into Franken's behavior, adding that she isn’t calling for Franken to step down, unless more women come forward.

“People make mistakes. I’m not calling for him to step down. That’s not my place to say that,” Tweeden said.

EDIT: Should've included his apology. Here it is:

The first thing I want to do is apologize: to Leeann, to everyone else who was part of that tour, to everyone who has worked for me, to everyone I represent, and to everyone who counts on me to be an ally and supporter and champion of women. There's more I want to say, but the first and most important thing—and if it's the only thing you care to hear, that's fine—is: I'm sorry.

I respect women. I don't respect men who don't. And the fact that my own actions have given people a good reason to doubt that makes me feel ashamed. But I want to say something else, too. Over the last few months, all of us—including and especially men who respect women—have been forced to take a good, hard look at our own actions and think (perhaps, shamefully, for the first time) about how those actions have affected women. For instance, that picture. I don't know what was in my head when I took that picture, and it doesn't matter. There's no excuse. I look at it now and I feel disgusted with myself. It isn't funny. It's completely inappropriate. It's obvious how Leeann would feel violated by that picture. And, what's more, I can see how millions of other women would feel violated by it—women who have had similar experiences in their own lives, women who fear having those experiences, women who look up to me, women who have counted on me.

Coming from the world of comedy, I've told and written a lot of jokes that I once thought were funny but later came to realize were just plain offensive. But the intentions behind my actions aren't the point at all. It's the impact these jokes had on others that matters. And I'm sorry it's taken me so long to come to terms with that. While I don't remember the rehearsal for the skit as Leeann does, I understand why we need to listen to and believe women’s experiences.

I am asking that an ethics investigation be undertaken, and I will gladly cooperate.

And the truth is, what people think of me in light of this is far less important than what people think of women who continue to come forward to tell their stories. They deserve to be heard, and believed. And they deserve to know that I am their ally and supporter. I have let them down and am committed to making it up to them.

[Joods]

If every man who ever copped a feel is a criminal then we all belong in jail.

The problem this time is that this woman was asleep, therefore she had no way of being able to protest. This was just sneaky and underhanded.

[The Industrial Atheist]

For some reason I hoped he was a decent human being. I find it disgusting to put your hands on someone like that without their consent. I'm sure he was married at the time too.

I think he said something like he remembers things differently. If it's a true fact that he grabbed her breasts while she was asleep and it wasn't part of some act, and it didn't seem like he was denying that, then I don't see how remembering differently could change anything important.

[A Theist]

If every man who ever copped a feel is a criminal then we all belong in jail.

The problem this time is that this woman was asleep, therefore she had no way of being able to protest. This was just sneaky and underhanded.

...and there was a picture to further the humiliation. I also heard on the news that another woman has come forward with another sexual harrassment accusation against Franken. Her name is Melanie Morgan.

[The Grand Nudger]

Get rid of em all...right......right........

[Whateverist]

Nope. I liked his apology/confession and still think he adds an important point of view. If there really is more, I may have to rethink that. But it is the best statement made by a perpetrator that I've read to date.

[The Grand Nudger]

Meh. No dog in the hunt, I'm just making sure this isn't another instance of whataboutism..is all. Because that shit really will be the end of western civilization.

[Whateverist]

You mean if they find out we're all flawed? Yeh, that would do it.

[The Grand Nudger]

LOL, no.  Whataboutism is the notion that all flaws are equivalent, and because of this..anything can be excused.

[henryp]

I wonder how much of this behavior taps into something about our animal nature.  Regardless, it isn't right and shouldn't be tolerated.

Louis CK's SNL monologue bit on child molesters hit the nail on the head.  There is no upside to wanting to jerkoff in front of women.  Or wanting to touch everyone's tits.  Or wanting to date 14yos.  We have what we are through no fault of our own, and only a small portion of that is considered acceptable.  It's a burden for the people saddled with the bullshit, and a burden for the people who end up being the recipients.  

What's complicated, is that it doesn't get talked about.  So instead, you have people being told their urges are something to be ashamed of and evil rather than dealing with it practically.  And people hiding things and feeling ashamed usually ends up with some bad results.