29th November 2017, 12:46 PM
Donald Trump goes and insults one of his enemies when he's supposed to be recognizing WW2 veterans. He insults her with an odd slur that if he had any sensitivity he would have realized wouldn't sit well with Navajo code talkers.
Then there's the other side. That crass dig was, in his own insensitive way, calling out Warren for falsely claiming to be native american in the past. It's true, she did claim it, repeatedly, and later a genealogy report would show no evidence of native american decent in her family line. She has, at this point, not acknowledged or rectified this. Sooo Trump's insult about Warren was r- *gag* right.
But like anything with a Trump insult, there's something missing there. I'm from Oklahoma. Here's the thing about Oklahomans, a LOT of us have a family history that involves native americans. Well, supposedly. Warren likely heard that she had native american blood from her family growing up and had no reason to doubt it (other than never having to deal with a pipeline being built through her house). I have also been told this. I've been told that I'm distantly related to some native american princess who's name always seems to escape those who vaguely recall hearing about it. We've been meaning to get a genealogy report done on our family for a while now, but after this I'm going to be a lot more careful repeating that to people until I know otherwise. Point is, I personally don't believe that Warren was ever knowingly deceiving anyone, she was just mistaken. Ever been wrong? Happened to me once. The only issue here is Warren needs to own up to the honest mistake, state she won't be making that claim in the future, and then move on. That's really the only responsibility she has to this, since being wrong about your family's past is hardly some sort of racist aggression that needs any great apology. In other words, as usual, I think Trump blew up a non-issue.
Well, then there's Franken. Here's the thing, more women are coming forward, and in large enough numbers that I have no reason to doubt them. Franken has owned up to these ones too. I WANT to be in a place where men who honestly and openly admit to their failings, are forgiven by those they have trespassed, and show real proof of sincerity and a genuine attempt to change. I would like that to be Al, but I keep thinking of things that make it harder, not least being that harassing women is a hard thing to move beyond even when someone genuinly wants to change. Like, if someone mugged you and beat you and then took photos after, I don't think you owe them forgiveness just because they have genuinely changed. You don't owe them a damn thing. I think it's totally ok to just keep hating them forever. That aside though, forgiveness is a higher path and kudos to those that can muster it. So what's the problem? Al Franken has at no point admitted to anything he hasn't been accused of. You think it's just 4? Aren't you cute. I would love, just once, for a politician to just admit to this wrongdoing in advance, with no signs anyone is about to expose them. If Al Franken just lays all the cards out on the table, admits to EVERYTHING he can remember, and at least admits to a pattern of behavior if "For me it was a Tuesday", and genuinely works to contact everyone he may have hurt to seek amends, THEN I'll know it's more than just lip service.
Then there's the other side. That crass dig was, in his own insensitive way, calling out Warren for falsely claiming to be native american in the past. It's true, she did claim it, repeatedly, and later a genealogy report would show no evidence of native american decent in her family line. She has, at this point, not acknowledged or rectified this. Sooo Trump's insult about Warren was r- *gag* right.
But like anything with a Trump insult, there's something missing there. I'm from Oklahoma. Here's the thing about Oklahomans, a LOT of us have a family history that involves native americans. Well, supposedly. Warren likely heard that she had native american blood from her family growing up and had no reason to doubt it (other than never having to deal with a pipeline being built through her house). I have also been told this. I've been told that I'm distantly related to some native american princess who's name always seems to escape those who vaguely recall hearing about it. We've been meaning to get a genealogy report done on our family for a while now, but after this I'm going to be a lot more careful repeating that to people until I know otherwise. Point is, I personally don't believe that Warren was ever knowingly deceiving anyone, she was just mistaken. Ever been wrong? Happened to me once. The only issue here is Warren needs to own up to the honest mistake, state she won't be making that claim in the future, and then move on. That's really the only responsibility she has to this, since being wrong about your family's past is hardly some sort of racist aggression that needs any great apology. In other words, as usual, I think Trump blew up a non-issue.
Well, then there's Franken. Here's the thing, more women are coming forward, and in large enough numbers that I have no reason to doubt them. Franken has owned up to these ones too. I WANT to be in a place where men who honestly and openly admit to their failings, are forgiven by those they have trespassed, and show real proof of sincerity and a genuine attempt to change. I would like that to be Al, but I keep thinking of things that make it harder, not least being that harassing women is a hard thing to move beyond even when someone genuinly wants to change. Like, if someone mugged you and beat you and then took photos after, I don't think you owe them forgiveness just because they have genuinely changed. You don't owe them a damn thing. I think it's totally ok to just keep hating them forever. That aside though, forgiveness is a higher path and kudos to those that can muster it. So what's the problem? Al Franken has at no point admitted to anything he hasn't been accused of. You think it's just 4? Aren't you cute. I would love, just once, for a politician to just admit to this wrongdoing in advance, with no signs anyone is about to expose them. If Al Franken just lays all the cards out on the table, admits to EVERYTHING he can remember, and at least admits to a pattern of behavior if "For me it was a Tuesday", and genuinely works to contact everyone he may have hurt to seek amends, THEN I'll know it's more than just lip service.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)