Toon & text by John Auchter
Larry Nassar, the doctor who worked with various women’s gymnastics programs including the Michigan State University team and USA Gymnastics, pleaded guilty this week to charges of first degree criminal sexual conduct with children under the age of 16. This is just a small portion of the charges that have been (and could be) brought against him, including further abuses and child pornography possession. It would be difficult to find anybody who would deny that Dr. Nassar is in every sense a sexual predator.
So there is some consensus. And we should try to remember this common ground because it gets very divisive, very quickly, when we go on to name the politicians, entertainers, executives, and media personalities whose indiscretions have recently come to light.
In an effort to defend those who we are inclined to support (and demonize those whom we would like to see suffer), it can go immediately off the rails. It turns into an ugly parlor game of “what’s worse?” Admitting or denying? Is one accuser enough? Is a dozen too many? How’s a random grab stack up against soliciting underage girls?
As a result, victims are either further exploited or dismissed. It muddies the waters, which helps only the guilty. I suggest we focus more on real justice and less on scoring points for a particular “side.” There have been men with power who have taken advantage of their power to sexually abuse women. It is in everybody’s best interest that they be held accountable for their actions.
John Auchter draws cartoons. Lots and lots of them. You can find them at his incredibly popular website auchtoon.com. You can also find his stuff on Michigan Public Radio’s website under Opinion.
Thank you, John.
Absolutely true. Abuse is abuse. There are no degrees of it. All should be held accountable for their actions.
I agree.
Right on!
Yes. This is correct. But, maybe this theme is starting to get out of hand. Dare I suggest that some enthusiastic guy who maybe once upon a time tried to kiss somebody who did not want to be kissed… and then he backed off… Maybe that guy is not guilty…?
We have one predator that can’t be denied and there is zero question regarding validity of claims. Al Franken is documented fondling the breasts of a sleeping woman while onboard a military aircraft. We have all see the picture. Al Franken needs to be removed from office immediately, by any means necessary.
He is guilty. There is no question. The pictures tell the verified story.
If he needs to go, which I have no problem with, so does Trump.
A long list of all politicians that all need to resign, including trump. Working dad will defend the republicans because there is no proof or pictures. There is plenty of proof. Everyone of their accusers are proof. If I see someone rob a bank and I don’t take a picture the guy is innocent? That’s the goofy way they think.
Yes I agree Jim, but there is a sound track that gives his views and 20 women who accused him. Where there is that much smoke, fire is definitely there.
WD, put on your glasses. Look closely. Franken is NOT “fondling” her breasts. He isn’t even touching the padded vest she is wearing. Is the photo inappropriate? Absolutely. But keep the evidence straight. Of course you will not comment on the photos of that same young lady grabbing the butt of one of the performers–on stage, during a performance.
The photo I saw of Franken with her, his hands were not in contact with her body or her flak vest. The photo is still tasteless and shows poor judgement on the part of both Franken and the photographer. However, that doesn’t even approach Trump’s level of abuse of women: walking in on naked young women at one of “his” beauty pageants because he felt entitled to do so; proudly proclaiming that he could grab pussies, force kisses upon, and otherwise physically abuse women without their permission simply because he’s rich and famous.
dogmonster mom are you a forensic photo analyst? From what I can see in the photograph is that he does have his hands on the flak vest.
You must be a liberal. You berate President Trump.
Yet you do not seem to care what a democratic liberals males do to women.
Al Franken has a few females complaining about him. John Conyers has a number of women complaining about his touching them. At least he decided to retire and collect his 6 figure retirement and a very good health plan to boot. Harvey weinstein might be prosecuted for his treatment of women. Slick willey clinton has a lot of women complaining about his abuse of them. hilliary clinton has been defending his actions for years.
Of course all these men are liberal democrats and that seems ok to you and lot liberal women that it is ok for them to such abuse.
However, let a republican be accused of the same behavior and the liberal democrats like you are screaming that the republican needs to go to jail.
Judge Roy Moore needs to change his party affiliation to that of a democrat and the accusations against him would go away and he would be supported by the democrats.
You’re an idiot Jim III. You didn’t even look at that photo did you? Why do right wingers lie so much?
By the way, when you pull your head out of your ass, you might notice that Democrats everywhere are calling for Al Franken to resign, unlike what Republicans are doing in regards to Trump and Moore. Besides being a delusional idiot, you are also a hypocrite.
I AM a photographer. Have been for over fifty years. He is not touching her vest. Obviously you are one of those folks who see only what they want to see.
Al Franken literally has pictures documenting his abuse of women. Liberal Democrats refuse to call for his ouster because he is a Democrat.
A Democrat could literally rape children on film and Democrats would not call for his ouster. You predator Franken loving Democrats are beyond disgusting. The Democrat party is literally the party of molesters.
Then why are Democrats calling for Franken to resign. Is there any end to your lies?
Awaiting the news release by al franken in the morning, then we will see if he resigns or not.
The mainline democrats are looking to the elections of 2018. If they do not call for franken to resign, then those democrats face the possibility of a republican calling them out on the al franken matter. They, like any other politician of any persuasion, are looking out for their political future.
If it had been any republican doing the same thing that al franken was doing in the photograph, the democrats would be screaming out real loud that the perp needs to be sent to prison with no chance for parole.
I am not certain when the news broke that a lot of women in CONgress started the ball rolling on asking al franken should resign.They are only asking, I do not think that any of them are demanding that he resign.
We will see after tomorrow’s statement from al.
Nice back pedaling. You are completely contradicting yourself. This doesn’t erase what you said earlier, nor does it change the fact that you are backing two people with multiple accusations of sexual misconduct.
Democrats are calling for two of their own to step down, Republicans are doing just the opposite. Tell us again how you are not a hypocrite.
Fred, you are a low information person. As I stated in my post the only reason that the democrat women and a ,few democrat men, are calling for al fraken’s resignation is that they are looking to the 2018 and 2020 elections. Then when the campaign seasons for those elections take place the democrats can claim piously that they removed only 2 of the known sexual abusers from their ranks.
If there was for no risk of losing the elections in 2018 and 2020 both conners and franken would not be forced to retire/resign from office.
The democrats would carry on with business as usual.
Jim III, you’re an idiot.
Along another issue….
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.
Cry harder Democrats!
You have an orgasm everytime trump does something just to stir the pot for his own amusement. You are a very sick person.
Strange obsession you have regarding my orgasms. Funny that you spew twisted comments like this and refer to others as “sick”.
I bet you weren’t even aware enough to notice your own hypocrisy.
The fact that you are able to conjure such a disturbing thought in that context by taking my comment literally just further proves my point. You are a sick individual.
Fred, relax. Just remember that for WD and all of his “Dandruff flake” friends there will be a day of reckoning. Of course they probably won’t even notice until sometime much later.
I’m trying to keep up with Democrat Al (booby grabbing pictures) Franken. Is this how things currently stand.
He said he is resigning, but he didn’t resign.
He said he did it, but then claimed he didn’t do it.
Democrats wanted him to stay in the Senate, then called for him to resign, but he has not yet resigned and Democrats say “Meh”…
And Democrats are calling currently him a paragon of integrity and a champion of “women’s issues” while we have picture documented evidence of his unwanted boob grabs?!?!
You dandruff flakes are all alike. Go to the eye doctor, get glasses, look again at the “Booby grabbing” photo. He is not even touching the armored vest she is wearing. As you were 4F for intelligence reasons, you have no idea how thick that vest is. He couldn’t “grab a boob” unless the vest was unzipped.
On second thought, just go get a good dandruff shampoo. Once all of those flakes are out of your eyes you might be able to see reality.