Good thing it isn’t a white male Democrat suggesting this. Then people would go truly berserk.
Apparently to some here, sexual harassment and assault is ok if you’re a Democrat.
It isn’t.
Just because Conyers bought the women’s silence with taxpayer dollars does not mean he should be allowed to stay. He should resign, and Nancy Pelosi should step down as House Minority leader.
Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), asked about Conyers Sunday, said that he “is an icon in our country. He has done a great deal to protect women.”
In Pelosi’s view, important men should be allowed to assault women because they are important men. Icons even.
Okay yeah, Conyers should step down. He’s served twenty-seven terms and he is clearly not the man he once was. And if the sexual harassment allegations are true --and I’m fairly certain they are-- all the more reason.
But here’s my problem: For the last several years, 88 year-old John Conyers has stumbled around the Capital building, making rambling nonsensical speeches in committee meetings and coming to work some days having forgotten to change out of his pajamas. Though they knew about it (the entire caucus did… how could they not have?), people like Pramila Jayapal and Kathleen Rice said nothing. Now, when it’s a political football they can dive on, here they are, bravely being on the “right side of history.”
I’m sorry, but Conyers needing to step aside doesn’t change how much I hate these sorts of political opportunists and panderers, no matter what party they come from.
3 Likes
Monfledermaus, you took the words out of my mouth. I’ll support Conyers resignation when Trump resigns.
Balderdash.
How does being an “an icon in our country” excuse him for sexual harassment?
It doesn’t.
Pelosi doesn’t get it. Jayapal does.
For too long, men have been getting away with sexual assault because they are rich or famous or both. It has to stop. Pelosi is one of the leaders of the system that routinely failed to protect women from predators in the House.
Conyers should resign and Pelosi should step down as Minority Leader.
Jayapal is turning Michigan red. No problem with convincing Conyers to resign but Pelosi left to herself would have accomplished this in a dignified fashion. This kick him when he is down stuff reads as a diss,
Hope she thinks the power Tim Ryan hopes to get from this is worth it.
Did Conyers treat the women that he harassed and/or assaulted in a dignified fashion?
The idea that protecting the feelings of rich and famous men is somehow more important than justice for their victims is wrong.
NBC just got it right.
If sexual predators in the House and Senate don’t resign immediately, then they should be expelled.
What do you expect the impact on the turnout in Detroit will be if a civil rights hero is perceived to have been disrespected?
There are ways to respect both women and Conyer’s past accomplishments.
This is far more about the ambitions of Tim Ryan than about respecting women.
It does not matter. Conyers did this to himself. Why didn’t he think of that?
Disrespecting and marginalizing female victims to protect the feelings and reputations of their male assailants has to end.
Doesn’t matter whose moral fault it is. If Michigan turns red, the cause of gender equality (and practically everything else) will be set back drastically. Hope the sense of moral righteousness they get from thease high- minded and strategically brainless statements is worth it.
Justice is not always pleasant or easy. If Michigan turns red because of this, then that is Conyers’ and his enablers’ fault. I doubt that it will, though.
I suppose that Republicans can argue that Trump should not resign because it would hurt the Republicans politically. Maybe this is true, and maybe not. The point is that Trump should resign, regardless of the political calculus, and the same is true for Conyers.
We, as Democrats, shouldn’t be calling for the resignation or prosecution of sex abusers based on the individual abuser’s political party affiliation.
Anyway, moving on for now. I appreciate your point of view and discussion.
I agree but that should be his and his constituent’s choice, not anyone else’s.