Just a little less than one year after he stepped down from the U.S. Senate due to harassment allegations, Al Franken posted a Thanksgiving message on Facebook saying he’s still listening and learning about the experience of women in this country.
Franken wrote that he loves Thanksgiving not just for the food and family, but because there’s power in giving thanks.
“I know it sounds like something Stuart Smalley would say – “That attitude of gratitude – it ain’t just a platitude!” – but taking a moment to be grateful really can make you a happier person. Also, a better person,” Franken wrote, referring to the satirical inspirational speaker character he played on “Saturday Night Live.”
However, “Last Thanksgiving, though, wasn’t much fun,” Franken wrote. “I tried to be thankful for my family, my friends, and my health, but those weeks were incredibly difficult for us Frankens.”
Franken decided to step down on Dec. 7, after apologizing for several groping incidents that came to light in mid-November, 2017.
“I’ve also spent a lot of time over this past year thinking about the broader conversation we’ve been having about the experience of women in this country. I know that, for so many people, this issue raises a lot of powerful and painful feelings. This conversation can also be incredibly complicated. I don’t think it’s my place to weigh in on all the debates – but I will continue to listen and learn,” Fanken wrote.
He noted that among the things to celebrate this year are “a whole bunch of thrilling Democratic victories.”
“But we also have a whole lot to worry about when it comes to our country…And there’s so much more work left to do. I still miss being in the fight every day, and while I’m certainly not running for anything, I hope that, in the next year, I’ll have the chance to help make a difference again,” Franken wrote.
He wrapped up his post, “With an attitude of gratitude, Al.”