When we abandon our principles in order to give "our side" a pass, we don't actually have principles.
There has been a lot of despicable, inexcusable behavior by those in positions of authority. And while we can argue over whether one side is more guilty than another, if we're brutally honest with ourselves, I think we'll all recognize there's bad behavior all around. It's easy to spot and call it out when it happens on the "other team." But when we turn a blind eye to the bad behavior of those we support, we send a message that the behavior is actually acceptable.
When someone we support does something wrong, we don't need to switch sides. We don't even need to stop supporting them. But we have the responsibility to firmly let them know it's not okay. No making excuses. No looking for exceptions. Just demanding accountability.
It's the only way things will get better.
