On Thursday, December 7, Minnesota Senator Al Franken announced that he will be resigning from his congressional seat by the end of the year amid allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior towards women.

Many Democrats took to Twitter to express their horror at the "hypocrisy" of the Republican Party for forcing Al Franken out of Congress for allegations that paled in comparison to the allegations against Donald Trump or Roy Moore. Late-night comedian and talk show host, Trevor Noah, even went as far as to say that if Franken was a Republican, he would still have a job.

I don't know if that is true or not, no one does. However, I am here as a woman who also happens to be a Republican to speak to all people today. I solemnly swear that not all Republicans only care about sexual harassment allegations when they are directed at a Democrat. Some Republicans may--and do--support Roy Moore. A whole lot of Republicans support Donald Trump. Personally, I personally agree with Ivanka Trump who said, "There's a special place in hell for people who prey on children." I also believe that it is disheartening and a little frightening to have a President who was literally recorded saying "grab them by the p***y."

First, let me speak to the Republicans. We cannot let this be the legacy of our party. The GOP is supposed to be about individual liberty and small government. It is supposed to the vigilantes of protecting Constitutional freedoms and family values. Not a party who is afraid to identify and outcast the people who don't align with our moral standards. Not a party dominated by men who don't respect women and do not treat them as equal. We all need to understand the stigma around sexual assault and how hard it is for a survivor of these horrible crimes to come forward and tell their stories, especially when it is against a powerful man like an elected official.

Now, let me turn to the Democrats. Please do not believe that all Republicans are pieces of human garbage who do not care about anything but power. Please do not use these incidents to further partisan divide and alienate those moderate Republicans. There are extremes in both parties and it is not fair to label us like that. The rhetoric used to demonize the Republican Party and almost shame those that identify as Republican is what causes the knee-jerk reactions that result in events such as the election of Donald Trump.

We as Americans need to put our foot down and stand up for the men, women, and children across the nation who have endured sexual assault and sexual harassment. The fact that according to the Center for Disease Control "nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men reported experiencing rape at some time in their lives" is appalling. When it comes to these issues it is time to set politics aside and focus on punishing the criminal and uplifting the survivor.