What's with all these sexual allegations coming to light?

[iris lilies]

And now Senator Al Franken has been added to the list: http://www.kabc.com/2017/11/16/leean...or-al-franken/

Al Franken is not funny and was never funny, regardless of how many photos he faked of feeling up some woman’s boobs. Gosh darn it, I didnt like him.

[Tybee]

Franken offered a fairly lengthy apology which it sounds like his accuser accepted. Which doesn't make it OK, but his sounded a little more like a prank of misconduct than leching after 14 year olds.

Our local radio plays Arlo Guthrie's, Alice's Restaurant every Thanksgiving. Between the political scandals and the misconduct accusations I feel like Arlo sitting on the bench in the police station. I think all I've done is maybe litter but the bench is sure filled with a bunch of criminals. It has all lowered my estimation of our cultures integrity.

I probably should not comment as I have not read about the Franken case, just heard about it.

I have had men grab personal body parts of mine, unasked and without consent, once at the age of 14 (a friend of my parents) and at no time, ever, do I feel that this should be termed a "prank of misconduct."

I am saddened that you are equating personal violations, often with lasting traumatic effects, with littering.

[Rogar]

I am saddened that you are equating personal violations, often with lasting traumatic effects, with littering.

I think I've failed to communicate properly. Even though I am a male, I really have not committed "personal violations". Other than maybe taking a few pencils from work and maybe a little littering type things, which was not a comparison to anything at all. The point being that all this has been an eye opener, and I get the feeling of an innocent surrounded by others of previous respect who do have their violations, be it political or moral. However, I do think that not all forms of harassment, predation, or misconduct are equal in severity.

[Williamsmith]

I think I've failed to communicate properly. Even though I am a male, I really have not committed "personal violations". The point being that all this has been an eye opener, and I get the feeling of an innocent surrounded by others of previous respect who do have their violations, be it political or moral. However, I do think that not all forms of harassment, predation, or misconduct are equal in severity.

You did either conveniently or by ignorance leave out the fact that Franken stuck is tongue down the complainants throat, grabbed her by the back of the head and mashed his lips against hers without her consent. That’s not in the same ballpark as a “prank”. I think whether it occurs in Minnesota or In Alabama...it is wrong. Right is right and wrong is wrong. We shouldn’t be enabling elected officials to feel they are powerful enough to dispense with common decency.

[Rogar]

WS, there is nothing I can see in what I said to imply what Franken did was OK. Only that there are differences in degree of wrongness. I'll go away now.

[CathyA]

WS, there is nothing I can see in what I said to imply what Franken did was OK. Only that there are differences in degree of wrongness. I'll go away now.

I agree with you Rogar.

[Williamsmith]

WS, there is nothing I can see in what I said to imply what Franken did was OK. Only that there are differences in degree of wrongness. I'll go away now.

Theres no need to go away. I do disagree....what you said drew a distinction between the Franken scenario and the Judge Roy scenario with the favor going toward Franken as more of a “prank” situation. There is no distinction. Both are clearly wrong. That’s my opinion and I am genuinely interested in you continuing to express yours.

[Teacher Terry]

I think there is a difference in the actual act that is performed. Between the ages of 10-25 I have had men grab my ass, breast and crotch and I don't feel scarred by it. Heck I had forgotten about these incidents until all the talk about it. I can easily see where women are scarred by more aggressive and invasive acts. One woman that was grabbed once on her butt claims to be scarred for life. That I don't buy. Men don't have a right to touch woman at all without their okay but not every woman is scarred by every small act. I know this won't be a popular sentiment but I think that people need to take a more balanced approach when looking at these things. The woman I really feel sorry for are the ones that had to put up with this shit to keep jobs they needed. Talk about a living hell.

[Tybee]

Oh wow, Terry, I am really shocked by what you are saying. Men grabbed you sexually at the age of 10 and you don't feel scarred, and you feel others "need to take a more balanced approach when looking at these things."
My God.

I think men grabbing 10 years olds sexually is a living hell, frankly. Not to minimize the terrible thing that Simplemind lived through. But you are describing a rape culture, and victims are supposed to minimize these assaults.

As a grandmother, if someone grabbed my granddaughter in the way you describe there is not going to be a "balanced way of looking at things." You better believe it.

Franken apparently groped the reporter while she slept and then took pictures of it and showed them to people.

That is not a harmless prank, unless you buy into rape culture.

Now I will go away, as I am getting extremely angry at what I am reading here, and there's no point in getting angry, I have expressed myself, and we're all free to have opinions on the subject.

[Teacher Terry]

If you read my earlier posts a 8th grader grabbed my crotch after school and I went right back into the school and reported him to the principal and he was punished. The other incidents occurred between 15-25 and I handled them myself. Even the one at work at age 15 from the district manager and it stopped. I went to my Dad for advice and at first he wanted to handle it but I said no and he taught me what to say and do. I am saying there is a difference as an ADULT not a child to being grabbed sexually and being assaulted, etc. In my book it is not the same. Obviously an adult should never touch a child. I don't think any of it is right and I hope that one day things will be different. What I was trying to convey is that levels of trauma are different and getting groped as a adult is not the same trauma as getting assaulted. All of this is against the law and people get prosecuted and punished as they should be if reported. i worked with kids at one point that had been physically and/or sexually abused and the effects were horrible. That is not what I am talking about.