Senator Al Franken accused of unwanted kissing/groping

[bluesneakers]

The woman and Franken were supposed to entertain the troops with a skit. Kiss was a part of the skit. At that time Franken wasn't a politician. He was comedian, playing a role to entertain the troops.

But the rehearsal kiss was unwanted, and the photos were taken without her permission. He wasn't playing a role when he assaulted and humiliated her.

 

[jjenny]

But the rehearsal kiss was unwanted, and the photos were taken without her permission. He wasn't playing a role when he assaulted and humiliated her.

Seems like after she told him the kiss was unwanted, he didn't try it again. And you know what, if people are suppose to resign over something inappropriate that they did years ago, Franken isn't the one that should go first.

 

[simba16]

Seems like after she told him the kiss was unwanted, he didn't try it again. And you know what, if people are suppose to resign over something inappropriate that they did years ago, Franken isn't the one that should go first.

There should be degrees of punishment fitting each crime. Unlike other elected officials Franken issued several apologies and called for investigation.

 

[jjenny]

There should be degrees of punishment fitting each crime. Unlike other elected officials Franken issued several apologies and called for investigation.

10 years ago, Franken yet wasn't a senator. I am not sure what, who, and how could administer the supposed punishment.

 

[simba16]

Roy Moore is another story entirely. He was openly, and actively looking for a **teenage bride**. That was (and still is) very common among many fundamentalist religious adherents. That is VASTLY different than being a pedophile.

It's also heavily supported and approved of by many fundamentalist religious communities, even today. He was doing what he was taught to do, by his community and religious upbringing.

His religious beliefs don't make it legal to assault underage girl. Of course Moore thinks he is above the law and that is why he was removed from Alabama supreme court 2 times. He may think he IS the law: he autographs Bibles. Let's hope Alabama does the rational thing and votes this hypocrite down.

 

[simba16]

10 years ago, Franken yet wasn't a senator. I am not sure what, who, and how could administer the supposed punishment.

Some are calling for Franken to resign; that's what I meant as punishment.

 

[PaulR]

Seems like after she told him the kiss was unwanted, he didn't try it again. And you know what, if people are suppose to resign over something inappropriate that they did years ago, Franken isn't the one that should go first.

She says he continued to harass her after the kiss, making "snide comments" and drawing devil horns on photos of her - and eventually that photo of him groping her. That does not sound like the actions of someone who realizes what they did was wrong, it sounds like the behavior of someone who didn't get what they wanted, and waited for her to be asleep so he could come close with that photo.

https://nypost.com/2017/11/16/frank...amed-him-fish-lips-after-alleged-forced-kiss/

Keep in mind Al Franken was 55 when this happened. He was not a fresh-faced kid. People tend to be set in their ways long before 55. I would be shocked if he didn't try this on other women who are afraid to say something against a sitting Senator.

 

[jjenny]

Drawing horns on a photo of her? Or the horror, the horror. This guy was a comedian, jokes was what he did for a living.

 

[simba16]

Seems like after she told him the kiss was unwanted, he didn't try it again. And you know what, if people are suppose to resign over something inappropriate that they did years ago, Franken isn't the one that should go first.

It will make a big difference if no one else comes out with stories--if it was one isolated incident as opposed to a pattern of behavior. Everyone makes mistakes

 

[PaulR]

Drawing horns on a photo of her? Or the horror, the horror. This guy was a comedian, jokes was what he did for a living.

She told him pretty clearly "leave me alone." He did not. He made snide comments (whatever those are, I can imagine) and later had someone take a photo of him groping her breasts while she was asleep; I'm not sure if you find that funny, I don't. That's the very definition of harassment.

I think it's pretty clear that he was making a pass at her by giving her tongue, hoping to get a lot more than that, she told him no, he wouldn't accept that as an answer, which is why he has that photo of him groping her. She wouldn't have sex with him so he decided to humiliate her.

Sorry but his apologies fall on deaf ears, at least for me. He's not sorry he did it, he's sorry he got caught.

 

[jjenny]

The kiss routine was something done for entertainment of the troops, and there are lots of videos out there. She wasn't the only one who played that role. It also appears they'd invite a soldier on stage as a part of the skit.

 

[bluesneakers]

Hard to believe there are women, health care professionals at that, who believe it is ok to molest a woman while she sleeps......

F'n Insane!

I think some people believe it's okay to molest certain women (sex workers, young girls, sex positive women, women who pose nude, etc.) but not all women.

 

[K_Z]

She told him pretty clearly "leave me alone." He did not. He made snide comments (whatever those are, I can imagine) and later had someone take a photo of him groping her breasts while she was asleep; I'm not sure if you find that funny, I don't. That's the very definition of harassment.

I think it's pretty clear that he was making a pass at her by giving her tongue, hoping to get a lot more than that, she told him no, he wouldn't accept that as an answer, which is why he has that photo of him groping her. She wouldn't have sex with him so he decided to humiliate her.

Sorry but his apologies fall on deaf ears, at least for me. He's not sorry he did it, he's sorry he got caught.

We don't know exactly "what" she told him. None of us were there. We have no way to verify what she said happened. She knows that-- it's her word against his, and right now the political climate is constructed to favor her version as a victim as "absolute truth", which is very wrong, IMO. Her story may not be true, or may be embellished or slanted the way she wants to present it. I have a lot of reason to doubt her version of the story.

 

[bluesneakers]

Of course, but the post I was responding to seemed to imply otherwise. I was a bit too subtle with my response.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Oh, sorry. I thought it was just a general question for the thread.

 

[simba16]

We don't know exactly "what" she told him. None of us were there. We have no way to verify what she said happened. She knows that-- it's her word against his, and right now the political climate is constructed to favor her version as a victim as "absolute truth", which is very wrong, IMO. Her story may not be true, or may be embellished or slanted the way she wants to present it. I have a lot of reason to doubt her version of the story.

You have obviously accepted the pr*cktease/" She was asking for it" defense.

 

[bluesneakers]

NO, I don't think it's "okay" to molest "some" women, and not others, but I think anyone who believes that a prostitute should be as *unlikely* as a nun to be sexually assaulted has a few screws loose. If a woman is a prostitute, she is at astronomically high risk for a lot of sexual violence, crime, and "regular" violence as a consequence of her chosen actions/ job.

All woman can lower their risk of sexual violence by not voluntarily engaging in risky and provocative behavior. That's a fact.

*Actually-- that applies to men, too. Don't engage in risky and provocative behavior, and you lower your risk of being involved in crime and victimization. Not hard to understand.

I don't have any screws loose for thinking women should be free to live their lives. IMO people who believe women shouldn't work at Hooters, go on USO tours, work at malls, go to the same church Roy Moore attends, join the military, work in comedy, etc., are victims of the patriarchy. IMO they've fallen for the lie that women are responsible for men's behaviors.

I believe women should be able to live how they want to live without being harassed, assaulted or raped.

 

[simba16]

Didn't Al Franken write a book "Rush Limbaugh is a Big Fat Idiot"?

 

[jjenny]

What's wrong with that? (I am talking about the book about Rush).

 

[jjenny]

No a poster here obviously thinks there was no harm done, etc. Read the post.

I don't think Franken was molesting anyone in that photo. He is posing for a photo, presumably as a joke. She is wearing a kevlar vest and his hands don't appear to touch her. Presumably there is a photographer in there who took the photo. Obviously inappropriate but not what some people claim it is.

 

[K_Z]

And so she was asking for any humiliation. You obviously put women into your two categories.

Why would she be "humiliated" by that picture? Humiliated is a strange word to use for a narcisisstic woman who enjoyed her reputation as a sexy plaything and a nude model. Why didn't she find it funny? He wasn't even touching her flak vest-- the flak vest actually is what AF probably thought made it funny, in her case, since she's a nude model. Is it humiliating because she was asleep? Humiliating because she was wearing a flak vest, and not nude or wearing lingerie or a tight shirt? She made a career out of displaying her breasts-- and he was teasing about that. Was he "right"? No, but not "wrong" either. It was a bawdy joke. She's exploiting it for political gain and to increase her fame, IMO.

This wasn't sexual assault or sexual harassment, IMO. It was an ill-fated joke, probably a poor choice on his part, that is now coming back to hurt him politically since she chose to weaponize it.