George H.W. Bush apologized for what he did. How weird is it...

[Ken Burch]

Last edited Thu Oct 26, 2017, 12:24 AM - Edit history (1)

...that that apology was almost, briefly, noteworthy?...

(edited to clarify that it's the apology, rather than the act apologized for, that I was describing as "almost, briefly, noteworthy).

[Not Ruth]

1. He was President

I think that he is disabled (he could get handicapped plates).

He is surrounded by Secret Service.

So sexual assault is unexpected.

It is newsworthy. People still write about JFK, and he has been gone for years.

[Ken Burch]

2. I meant the idea that the apology is a good sign.

Last edited Wed Oct 25, 2017, 08:29 PM - Edit history (1)

Yes, he apologized. But the apology is an admission that he did what he did.

And I'm not sure how his disability status entered into this.

[Not Ruth]

4. 2014 when he was 90

[Ken Burch]

20. I'd been under the impression it was from much earlier.

Will edit the post you responded to remove any implication that it was from a long time ago.

[LanternWaste]

3. Not weird at all if we allow the context an individual brings to an act

Not weird at all if we allow the context an individual brings to both an act and the results of that act, rather than simply concentrating on the act alone, in and of itself without context.

[elehhhhna]

16. So please explain at what age men are allowed to grab your ass?

[Kali]

5. ?

[Mediumsizedhand]

6. HW grabbed an actress's ass twice. Mama Bush rolled her eyes. SS said she should not have

stood so close to him. 4 yrs later, he apologized his humor was not appreciated.

[Kali]

8. when did this happen?

great username, btw

[Mediumsizedhand]

9. I have nothing to do with that, lets be clear. And,

It happened four years ago. The actress was bothered seeing Obama, a man she respects, bonding, laughing, shaking hands with HW. From what I understand, when she saw a man she respect being kind to HW, it triggered her comment.

[eissa]

7. The man is 90, in a wheelchair and may be suffering from dementia

"Assault" is a pretty strong word in this case. Have some people never been in a nursing home? Elderly, particularly those suffering from some form of mental deficiency, say/do things that they never would have normally. My elderly aunt, a devout and meek woman all of her life, started swearing like a sailor and stealing blankets in her final years. It's cases like these that cause many to roll their eyes and cast doubts on actual cases of sexual assault.

[bluepen]

10. Agree. The apology was more to make her go away.

Most people are going to roll their eyes at this one.

[elehhhhna]

11. Because grabbing a woman's ass is neither sexual or an assault?

[eissa]

12. Highly inappropriate? Yes

Assault? I think that's more than a stretch.

[elehhhhna]

14. Well, fortunately for everyone everywhere the law doesn't think so

Assault legal definition of assault
The Free Dictionary › legal-dictionary › ...
Assault. At Common Law, an intentional act by one person that creates an apprehension in another of an imminent harmful or offensive contact.

Please note that or means or . Please note that offensive is defined by what the average normal person would find offensive. Most of us think that having someone randomly grab our ass or the front of our crotch, or breasts or penis/balls if we are a man is offensive. Heads up – this all goes double if it happens to our children.

what is wrong with you?

[WinkyDink]

17. Really? Grabass of a stranger is okay with you? How about if YOU were the recipient?

[WinkyDink]

18. He might or might not be; no announcement. My mother died at 91, sharp as the proverbial TACK.

[Ken Burch]

21. My mom is still around at 91...she could run a small country if she had to.

n/t.

[eissa]

23. Your mother was very fortunate

Not all are lucky enough to retain all their faculties. I’m no fan of the bushes whatsoever. If there had been any evidence of past behaviors on poppy’s part, then we could point to a pattern of behavior, and senile or not, of course he would be rightly condemned. But I’m not going to label some feeble, wheelchair-bound 90-year old as a sexual abuser if he doesn’t have full control of his mind. To use another relative as an example, when my uncle was in his mid-90s he got into the habit of proposing to random women, much to the annoyance of his wife. “There by the grace of god...” who knows how any of us will behave when we get to that age?

Btw, I say this as sexual abuse survivor, someone who takes these issues very seriously, hence my annoyance when someone tries to exploit a definitely inappropriate situation and claim “assault.” It does nothing but damage the many claims of those who have truly suffered actual assaults.

[Cicada]

13. He can claim dementia as an excuse

A friend of mine grew up near a school for the blind and was sent there for dances. She said the blind boys shamelessly felt them up using the excuse of their blindness.

[Ms. Toad]

19. I don't know whether it is the cause or the excuse in HIS case,

I do know that demential can cause individuals to be unable to exercise normal behavioral controls, and that for some the behavioral they are unable to control is sexual in nature.

Feeling people up is not a normal part of blindness. Losing the ability to conform to social norms (in a whole variety of ways - including sexual behavior) IS a normal part of dementia. They are not parallel situations.

[WinkyDink]

15. It's noteworthy regardless. He basically committed sexual assault, unless you think it would be okay

if, say, Bill Clinton had grabbed her rear end.

[Ken Burch]

22. My comments were about the apology, not the act that prompted it.

Nothing there was meant as minimization...and I'd be glad to change the wording on the OP to remove anything that read as minimization if you have any particular suggestions.

I don't think it's ok for anyone to grab another person's body without consent. Ever.

[GulfCoast66]

24. I had an uncle that made it into his 90s

But he had dementia and lost his inhibitions even though in his young days he was a straight arrow. He would touch females inappropriately and make very inappropriate comments. It was sad.

Not liking on the Bush clan, but 90 year olds get a more understanding from me.