A Kiss Is OK, But A French Kiss Is Sexual Harassment?

[SoCalMusicLover]

Just so I'm clear on this.

And is pretending to touch a woman's breasts, without actually touching them, for a picture, also sexual harassment?

Good thing that talking about grabbing a woman by the private parts is not enough to prevent you from getting elected to the highest office.

[MFM008]

1. An apology

Is not "proof" of anything. If she was offended he felt he should do it. He also apologized to the entire USO team, I'm presuming he did not sexual assult all of them either.
I smell a set up.
A Roger stone stink bomb.

[FarPoint]

2. This is a comedian being a comedian....

It was for the camera....so...end of 11 year old/ first voiced or new complaint.... because ....it was consensual fun for the camera.

Yet, a" yellow/ tabloid" story can be created from the event now since this is the season to be destructive to others..

[dawg day]

3. A kiss is not okay if it's unwanted

Why would you think that any kiss is okay if the recipient doesn't want it? You might make a mistake and kiss where it's not wanted (those silly airkisses acquaintances do nowadays, always with those loud smacking noises-- I don't want those, but at least there's no saliva involved). And French kissing is universally understood as sexual in nature. You wouldn't French kiss your mother, right? Or your brother? You do that with a lover. You shouldn't do it with someone who doesn't want it.

As for "pretending" to touch someone's breasts (and having a picture taken of it), of course that's sexual harassment. Ask your Human Resources department if you can do that to a coworker in the office without getting fired or consigned to a month of "re-training." Making sexual sport of a person without consent is harassment.

[SoCalMusicLover]

4. She Said He Could Kiss Her

She admitted that he asked, and she said yes. That is pretty much consent.

So it's fair to say he crossed the line, by taking it farther, but we don't exactly know how long it lasted.

And regarding kissing, I would not kiss my mother or a sibling on the lips to begin with. And we're not talking about that here. Just 2 unrelated adults of the opposite sex. Another false equivalence.

[dawg day]

5. Okay, would you kiss your teacher that way? Your secretary? Your boss?

Maybe I'm more prim than you are, but I wouldn't kiss anyone but a romantic partner that way. I understand they were "rehearsing," but let's not make it sound like french-kissing is conventional as long as we're not related.

[SoCalMusicLover]

12. French Kissing Crossed The Line

Perhaps. Again, we don't know if it lasted 2 seconds. And again, the kiss itself was not as sudden as she made it sound.

I would not kiss a co-worker, but that is a totally different context from this. They were on tour together, and rehearsing something for an act. And I don't think he was in some position of power over her, or wielding any sort of authority.

I guess I just don't put this particular situation in the context of sexual harassment. Just an overzealous guy acting out a scene with an attractive partner.

[whathehell]

8. A French kiss is certainly more intrusive than

a simple kiss on the lips. For the sake of a skit, the latter would seem much more acceptable than the former.

[womanofthehills]

9. We really don't know that he gave her a french kiss

[whathehell]

10. She says he did

and he hasn't denied it...Are we going to discriminate in terms of the women we believe and those we don't?

[Ms. Toad]

11. When a more powerful man repeatedly refuses to take no for an answer,

it is not really consent when she finally gives in. Not to mention that what she says she consented to was to rehearse the line leading up to the kiss.

[SoCalMusicLover]

13. She Did Not Consent To Kiss Itself?

If I'm incorrect, then that might change my opinion. I thought she agreed to the kiss itself.

[Gravitycollapse]

6. Yes. Just as hugging someone isn't giving permission to be fondled.

[moondust]

7. "wet and slimy"

Ewwww! Ick!!! Gross!!!!! Cooties. Yes cooties!!!!!!!!!!!

I have some doubt that she actually remembers that kind of detail about what happened in 2006 and may be embellishing the story for added smear effect. (Of course Fox wants the juicy version on a Democrat.) Did she ever tell any friends or family or anybody else about the incident?



If Franken doesn't remember the incident then she's free to make up whatever she wants and claim that's what happened.

[SoCalMusicLover]

14. Maybe He Remembers Exactly What Happened

Which is why he's fine with an investigation. Maybe he knows witnesses will back up his story rather than her embellishments

[mr_liberal]

15. The last two aren't that bad, especially the last one.

The first one is especially if its to a stranger, that would be illegal. What Franken did was wrong and rotten thing to do, but not a crime.

[Raine]

16. no kind of kiss is Ok if it's not wanted

it's harassment, plus it's degrading to a woman to simulate touching her breasts.