My Two Cents On Senator Craig

[DemocratSinceBirth]

Gay Americans should have the same rights as straight Americans... That includes

-the right to get married

-the right to live a life free of fear and discrimination

-the right to show the "everyday" displays of affection that straight Americans do; holding hands in public, kissing, hugging, etcetera without worrying about being mocked or ridiculed.

However nobody has the right to have sex or solicit for sex in an overt matter in a public restroom that caters to the general population where somebody can become an unwilling participant or witness...

I don't even know who this can be a controversial proposition ...

[endarkenment]

1. Have sex in public? no that is wrong.

"Solicit sex in public"? no crime.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

2. That's Murky

But if soliciting sex means watching me on the crapper in a crack in the stall for two minutes while I do my business , then rubbing your foot against mine in a stall, and then sticking your hand under my stall then you have grossly invaded my space and privacy...

I can't go into women's restrooms and do all those things...

[endarkenment]

4. Rubbing your foot is assault.

Watching through a crack is gross behavior but not a crime. The police generally don't bust you for any of these, they bust you for a direct solicitation of sex, as that is an unambiguous event (although it is usually the testimony of the cop vs the testimony of the alleged perpetrator.0

"I can't go into women's restrooms and do all those things..."
well probably you could. It would be wrong, but most likely you would not be arrested unless you actually committed assault, which some of your hypothetical border on.

I thought the question you were asking was which of these things ought to be criminal behavior for which one gets put in jail, not 'are these things right or wrong'.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. They Got Him For Disturbing The Peace Not For Lewd And Lascivious Behavior

A person's right to look at another person ends when that person goes into a bathroom stall and closes the door...

A person's right to move his foot ends at another person's foot unless it's welcome...

And a person's right to move his hands in a stall ends at the other person's stall...

[endarkenment]

6. I'm fine with most of that.

Looking in stalls is pretty darn difficult to pin down. Actual unwelcome body contact is close to assault. However, outside of a bathroom this sort of behavior goes on all the time, for example any bar any night of the week.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

7. There's A Difference Between A Bar And Public Restroom

When I go to a public restroom I have some expectation that my space and privacy will be respected...

[endarkenment]

8. That's fine, but this is not a criminal matter IMHO.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

9. It's Disorderly Conduct If You Are Peeking Into Stalls And Rubbing Your Foot Against The Occupants

Of Other Stalls... And sticking your hand in another occupant's stall too...

Whether or not you are prosecuted is a different matter but it meets all four corners of the law...

[kevinmc]

3. Here's mine ...

:)