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Sexual Misconduct Charges Going Too Far?

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Sexual misconduct charges have run amok and seem to be at an all-time high. When is such behavior going too far, and when is the reporting of it overkill?

Top News Today
In only a matter of 1 week, sexual misconduct charges have been levied against 3 additional high-profile males: CBS Morning News anchor Charlie Rose, Democratic Sen. Al Franken of Minnesota, and Democratic congressman and civil rights icon Rep. John Conyers of Michigan.

Sexual Misconduct
John Conyers

On Sunday, Rep. Conyers stepped down as ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee after Congress launched an investigation into sexual misconduct allegations brought against him by several former staffers.

“After careful consideration and in light of the attention drawn by recent allegations made against me, I have notified the Democratic Leader of my request to step aside as Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee during the investigation of these matters,” Conyers said in a statement Sunday while making clear he has no intention of resigning from Congress. “I deny these allegations, many of which were raised by documents reportedly paid for by a partisan alt-right blogger,” his statement continued. “I very much look forward to vindicating myself and my family before the House Committee on Ethics.”

Sen. Franken will return to the Senate on Monday after several women said he touched them inappropriately.

“I’m embarrassed and ashamed. I’ve let a lot of people down, and I’m hoping I can make it up to them and gradually regain their trust,” the former comedian and “Saturday Night Live” regular said on Sunday. “I don’t remember these photographs, I don’t,” Franken said of the photos where he (supposedly in jest) appeared to be groping or inappropriately touching women. “The Ethics Committee is looking into all of this, and I will cooperate fully with it. I know I have a lot of work to do to regain the trust of people I’ve let down,” he added.

Sexual Misconduct
Charlie Rose

Noted journalist Charlie Rose was fired as co-host of “CBS This Morning” after 8 women came forward in the past week claiming he made unwanted sexual advances toward them, including lewd phone calls, walking around naked in their presence, and groping their breasts, buttocks and/or genital areas.

The women were either employees or aspired to work for Rose at the “Charlie Rose” show between the late 1990s to 2011, and ranged in age from 21 to 37 at the time.

“In my 45 years in journalism, I have prided myself on being an advocate for the careers of the women with whom I have worked,” Rose said in a recent statement. “Nevertheless, in the past few days, claims have been made about my behavior toward some former female colleagues. It is essential that these women know I hear them and that I deeply apologize for my inappropriate behavior. I am greatly embarrassed. I have behaved insensitively at times, and I accept responsibility for that, though I do not believe that all of these allegations are accurate. I always felt that I was pursuing shared feelings, even though I now realize I was mistaken.

“I have learned a great deal as a result of these events, and I hope others will too,” he continued. “All of us, including me, are coming to a newer and deeper recognition of the pain caused by conduct in the past, and have come to a profound new respect for women and their lives.”

Top News Today
As in almost every previous case before them, 2 of these 3 men have acknowledged crossing a line with their behavior but believed their acts were consensual. Only Rep. Conyers has completely denied the allegations. Additionally, all of the sexual misconduct charges are mostly from decades ago, meaning the statute of limitations for a legal remedy has long since expired. However, the court of public opinion is open for business and has already tried and convicted each of the men based solely on accusations.

Is this right?

There was once a time when a white woman could yell “rape” against a black man and have him hanged by the townspeople within the hour. Could this same mentality be happening all over again to some extent?

Sexual Misconduct
Sen. Al Franken

We’ve all already made judgment calls against Sen. Franken, Rep. Conyers, Charlie Rose, and all the others. If we heard it or we read it, then to us, they are already GUILTY. However, what IF they are not guilty? What IF some or maybe all of these stories are overblown or flat-out untrue? Have we ruined the lives and careers of these public figures exclusively from the individual words of a few women or a few comedic photos that might have been misconstrued?

Granted, if any man OR woman has physically crossed the line of sexual misconduct, he or she must be held accountable and pay the consequences. However, how far is “too far?” When is playfulness unacceptable? Should we continue to metaphorically “hang” every male solely based on “her word against his,” or should we honor the American tradition of “innocent until proven guilty” before tearing someone down?

Have we already gone too far — or have we not yet gone far enough?

 

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DJ

DJ is the creator and editor of OK WASSUP! He is also a Guest Writer/Blogger, Professional and Motivational Speaker, Producer, Music Consultant, and Media Contributor. New York, New York USA

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Truthiz1

This is a bit of a “touchy” one for me but I am grateful to DJ for initiating a discussion about it because it IS a very serious discussion worth having. Let me start by first saying this. Over the years I’ve had to “fight the good fight” at times resisting the urge to Hate the male predator who robbed me of my *innocence* – and so much more- when I was a young child. Thankfully the stress and strain of it all never took me under. But still, I am painfully aware that what he took from me can NEVER be replaced. As a “survivor” of sexual assault I know first-hand the incalculable challenges one can face on any given day, at any given time, for the rest of one’s life. I understand why many survivors keep that HORRIFIC ordeal a secret FOR Years before revealing the truth –… Read more »

Truthiz1

RE; the women coming forward and calling our men..quite Powerful men…in high positions, in Hollywood, the news media and politicians. The likes of Roy Moore, Harvey Weinstein, Kevin Spacey, Charlie Rose, Bill Cosby and others of such disgusting ilk

I believe most (not all but MOST) of the women. Those men are hardcore sexual predators who have committed various kinds of sexual assault against (mostly) adolescent and young adult, females AND males.

Re; The likes of Al Franken, John Conyers and that disgusting ilk

Not gonna minimize their reprehensible actions. They may not have gone as far as Moore, Weinstein and that sick-azz bunch. But their actions are just as inexcusable. And if they’re forced to resign? So be it.

Mr.BD

My friend Truth I am real sorry about your circumstance when you were a child. Rape is a nasty crime that must be dealt with and whoever does that to a child needs to rot in hell. But some of this going on now is not the same thing as that. As for as I know John Conyers did not rape anybody. He is also the only one who is denying everything. So this is a good point because at the end of the day he might be proved guilty and then he will have to face the consequence. But like DJ was saying he should be innocent until all the facts are known. It does look like right now as soon as somebody says something happen to them we jump on that right away and never look at the whole picture. To me that is wrong. I once had… Read more »

Truthiz1

My good friend BD, please note, in my previous comment I didn’t place Franken or Conyers in the same category with Moore and Weinstein. I simply expressed that I find their actions to be inexcusable too. Franken taking that pic was bad enough. But shoving his tongue down her throat during a rehearsal..?! I actually consider that a lesser form of sexual assault. Not “rape”. But not just “misconduct” either. He has apologized for having behaved inappropriately, at least, towards that woman. As per reports, Conyers did confirm that a (TAX-PAYER funded) settlement of $27,000. 00 was indeed paid to one of his former female staffers, 2 yrs ago, after she accused him of “sexual harassment.” Conyers denies any wrongdoing but he went along with the settlement “in exchange for a Confidentiality agreement” nonetheless. H/T: CNN, NPR, MSNBC et al All of that said. I actually AGREE with you and… Read more »

Truthiz1

Re: the American new media, especially 24/7 cable news The modis operandi of American 24/7 cable news is to automatically race towards “Overkill” of any given story and worry about potential negative outcomes later. So what if a story is Sensationalized to the 10th degree? So what if turns out to be NOT quite credible? So what if lines are blurred all over the place, conflating one issue with another issue? So what if ACTUAL SEXUAL ASSAULT claims and lesser claims of sexual “MISCONDUCT” are presented as being the same and treated with the same degree of seriousness?…..OR the lack of any seriousness at all? It’s business. That’s all. The cynical and craven pursuit of rating$, d*mn the consequences. As a nation WE are paying the price for such 24/7 cable news madness today (SEE Trump’s rise to the presidency). My biggest Fear – American 24/7 cable news penchant for… Read more »

bob

al franken was a comedian which is why he took a pic of him pretending to grab breasts. that was only a joke. maybe it was a bad joke but that shouldn’t make him a sexual predator. harvey weinstein was a predator yes but some of these other guys are getting a bad rap.

Random White Guy

Donald Trump is the biggest sex freak of them all. If the country can let that asshole in the White House they need to shut the hell up about anybody else.

Truthiz1

I’d also like to mention the “Slippery Slope” theory as it relates to the issue of “sexual misconduct.” Slippery slope: “an idea OR COURSE OF ACTION which {could} lead to something unacceptable, wrong, or disastrous.” Note: I’m NOT suggesting at all that Franken or Conyers would have eventually committed serious acts of inappropriate sexual behavior towards women. I’m simply mindful of this Truth. In many, if not most, cases of actual “sexual assault,” its beginning was “just” an inappropriate touch here and there. Then over time, it gradually progressed to a tragic end. I remember this idiom – “If you give them an inch, they’ll take a yard.” Tolerating (or ignoring) “minor” acts of sexual misconduct can often lead to eventually having to deal with more serious kinds of sexual offenses. As a society, WE MUST do better in nipping “sexual misconduct” in the butt whenever, and wherever, it rears… Read more »

Truthiz1

Wed. Morning, Nov. 29, 2017

Breaking: “Matt Lauer Terminated From ‘Today’ Show”

Matt Lauer has been terminated from the “Today” show after a colleague reported sexual misconduct in the workplace, his former co-host Savannah Guthrie announced Wednesday as the show opened.

Guthrie said she learned about shortly before the show opened, and added that she was heartbroken for her “dear, dear friend” Lauer, as well as the woman whose allegations NBC News found credible.

Lauer was co-anchor of the show for nearly 21 years, since his debut in the role Jan. 6, 1997. […]

NBC News

Truthiz1

More on Matt Lauer

Longtime ‘Today’ host Matt Lauer fired from NBC for ‘inappropriate sexual behavior’

“While it is the first complaint about his behavior in the over twenty years he’s been at NBC News, we were also presented with reason to believe this may NOT have been an isolated incident,” NBC News chief Andy Lack said Wednesday in a memo sent to employees shortly before the 7 a.m. broadcast.

Lauer’s firing was also reported Wednesday morning by “Today” show anchor Savannah Guthrie, who told viewers they were “devastated” by the news and promised to provide more details when they were available. ‘We will be covering this story as reporters, as journalists,” she said. – [….] – Politico

Also, Joe Scarborough reported this morning that he’s been informed that “giants within the tech sector” are among the next individuals who’ll be called out.

Mr.BD

This whole Matt Laur thing has me shook. I have to process this and make a comment later.

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