Respectful Politics Thread (Let's Just See)

D'Snowth

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Now onto something more serious, and @Censored can totally point out all the areas where I'm wrong since I'm about to talk about kids, and I'm not an expert like he is. . . .

I've mentioned before how disheartening I find it that the MeToo Movement has turned the simple gesture of hugging into a form of sexual harassment, but I think it's downright sad that we've reached a point where we're indoctronating kids into believing this.

I mean, hugging is being thrown into the same category as "consent," which I think it just downright horrible - that makes it sound like hugging is a form of molestation, when in fact, hugging should be just a simple gesture of showing somebody you care about them, and isn't this what children need during their informative years? Care? Nurturing? Unconditional love? This feels like just the opposite, like we're conditioning them on all of that. We're already living in a time where we want them to grow up faster than they should, almost robbing them of childhood, but this feels like we're presently raising a generation of cold and bitter cynics (says the guy who's been known to be cynical himself).

I can understand if hugging makes some people uncomfortable because of certain personal issues, like social anxieties, or body boundaries, and the like, but I still feel like it's wrong to teach children that what should be a non-sexual gesture of showing somebody you care about them is a form of molestation and sexual harassment that should never be exchanged.
 

Censored

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So last night, I had my first ever dream about Trump . . . and it pretty much went as to be expected.

In the dream, he's holding a press conference that's open to the public, and among those in attendance is a military veteran. The veteran then proceeds to question Trump on why he hasn't done anything to ensure their needs and benefits are met when they return to civilian life, to which Trump gets offended and has the veteran kicked out of the conference for being ungrateful and disrespectful. Then, just to garner sympathy for himself, Trump rams himself into the wall behind him, falling to the floor and wailing over his totally non-self-induced injuries.
That’s very believable. Perpetual bully/perpetual victim.
 

MWoO

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There is a difference between an unwanted hug that is indicative of a sexual advance and a friendly hug. The problem is we impose rules that try to prevent abuse rather than punish it. Teachers cant hug a crying student because schools have policies against it to prevent abuse. Problem is that an abuser doesn't care about the policy and will go much further than a hug.

Humanity is slowly being taken out of society. People are embracing their issues instead of over coming them. Its become popular for people to say they are depressed or OCD or have anxiety. People want to claim victimhood. This includes the current metoo movement.

Metoo started as a great thing, exposing those who have abused their power and been protected. The message was listen when women report abuse. Then it became believe women who report abuse. Now its believe all women who claim abuse regardless of what can be proven. The social definition of rape was expanded to include regretful sex. If a man and woman are both drunk, the man can still be accused of rape because a woman can not consent when drink. Expressed verbal consent has to be given at every stage of engagement. It went way too far the other way.

In my relationships i was not usually the one to make the first move. My last girl friend surprised me with our first kiss by putting on cherry chapstick and asking if i wanted to taste it. By today's definition, she sexually assualted me because i did not give expressed consent.
 

fuzzygobo

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Now onto something more serious, and @Censored can totally point out all the areas where I'm wrong since I'm about to talk about kids, and I'm not an expert like he is. . . .

I've mentioned before how disheartening I find it that the MeToo Movement has turned the simple gesture of hugging into a form of sexual harassment, but I think it's downright sad that we've reached a point where we're indoctronating kids into believing this.

I mean, hugging is being thrown into the same category as "consent," which I think it just downright horrible - that makes it sound like hugging is a form of molestation, when in fact, hugging should be just a simple gesture of showing somebody you care about them, and isn't this what children need during their informative years? Care? Nurturing? Unconditional love? This feels like just the opposite, like we're conditioning them on all of that. We're already living in a time where we want them to grow up faster than they should, almost robbing them of childhood, but this feels like we're presently raising a generation of cold and bitter cynics (says the guy who's been known to be cynical himself).

I can understand if hugging makes some people uncomfortable because of certain personal issues, like social anxieties, or body boundaries, and the like, but I still feel like it's wrong to teach children that what should be a non-sexual gesture of showing somebody you care about them is a form of molestation and sexual harassment that should never be exchanged.
I couldn't agree more. I can understand where some people have misgivings over giving or receiving hugs (too touchy-feeley for some). But it is a shame that a basic human need can't be satisfied. Everybody whether they admit or not, wants to be loved. Everybody needs comfort at some point. Empathy, compassion. A hug seems like a simple way to achieve all that, but has turned into a liability.

And not just for children. A hug is something you'll never outgrow. And it doesn't cost a penny. All it takes is two open arms, and an open heart.
 

D'Snowth

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Agreed. I'm a hugger. People like to hug me, so I just let them. What's the harm? I've never been in a situation where somebody asks me for a hug and I felt like they were a perv and wanting something more than that, and of course, when I'm hugging people, I'm not thinking it's anything more than that. I don't know what it is, but again, people just like to hug me.

I just feel particularly disheartened and disenchanted that we've reached a point where parenting guides and resources are now urging parents to not hug their kids (unless the kids come to them for a hug first), and teaching their kids not to hug relatives because relatives who expect hugs are violating their consent.

I'm all for teaching children what they need to know about inappropriate touching and physical contact, but I don't believe that hugging should be lumped into that. What's next? Will holding hands be considered sexual harassment, "because the person holding your hand will try to lure you into sex"? What about fist-bumping? Will that become a form of sexual harassment too? "People who want fist-bumps are into sadomasochism, they wanna see how much you can hurt them for their own pleasure." Please.
 

Censored

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Everyone is not a hugger. People have different boundaries that need to be respected.
 
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