Muddying the Waters?

[barking_iguana]

You heard it here first. Perhaps the latest allegation against Cain is true and what I'm about to say is unfortunate, but I think this hunch is worth recording. It looks entirely possible to me from what I've heard so far, that unlike what looks likely in the others, this one is totally bogus, arranged for by forces that are supporting Cain for the purpose of discrediting the whole business.

Comments

[gwendally.livejournal.com]

Did you read that story today saying that 48% of school children in grades 7 to 12 reported experiencing "sexual harassment"?

Any thoughts?

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

I suspect the large majority of those who say they have, have. Boys (and aggressive girls) are told by authority figures that they shouldn't be approaching anyone for sex at all and told by peers to be assholes. There is not nearly enough mentoring in how to approach someone without being an asshole and that when told by someone they don't want to be bothered by you, that doesn't just mean until the next time you're in the same building.

I also think some of the worst offenders are not looking for sex at all, but for status among losers by proving they can intimidate and;/or humiliate.

[gwendally.livejournal.com]

There is not nearly enough mentoring in how to approach someone without being an asshole and that when told by someone they don't want to be bothered by you, that doesn't just mean until the next time you're in the same building.

This is made even MORE confusing because sometimes the object of your affection actually DOES want you to ask again. Being told "hey, I like you" makes me start thinking about whether I like them, too.

Women don't own their own sexuality any more than men have a good grasp on theirs.

The IMPORTANT thing here isn't not to hit on anyone, it's not to be an ASSHOLE about it. Don't slut shame people. Don't get revenge on the people who broke it off with you. Don't be mean.

I've taught my boys to NEVER BE MEAN to someone whose only crime is liking them at some point.

Which mud is that?

[(Anonymous)]

What is the "latest" allegation to which you are referring? If you want props in the internet archives, you gotta be more specific. :)

Re: Which mud is that?

[barking-iguana.livejournal.com]

The woman with the disliked celebrity lawyer who made plausible but cliched allegations that went well beyond anything we'd heard before and so may not fit Cain's pattern. If she's telling the truth, Cain may have crossed the border from harassment to even more serious criminal behavior. When telling her story, the woman sounded like she was reciting words, rather than recalling an episode from her life. There are psychological reasons that could be true even if she's telling the truth, but the whole presentation, both by her and others of her sets my con job alert on high, like not only is she lying, but doing so in a way to intentionally make fools of anyone who publicly believes her.

Of course, that could be dead wrong and she could be someone with a very legitimate complaint who suffered actual harm.

[cinema-babe.livejournal.com]

This sounds completely plausible to me. I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who has thoughts of a conspiracy theory about this.