When they converse with me their hands are on my arms, back and thighs. I don’t know what it is with them but, as a male, I’m not allowed to do that to them.

The only thing that irritates me is the fact that there is a double-standard. Other than that I like it. ha I really do.

Just read Hildegard’s responses–it is a non-event in Germany. They are friends.

Heather is also right on the point, again, as far as I am concerned. As so many people who bashed the situation and inferred THEIR feelings yet correctly pointed out, it is the recipient’s feelings of appropriateness (or not).

It is interesting how many people are so uptight and project those feelings onto another’s situation and KNOW what it must be.

I am also glad to know all of those times, bosses and coworkers, male and female have given me a “rubbie dubbie” that is was sexual harassment or them asserting their power over me. Funny, I thought the words of support and encouragement they generally also offered were legitimate, but I guess they just wanted to put me in my place. Guess I was too stupid to know it. I also wish that I could feel through their fingertips the condescending attitude one person wrote. WOW, that is being in touch.

I would hope all of these people that feel this assertion of power being put over them would just say something to the offender. It would be best to give them the benefit of the doubt (but I can tell from the tone of most of these people it wouldn’t happen) and say, I really would prefer that you don’t touch me. If the person decides to do it again, then you have a complaint.

BTW – as a boss, I asked what is acceptable and cannot be deemed sexual harassment and was told (by different HR people in different companies) that touching between the elbow and shoulder is deemed acceptable and NOT sexual harassment.

What gets me about these kind of issues are all the Bush-haters make a big deal out of it, yet will defend actions of democratics. I just wish that people would report things as voraciously from both sides.

As a man I’ve had women routinely touch me for decades. Do I mind? The only thing I mind is the double standard. If I had my mitts on women’s thighs, arms, and calves the way women have touched me it would be sexual harrassment. I’ve had co-workers call me ‘lover’ and suggest that we get married.

I guess as a dumb man I think these antics are sort of flattering. But I must admit my job secuity and promotions were never tied-into being bothered by women. Lest you get the impresson that I think sexual harrassment is OK, I don’t.

I’m a big guy….6’2″ and in good shape. I don’t have to put up with it if I don’t want to but I guess I’m trying to say that there is a double standard when it comes to sexual harrassment.

The women get by with it more than do the men.

Mr. P

What it looks like is that she was startled, but Bush would not have done this if he didn’t have a friendly relationship with this woman – and what this looks like is a friendly gesture. We all do these things with our friends and family. Why should Bush be hammered for being friendly and affectionate? We can no longer show our affections? Is that what Clinton has done for the role of president?

The real question is what is her reaction – who cares what everyone else thinks? People like to use this crap – and that’s exactly what this is – to back up their liberal viewpoints. It’s absurd. Find something important to post.

And – HELLO – give me a break with the photo of Bush’s fly. Like we didn’t all see the email where the guy photoshop’ed his fly as a joke. Try just a little harder next time.

Mr. Bush stayed in Germany for a week-long visit this month. They had a Barbecue together. Mr. Bush and Ms. Merkel are said to be friends.

And yes!

Ms. Merkel is married. Her husband is a university-professor he is not into politics. They have no kids. But she’s not “needy”.

And yes!
She is not a supermodel. Her style used ho be much worse though, befrore she was in international politics. i.e. before she could afford a stylist.

And yes!
Her politics is antisocial neo-conservative crap.

And yes!

If Ms. Merkel had been our Chancellor when your W-Chief startet that damn war against his daddys favorite enemy Saddam, our soldiers would be with yours in Iraq.
Fortunately she was not. The previous Chancellor was a dumbass, too but he knew that 1,000,000 people on a demonstration for peace might want to tell him something.
Did I mention, that German Constitution says thar the German Army is for defense and nothing but defense? Did I mention that Germans tend to be pissed if politicians try to ignore the fact?

And yes!

We’re definitely pissed about defending germany at the Hindukusch-Mountains in Afghanistan.

Hildegard

I’m a girl from Germany. I’d like to give some information on the reaction from Germanys Kanzlerin. (Kanzler is german for Chancellor, Kanzlerin is the female form)

Ms. Merkel has not made a comment about the incident. A German gouvernment spokesperson said, that ” The Kanzlerin will not comment on this. It is an American discussion anyway.”

In German press, the incident itself was not mentioned at all (except as a pagefiller for one or two gutter papers). But now, as american Blogs make a big deal of it, it gets in the news here, too. Mut it’s mostly considered irrelevant.

bye
Hildegard

p.S. For those of you, who were wondering what a Chancellor is:
Germany has a President who has no power at all. He is official head of state and has a “mere representation” job. This is currently a man named Horst Koehler. The Chancellor is the head of Gouvernment. Angela Merkel is the first woman ever on that job. It is the job with the biggest power in Germany. But she decides much less than Presidents do in most other states. There is a moderate portion of power left with judges and state ministers.

Why? Because Germany has made very bad experiences about a madman with too much power about 70 years ago. Nowadays we like to keep different domains of authority with separate jobs. Even Germans are able to learn from history.

More than anything the sequence shows how uptight Germans are.

LOL! Then how come this entire story is a non-issue in Germany?