Posted on 01/02/2012 7:22:04 AM PST by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Texas Representative Ron Paul today stood by statements he made in his 1987 book arguing that someone who is a victim of sexual harassment in the workplace should bear some responsibility for resolving the problem and that society should not bear the burden of paying for the care of AIDS victims.
In his 1987 book “Freedom Under Siege: The US Constitution after 200-Plus Years,” Paul wrote about sexual harassment in the workplace, “Why don’t they quit once the so-called harassment starts? Obviously the morals of the harasser cannot be defended, but how can the harassee escape some responsibility for the problem?’’
In another passage, Paul wrote, “The individual suffering from AIDS certainly is a victim - frequently a victim of his own lifestyle - but this same individual victimizes innocent citizens by forcing them to pay for his care.”
On Fox News Sunday this morning, host Chris Wallace asked Paul, now a top contender in the Republican presidential race, whether he still agreed with those statements.
On the sexual harassment issue, Paul distinguished between verbal and physical harassment but said neither one warranted a federal law to prevent it.
“If it’s just because somebody told a joke to somebody who was offended, they don’t have a right to go to the federal government and have a policeman come in and put penalties on those individuals,” Paul said of verbal harassment. “They have to say maybe this is not a very good environment. They have the right to work there or not work there.”
Paul continued: “Because people are insulted by rude behavior, I don’t think we should make a federal case about it. I don’t think we need federal laws to deal with that. People should deal with that at home.”
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
You know what? It’s true. What happened to women slapping a cad across the face and saying “fresh”! Instead they act like shrinking violets. I used to coach these dumb girls in the military: “Tell them to drop dead and turn on your heel and leave.” “Tell them they are a geek.” “Point at them and laugh hysterically” Most of these easy tactics got the idiots away.
Sergeants would come up to me and say stupid stuff like “Ma’am, I probably shouldn’t say this but” and I would cut them off with “then don’t”. I would walk away and close the door. Women have to have more spunk.
The point of Paul’s stupid comments on sex harrassment have to do with him telling women to quit their jobs if they don’t like being verbally or physically harrassed. As someone who had to quit jobs during the wild and crazy 70s (the peak of the sexual revolution) I can tell you it’s not so easy to get another job - especially when you have to pay your rent and put food on the table. And if you think in the private sector you can slap or hit your boss and everything will be happily resolved, then you are living in cloud cuckoo-land.
Paul also shows his appalling ignorance when he suggests that policemen are hauled in when some dope in the workplace makes a suggestive remark. In all my work years I’ve never seen anything like that. Most women deal very well with stupid remarks. But they don’t like being harrassed or touched by another employee.
Seems like common sense to me ... so if that’s the case it MUST be wrong. ;)
so don’t slap them, point at them and laugh
ask them “don’t you have a wife at home?” “What’s her phone number.” They will get it.
Coming from a doctor, this just confirms my misgivings on Paul, the loon!
It's the harrasser, not the harrassee, who should be looking for another job.
This will not be received well by women.
Any woman who would let that freak put a hand on her new-born baby belongs in Bedlam!!
Why do the creepiest - and I mean creepiest - doctors (Howard Dean, anyone?) - get into politics??
the law is so vague that ANYTHING can be construed as sexual harassment... the following is not sexual harassment, but is considered so under the law:
brushing up against someone in a crowed hallway while trying to get by....
overhearing an off colored joke ( why are you eavesdropping?)...
taking a look at something that has been put on display.....
asking someone out on a date ( only once is allowed )..
positive comments on the way a woman looks ( my, you look nice today )...
all of the above can land you a lawsuit and/or lose your job...sexual harassment claims are 90% bogus, or filed by incompetent workers looking for a paycheck..( I know, because I had to defend myself against a pregnant woman who filed a complaint against me, only to have the investigation prove she was a bald faced damn liar, and she got to keep her job!!!!)
You are not dealing with reality, sorry. You think someone who locks the door of his office while you are putting mail on his desk (as happened to me) will be put off by: Don’t you have a wife at home? Some harrassers are outright criminals. (Bill Clinton, anyone?)
common sense to suggest women being harassed should quit their job?
Ron Paul is a whack job.
I think you missed his point.
He's against the Federal Gov't making laws restricting freedoms. He says that if is physical harrassment, then call the cops as there are already laws on the books to cover assaults. If you work in an enviornment where there is (in your opinion) offensive verbal dialogue, then bring it up with management and/or go work where you feel more comfortable. It is a free (somewhat) country and you have the right to stay or go - but don't create a law everytime someone is offended.
I am dealing with reality. I lived it baby. I was in the military when there were just 10% females. A little attitude and gutsiness works wonders.
I have some agreement with this position, but I can tell you from experience, that the way it was until pretty recently was that after the woman slapped the cad, she would have been escorted to the door and handed a box of her personal belongings on the way out. You had to be very careful to walk that line between being groped and being fired for “insubordination.” It just wasn’t that easy. Unlike things in RP’s little world.
Now - no problem. A guy looks at you wrong and you can file a complaint.
I’ve been on the other side of the coin, too. I had to defend a friend of mine who got accused of sex harrassment by a temporary worker. He was a fun and flirtatous guy but no creep. That said, awful things do happen to women on the job and there must be laws against it.
Good jobs don't grow on trees. One shouldn't have to quit a job due to harassment. By that logic, women shouldn't be out in public after dark, or wear attractive clothing because it could attract rapists. As for slapping a co-worker, that's a good way to get not just fired but charged with assault.
My favorite response to unwelcome attention is to whip out one's favorite device and ask, "Do you mind if I record this conversation? Oops, I accidentally activated it already...I hate when that happens!" After a while most people will know that you carry something to record every sound, and have lots of accidental activations.
In the immortal words of Kenneth Mars in “The Producers”: don’t call me baby.
His point was if the victim doesn’t like being assaulted they should quit. He’s a whack job.
LOL!
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