Posted on 10/27/2017 2:15:04 PM PDT by Kaslin
The recent allegations against former President George H.W. Bush for "sexually assaulting" young women who stood next to him during photo shoots are obscene -- but not because of what the president did or did not do. Enough is enough. President Bush is 93 years old. He sits in a wheelchair, and anyone who witnessed his appearance last week when all the living former presidents gathered to help raise funds for hurricane victims can plainly see that he is much diminished, physically and mentally. Unlike former President Ronald Reagan, who publicly announced that he was suffering from Alzheimer's disease, neither Bush nor his family has talked much about his declining mental capacity -- but it is clearly there.
President Bush did not assault young women when his hand, which rests at a lower level because he cannot stand, touched their bottoms and he covered up his awkwardness with a bad joke about his favorite magician, "David Cop-a-Feel," as they allege. His behavior is perfectly consistent with what doctors who treat patients with dementia call sexually disinhibited behavior. The risk of developing Alzheimer's or other forms of dementia increases with age, doubling every five years after age 65. At age 80, 1 in 6 people will have developed the disease. By 85, it goes up to 1 in 3, and by 90, 85 percent of people lucky enough to still be alive are likely to have some dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Society.
Like many elderly men -- and women -- President Bush said and did something inappropriate not out of malice or with the intent to harm but because he now lacks the judgment to behave as he did all his life. And those who are using this incident to score political points or to turn themselves into victims akin to women who have been assaulted by individuals with all their mental faculties intact should show a little mercy.
saw this behavior firsthand with a relative who had Alzheimer's for at least 10 years before dying of the disease at 93. One of the first signs that something was wrong was inappropriate sexualized talk. At first, the comments were just out of character and inappropriate, but they grew to be very disturbing over time. As far as I know, nothing physical ever happened, but having spoken with those who work with the elderly in nursing homes, it happens every day, and both men and women engage in such behavior. It is one of the most embarrassing things about dementia for those whose family members suddenly start acting in ways they never would have if disease were not eating away at their brains.
According to a scholarly paper on the issue published in Current Treatment Options in Neurology, inappropriate sexual behavior "should be seen as a part of the symptom cluster of behavioral and psychiatric disturbances associated with dementia, which is disruptive and distressing, and impairs the care of the patient." It isn't something for which others should shame someone, much less criminalize. We should recognize when behavior is driven by disease -- in this case a devastating, fatal disease that strips individuals of everything that made them who they were.
It broke my heart to see President Bush onstage with his son and other former presidents. His eyes were vacant. He seemed not to know where he was or even why he was there. When the national anthem played, his hands stayed at his side and his eyes wandered. Does anyone think that President Bush would have sat there so confused if he were in control of his faculties?
The former president's office has issued an apology on his behalf to the women who have come forward, which is absolutely appropriate. And perhaps the family should say more about the former president's condition; President Reagan's candor did a great service for those families who have suffered through the experience of their loved ones' dementia. But to treat this incident as if it were akin to the stories about men who used their power and fame to demean women and solicit or force sex or sexual contact is disgraceful. It not only hurts an honorable man who served his country but also demeans the real victims of sexual assault.
I agree with Chavez. As both a chaplain and minister, I’ve visited any number of nursing homes and elderly. For whatever reason it is not uncommon for males of diminished mental capacity to say and do crude sexual things.
I don’t suggest it is right. I merely say that that diminished person is not the real them. Having known so many of them, I know that the real them of just a decade earlier would have been appalled at their diminished behavior and would have begged that they be remembered for how they really were.
HW is the man who was given the assignment of killing JFK. He later was forced onto the Reagan ticket as Vice President, you know, the Reagan who was shot one month into his first term. Connect the dots. The Bush family is evil.
Spokespeople for HW Bush have confirmed the former president sexually molested these women. We know he was aware that the behavior was sexual because he made a sexual joke about the assaults.
Funny, a year ago this month, his son Jeb! criticized GOP presidential candidate Donald Trump for merely making a joke about about CONSENSUAL sex. He did not assault anyone, but Jeb! piled on anyway.
So... when are Jeb! - and his brother “W” - going to DISAVOW their father the perv?!
George H W Bush is notorious for smacking women AND men on the butt, and making comments about it. It’s “his” thing. Now everyone says he was nice guy, but he does this often. I guess compared to Skull and Bones at Yale this is nothing.
Anyway, there is video of George H W Bush smacking actress Teri Hatcher on the butt. It begins at 1 minute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJZoai2HIeA
George H W Bush is notorious for smacking women AND men on the butt, and making comments about it. It’s “his” thing. Now everyone says he was nice guy, but he does this often. I guess compared to Skull and Bones at Yale this is nothing.
Anyway, there is video of George H W Bush smacking actress Teri Hatcher on the butt. It begins at 1 minute.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJZoai2HIeA
I feel very fortunate. My 96 year old mom lives with me and she is the same person now mentally that she has always been. I sure hope it’s in the genes.
With that said I don't care who grabbed who's ass, we darn near lost the freakin' country and we are righting the ship and they want to dance angels on the head of this pin?
The press needs an Enema, we still have too much heavy lifting to do be dealing with this trivia.
NOPE....
You see him do a little after 1 minute and then again at 1 minute 48 seconds and they repeat it 2 more times.
Nice try...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1myy2
GHW Bush patting Teri Hatcher’s ass was news back in 2007.
And he even joked about it at the :40 seconds.
You ARE very fortunate.
I like very old people, because I was raised by them. My father married late, and was old enough to be my grandfather; and his mother, who basically raised me, was born in 1890, and lived to be almost 95.
I spent years taking care of them as they died, and saw a lot of what happens when the brain starts to go. It’s difficult to deal with; but you remember all the good things about them while you are dealing with the difficulty, and that gives you strength and inspiration.
I would probably have love and compassion for a lot of the resentful people on these threads, too, if they lived to be ancient and did nutty things. (Nobody thinks it will happen to them; but some of the angry people on these threads are going to wind up as old, slobbering geezers themselves, doing things they’d regret if they only had their minds back enough to actually know what they were doing.)
The problem is - in my experience - a lot of people who persist in resentment, anger, hatred, don’t live to be ancient. They poison themselves with their negative emotions, get sick, die - and never even enjoy living long enough to get a compassionate pass on their silly, senile behavior.
Just a word to the wise...
Interesting this comes out pretty much after it is believed that Jebby had a part in the dossier......
I have no love for George H.W. Bush but what these young ladies are bringing up is so lame. They are the vile and stupid parties here. George H.W. Bush alleged dementia or semi dementia is nothing compared to what these stupid, publicity seeking women have done. Violtaed? This would be what Muzzies do to Yazidi women. Violates means less than nothing in today’s America beacuse any puerile woman can make a dumb claim.
Probably part of the “me too” movement. Smear some conservatives to create the liberal defense that conservatives do it too.
You are wrong. Liberals ignore facts. Conservatives rely on them.
An easy and simple thing to say. Doesn’t explain the excessive vitriol expended on this thread over something that is basically inconsequential.
You are wrong. Liberals ignore facts. Conservatives rely on them.
41 was RR biggest mistake. A roll of wet TP. Married to a man. A clan of moronic offspring. Why is anyone concerned?
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