George Takei accused of sexual assault.

[ihno]

Rubbish. Only about 35% of states had such laws by 2000, which is far from "most" even though it was too many.

Oh, only 35%. What a great and enlightened country. Yes, the USA are a "beacon of light" in questions of human and civil rights. I'm sure the mugshots of the victims of that legislation in those very very few tiny 35% are still online somewhere, if the victims haven't paid several hundred dollars to have them removed.

And, even if I did, who gets to decide what's significant?

Yes, that's really a difficult thing to decide. I would say if historians start to deal with the time in question (like the 1980s), it's not so important for the present any more.

I agree that sexual harrassment it widespread und superserious. So I suggest to concentrate on the present because you might even have police arresting someone. I suggest to concentrate on cases of rape, not of someone pulling down someone's pants 38 years ago. I suggest not to make a public clickbait fest with jokes out of it.

The american public could have known for decades but they chose to ignore it. If the american public or law enforcement missed the point, then it's too late in many petty cases for "justice". Can't have both. Corey Haim and Corey Feldman have published much about the their abuse a long time ago (and they talked about rape not "bizzare incidents"). Haim is dead for almost ten years. But with the same bigotry everything was ignored, now "harsh consequences" are demanded as quickly as possible - after 40 years. And nobody really bothers to check what's correct or not.

 

[Jayson1]

Isn't one of the issue's less about who is right but that with the way the internet and modern culture works that a person's life can be ruined by just being accused of a crime, even if they are found innocent or you have a lack of evidence to know one way or another. People are going to base their opinions on how they feel, as opposed to what the facts or evidence has to say. The upside of the internet is that it most likely helped bring down people were it seems clear that the person is guilty like Weinstein and Spacey, though we should note they still haven't been found guilty in court, but it also can be used to bring down anyone even if they might be innocent since people seem to put less importance on facts than they do with their feelings. Isn't it time for society to debate how we want the internet to impact our culture? This goes beyond just these sex scandals but to things like Russia using it to hack the elections and the old issue of online sex predators which might have been the first internet issue to rise up after the internet became part of everyday life.


Jason

 

[marsh8472]

Being accused of a crime is the first step toward being convicted of a crime. With that in mind the public tends to see accused people as less ethical than the non-accused even though it could happen to anyone.

 

[Khan 2.0]

just curious but where exactly did the takei 'oh myyy' thing originate? the only 'oh my' moment in Trek to my knowledge is Kirks final words (was the takei 'oh my' a thing before then? was shatner stealing takei's catchphrase or did takei steal it from shat?)

 

[Kor]

In his denial to the recent accusation, Takei stated flat-out, "non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices." So it seems that he will need to publicly address the Stern interview stuff at some point.

just curious but where exactly did the takei 'oh myyy' thing originate? the only 'oh my' moment in Trek to my knowledge is Kirks final words (was the takei 'oh my' a thing before then? was shatner stealing takei's catchphrase or did takei steal it from shat?)

He explained it to Time Magazine in this interview:

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

And here's an example from 3rd Rock From the Sun.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

Kor

 

[T'Bonz]

I don't know. Jeez. There are too many cases (especially in college) where one party gets the other drunk (or takes advantage of drunkenness) to have sex.

Sex really needs to be agreed upon when *both* people are sober. I suppose if both are drunk that might be different, but if one person is basically not him/herself, DON'T FUCK HIM/HER!

 

[Cake]

This article has a lot of details.

http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/11/entertainment/george-takei-sexual-misconduct-allegation/index.html

Takei has said that he doesn't remember Brunton. Brunton on the other hand said that he and his former boyfriend hung out with Takei occasionally. Then he broke up with the boyfriend and went to dinner and a theater with Takei and then the sexual assault happened. They met once more in 1994 when Brunton went to a book signing from Takei. He wanted to confront him, but there were too many people around so he didn't. Takei remembered him though and slipped him his address. So I think it should at least be possible to proof, if they have really known each other. Takei was famous enough back then. Other people should remember seeing him with Brunton, especially the exboyfriend. There might be even photos.

To view this content we will need your consent to set third party cookies.
For more detailed information, see our cookies page.

Accept third party cookies

And here Takei sounds creepy as hell, which substantiates Brunton's story for me. I mean the questions were more than clear. "Did you ever grab anyone by the cock against their will?" And when there was no instant negation and a long pause there was another question. "Have you sexual harassed anyone?"

And then Takei started with his nonsense explanation about when someone is "skittish" or "afraid" he was only trying to persuade that person and this is all fine because he didn't hold a job over them or had in any other way power over them and it all happened at his home. When someone is skittish or afraid they don't send out clear signals that they want to have sex. They might just be nervous or shy like Takei simply presumed, but it could also be they feel uncomfortable with the whole situation and really don't want more. A normal decent person definitely wouldn't then try to "persuade" that person with grabbing that person's genitals. They would just talk to that person, make them feel comfortable, maybe then try some gentle touches to hands, arms, head, legs, etc. By then it should be clear, if the person is willing to do more. If the person still seems skittish and afraid, it is time to stop even if that person came with you to your home. If the person is relaxed by then I would still go for a kiss first instead of grabbing that person's genitals at once. I think something like this is only acceptable if the consent is more than clear and when people are afraid that isn't the case.

Personally I expect other people to come forward now. Brunton said Takei drugged him which reminds me of Cosby. People like that don't use drugs only once. And in the video Takei was not just speaking about a single person he "persuaded". I think there were more.

By the way blaming Russia for the attention this scandal is getting is more than pathetic and appears like someone wanting to shift the blame.

http://uproxx.com/news/george-takei-russia-bots-sexual-assault-allegations/3/

 

[Jayson1]

I don't know. Jeez. There are too many cases (especially in college) where one party gets the other drunk (or takes advantage of drunkenness) to have sex.

Sex really needs to be agreed upon when *both* people are sober. I suppose if both are drunk that might be different, but if one person is basically not him/herself, DON'T FUCK HIM/HER!

I have a question in regards to the drunk issue. Do people when they drink know when they are drunk? At what point does someone go from just having a beer to being flat out drunk? I mean with my brother and law I can tell when he is really really drunk but I am terrible at spoting that moment in which he goes from just being a little buzzed which I think is the term people us to being drunk to a point where it's clear to anyone.

It might be my lack of experience but I have a hard time noticing this stuff. Same with drugs. I don't know if I could tell the difference between someone being high on weed or drunk on alchol. Only people in my family that does this is my brother in law to one sister and he doesn't do drugs at least not anymore and then I have another sister and another brother and law and they both drink and do drugs but then again we hardly see them. They are the ones were he has hit her several times and we have called the police and she won't leave him so it's kind of mess in so many ways.

Jason

 

[Maphisto86]

Ugh, the thought George would pull the "Russia is involved" card makes me doubt him all the more. It really hurts me to type that but we cannot ignore it.

 

[marsh8472]

Ugh, the thought George would pull the "Russia is involved" card makes me doubt him all the more. It really hurts me to type that but we cannot ignore it.

I read that too. That Russia is helping to spread the news on social media. This happened while Takei was critical of Trump.

 

[Maphisto86]

I read that too. That Russia is helping to spread the news on social media. This happened while Takei was critical of Trump.

I do not doubt that pro-Trump people are lapping this up considering Takei's politics, but I just wished George would confront this directly or not at all rather than trying to deflect like this. Even if what Scott Brunton has accused Takei of is true, I would have a modicum of respect for Takei if he owned up to it. Instead, we get this strange deflection.

 

[marsh8472]

I do not doubt that pro-Trump people are lapping this up considering Takei's politics, but I just wished George would confront this directly or not at all rather than trying to deflect like this. Even if what Scott Brunton has accused Takei of is true, I would have a modicum of respect for Takei if he owned up to it. Instead, we get this strange deflection.

Yea just say "I didn't know my behavior hurt him while we were together. I apologize for any harm I may have caused bla bla bla whatever Ben Affleck said"

 

[Kor]

I do not doubt that pro-Trump people are lapping this up considering Takei's politics, but I just wished George would confront this directly or not at all rather than trying to deflect like this. Even if what Scott Brunton has accused Takei of is true, I would have a modicum of respect for Takei if he owned up to it. Instead, we get this strange deflection.

He already directly confronted Brunton's allegations a couple days ago on Twitter. Takei said that it "simply did not occur." I'm not sure how it would be possible to make a more direct statement than that.

As quoted earlier in this thread by cultcross:

George has responded:

Friends,

I'm writing to respond to the accusations made by Scott R. Brunton. I want to assure you all that I am as shocked and bewildered at these claims as you must feel reading them.

The events he describes back in the 1980s simply did not occur, and I do not know why he has claimed them now. I have wracked my brain to ask if I remember Mr. Brunton, and I cannot say I do. But I do take these claims very seriously, and I wanted to provide my response thoughtfully and not out of the moment.

Right now it is a he said / he said situation, over alleged events nearly 40 years ago. But those that know me understand that non-consensual acts are so antithetical to my values and my practices, the very idea that someone would accuse me of this is quite personally painful.

Brad, who is 100 percent beside me on this, as my life partner of more than 30 years and now my husband, stands fully by my side. I cannot tell you how vital it has been to have his unwavering support and love in these difficult times.

Thanks to many of you for all the kind words and trust. It means so much to us.

Yours in gratitude,

George

Kor

 

[Maphisto86]

He already directly confronted Brunton's allegations a couple days ago on Twitter. Takei said that it "simply did not occur." I'm not sure how it would be possible to make a more direct statement than that.

You are right that he did say as much. I do sincerely hope that is the case but I have my doubts right now. We may never get real closure to this whole thing.

 

[Timewalker]

You are right that he did say as much. I do sincerely hope that is the case but I have my doubts right now. We may never get real closure to this whole thing.

WE may never get "closure"?

Unless you are the guy accusing him, how has this actually harmed you, or any of us? Your good opinion of Takei may be taking a nosedive, but it's hardly anything we need "closure" on.

It's not going to affect my life, if the accusation is true. I'll have to re-examine my opinions of Takei, and figure out how much to separate his personal life from his professional body of work. After all, I still enjoy Hamlet even knowing what kind of world-class jerk Mel Gibson is, or some favorite SF stories even knowing that the author's personal life isn't squeaky-clean.

I sincerely hope Takei is being truthful. I despise liars and hypocrites.

 

[Maphisto86]

WE may never get "closure"?

Unless you are the guy accusing him, how has this actually harmed you, or any of us? Your good opinion of Takei may be taking a nosedive, but it's hardly anything we need "closure" on.

It's not going to affect my life, if the accusation is true. I'll have to re-examine my opinions of Takei, and figure out how much to separate his personal life from his professional body of work. After all, I still enjoy Hamlet even knowing what kind of world-class jerk Mel Gibson is, or some favorite SF stories even knowing that the author's personal life isn't squeaky-clean.

I sincerely hope Takei is being truthful. I despise liars and hypocrites.

You are absolutely right, I apologize for the poor choice of wording. It is ultimately those directly affected who will have the hardest time with this.

 

[T'Bonz]

via Imgflip Meme Generator

 

[marsh8472]

If he has a long history of drugging people and taking advantage of them like Cosby that would be pretty low. But if all he did was grab some guy's nut sack sometime before I was born, I don't really care.

 

[Maurice]

What does your hatch date have to do with anything?

 

[marsh8472]

What does your hatch date have to do with anything?

I care more about things that happened in my lifetime