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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWhat's with Bishop Charles Ellis groping Ariana during the funeral service?
Last edited Sat Sep 1, 2018, 11:14 PM - Edit history (6)
No, this isn't a hug, and it isn't an accident. He repeatedly sneaks his fingers along the side and gropes her breast.
On TV. At a funeral. In front of millions.
ON UPDATE: Would he have stood there and "hugged" a male singer ? If not, why not? Why is it okay to grab any person he doesn't know and hold her this way? Why do some men think it's okay to grab women they don't know? (He grabbed her first -- she put her hand on his back in response. If you're being "hugged" like this and leave your closer arm straight, it gets trapped between your two bodies. It feels more comfortable to put your arm on the other person's back.)
Link to tweet
Link to tweet
Link to tweet
?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1035730052607037440%7Ctwgr%5E373939313b636f6e74726f6c&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpost.com%2Fnews%2Farts-and-entertainment%2Fwp%2F2018%2F09%2F01%2Fpastor-apologizes-to-ariana-grande-for-grazing-her-breast-at-aretha-franklins-funeral%2F
nolabear
(42,001 posts)He was officiating a funeral in front of millions. No sane person would cop a feel at that time. He also apologized for the Taco Bell crack, and I accept that too. If we try to destroy everyone who makes a mistake we cannot teach anyone.
pnwmom
(109,020 posts)How could he say he did it unintentionally, over and over? It wasn't just a stray "brush" of his hand on her breast. His fingers were squeezing her.
nolabear
(42,001 posts)She certainly didnt seem to feel groped.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,474 posts)WTF? Did you see her face?
pnwmom
(109,020 posts)To me, it looked like she was leaning away from him, and he responded by pulling her closer.
nolabear
(42,001 posts)I dont know either of them and I absolutely respect that there are often problems. But I cannot imagine that man is fool enough to deliberately gripe a young woman at a religious service while on camera in front of millions of people. He apologized and I accept it until I hear hes got a history of such things.
We just disagree on this one.
Afromania
(2,771 posts)True Dough
(17,352 posts)certainly gave me the feeling that she was trying to communicate that she was uncomfortable.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,474 posts)joshcryer
(62,279 posts)TheBlackAdder
(28,237 posts)pnwmom
(109,020 posts)or her back. And he would have jerked his hand away and not done it again.
He's not stupid and neither am I.
Watchfoxheadexplodes
(3,496 posts)Eww
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,474 posts)pnwmom
(109,020 posts)WhiskeyGrinder
(22,474 posts)MineralMan
(146,340 posts)environment within her church. She got pregnant and gave birth to her first child at age 12. From all accounts, she was surrounded by people who celebrated their sexuality as much as they worshiped.
That's according to a biography of her life. I don't know, personally.
WhiskeyGrinder
(22,474 posts)MineralMan
(146,340 posts)Euphemistically sarcastic. No 12 year old girl should be giving birth to a child. So, yes, someone got a child pregnant. The official story is that it was a 14 year old boy, but that is questioned by some. I have no idea.
CTyankee
(63,914 posts)Does anyone here know?
Quixote1818
(29,002 posts)It's possible he intended to do it but with all the cameras pointed right at the two of them I seriously doubt he realized how that appeared.
He obviously didn't realize how it appeared... on the other hand I'm pretty sure he realized how it felt.
pnwmom
(109,020 posts)They aren't always "behind" the breast. They're creeping along the side of her breast.
He might have not realized how it appeared -- or how it would have felt to her. But he knew he wasn't just feeling her ribs.
Quixote1818
(29,002 posts)this type of thing on a regular basis? I used to brush it off because I thought the editing made it look worse than it was but maybe I have been too easy on Joe? Your post is thought provoking.
eShirl
(18,506 posts)mshasta
(2,108 posts)She was trying to pull back and at same time stay there and take it. Sick
sarisataka
(18,855 posts)What would have been 'appropriately groping Ariana Grande at Aretha Franklins funeral '?
On the other hand, did you see how she was dressed??
joshcryer
(62,279 posts)The boys would be like "wtf" when the pastors would touch them way too comfortably, and they did it to the girls, too. Openly. Without regard. I think they were overly feely on the boys because it allowed them to pass it off as how they "were" with people. But you could tell the girls were not comfortable with it and they actively avoided the pastors.
Glad this guy is being called out on it and that people noticed.
Crutchez_CuiBono
(7,725 posts)Seems to me like as he talked he just kept re-hug/handling her as he shifted around. W respect, AG looks to be about 5 foot tall and the guy putting his arm around her it was inevitable that thats probably where his hand was going to land. She's tiny. Best thing to do...don't throw your hands/arms around people. that said, when we are broken to pieces a hug from people helps, and leaders in churches are called on to hug and hold people often. I know i have appreciated that in times of sorrow in the past. However it shakes out, the best thing is...don't get too friendly-handsy, ever.
John Fante
(3,479 posts)I won't go so far as to say he intentionally tried to grope her breast, but it was definitely inappropriate and he was right to apologize. Was he hugging and holding the men like this? I doubt it.
pnwmom
(109,020 posts)Tree-Hugger
(3,370 posts)Did you see the dress she was wearing? He couldn't help it. You know women should not bare legs, shoulders, or cleavage in church. Otherwise, it'll cause our brothers in Christ to fall from grace. She should have dressed more elegant and classy. Pearls were positively clutched over that dress yesterday on Freeperville....oh, actually it was right here on DU. When you dress a certain way, things happen......
Based on posts I saw here yesterday, I clearly need to add
ETA: I have had this happen to me on more than one occasion (including by an extremely religious Christian guy who loves to talk about how women should be modest). Maybe my past experience clouds this....or maybe it clarifies it.....but this seems quite intentional to me.
FreeState
(10,585 posts)No person should have to put up with this. Grown men know better than touching womens breast period.
jalan48
(13,905 posts)Iggo
(47,580 posts)Yeah that was some patriarchal bullshit right there.
tblue37
(65,502 posts)his hand ended up too high.
Heh. I can't believe I wasted my 29,000th post on this.
pnwmom
(109,020 posts)as he claimed. If he meant to hug her waist, he should have realized right away he wasn't gripping her waist. And when she leaned away from him, he should have let her go.
Quixote1818
(29,002 posts)If no one had pointed that out I doubt most people would have even noticed. However, I think the bigger point is that people and men in general need to keep their hands off of strangers period. She doesn't look comfortable. I think it's a valid point that he probably wasn't touching any men like that. I work in the school systems and we teach kids NOT to touch other kids unless they are given permission. I think society needs to start holding adults to the same standards we hold children to. That being said, I think it is inconclusive that he had bad intentions and he did apologize. If he is a good person who's hand was inadvertently ending up in a bad position because of his height, it would be a shame to make things too miserable for him. However, I hope this is a lesson for him that he should really just keep his hands to himself unless he really knows someone and knows they are 100% good with his touching them.
pnwmom
(109,020 posts)to grab an employee like this, right? Most of us have figured that out. So it's not okay for a minister to grab a singer at a funeral either.
Iggo
(47,580 posts)I had my eye on the counter for most of the final ten posts, then I lost my focus.
Thanks a lot, The Lounge.