Lawyer who asked to tickle kids acquitted

[RegisteredUser]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-ap-il-ticklemonster,0,4245112.story

Lawyer who asked to tickled kids acquitted

Associated Press

5:17 AM CDT, March 26, 2009

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. - A Madison County judge has ruled it was not illegal for a man to ask to tickle kids.

But I assure you it will be illegal for the father to hand a guy's ass to him for asking

Charles Douglas in September was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct after he approached parents at a Glen Carbon park and asked if he could tickle their kids.

At the time he was charged, the 58-year-old Douglas said he has done a "tickle monster" routine with children, and that it's simply a "joking thing."

A tickle monster "routine"? What, does he moonlight as a party clown? Was he wearing big clown shoes when he asked to tickle the kids?

Associate Judge Kyle Napp ruled Wednesday that Douglas did ask to tickle children, and his remarks were protected as free speech by the First Amendment.

Does this maybe fall under the "yelling fire in a crowded theater" category? Especially if by saying this he is risking getting the shit kicked out of him?

Douglas' lawyer, Ted Barylske, argued Douglas could only be prosecuted for disorderly conduct if his remarks fit the description of what the U.S. Supreme Court has termed "fighting words."

So if the father does kick the shit out of him, he's in the clear as long as he explains to the cops that he considers "Hi can I tickle your kids?" to be fighting words?

 

[Cosmo_ac]

I can understand how a parent would find the situation strange/unpleasent, but i deffinitly didn't think this man deserved to go to jail, and am glad the judge seems to agree with me.

 

[Tamia78]

Hmmmm....I know I would be weirded out if some old guy asked to tickle my kids, and I actually LIKE tickling. Sadly, there's not any punishment for being a weirdo.

--T

 

[WorkInProgress]

You know what? It's a tough call to make, honestly, and I disagree with anybody who says there's an easy answer. Clearly the man has a self-control problem and is behaving in a way that the average reasonable person would find ghastly, but he's still only asking. You can say that a person who asks one day might be a person who will do something worse another day, but that's speculation. I would also say, it would probably be very different if he were addressing himself directly to the children, especially in the absence of the parents. If I were the judge, I would probably not put him in jail, but it would be with serious misgivings.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

Here's my take. I don't think the guy just walked up to the parents and said "Hello, I see you have a child with you. May I tickle him?"

More than likely, the child was playing with other kids who were playing with the man, and the parents were probably watching. When the guy started playing tickle monster, he felt it would be inappropriate to tickle their child without asking, so he asked.

I don't think the situation was really as creepy as some are making it out to be.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

I don't know about him having a self-control problem, WIP. I mean, from what i understood, if this is the person i think it is, he was shown to ask permission of the parents(if it's the same person i think it is he stated that he always asked the parents before putting a finger on the kids) so i'm not sure if it's so much a matter of self control, as it is a matter of having an interest that some people would find perculor/distastful.

 

[Babyshambles]

It has to be said to be a grave lapse of judgement. And why would he want to tickle the kids anyway? Hmmmm...

 

[Babyshambles]

Would you take a man to court if that is what happened?

Here's my take. I don't think the guy just walked up to the parents and said "Hello, I see you have a child with you. May I tickle him?"

More than likely, the child was playing with other kids who were playing with the man, and the parents were probably watching. When the guy started playing tickle monster, he felt it would be inappropriate to tickle their child without asking, so he asked.

I don't think the situation was really as creepy as some are making it out to be.

 

[Tamia78]

......so i'm not sure if it's so much a matter of self control, as it is a matter of having an interest that some people would find perculor/distastful.

There are some other things that adults do with kids that I find more than just distasteful. I agree with you that it may not have been a self-control problem, but clearly it was something unusual. I certainly don't think he should just be let go without maybe some kind of warning. There's just something not right about that to me.

 

[Fire_Sprite]

I remember this story from a while back. That guy actually frequented that park and asked parents if he could tickle their kids. It wasn't just spur of the moment.

It really seems weird to me, but maybe I'm just biased for obvious reasons. The fact that he did it so openly and was so indignant about being charged makes me think he probably wasn't getting that sort of enjoyment from it. It still sort of creeps me out though.

 

[Cosmo_ac]

There are some other things that adults do with kids that I find more than just distasteful. I agree with you that it may not have been a self-control problem, but clearly it was something unusual. I certainly don't think he should just be let go without maybe some kind of warning. There's just something not right about that to me.

The man was brought before a judge, so i'm sure he's been "warned" if not verbaly, then by the fact he was brought into court. I don't imagine he will ask any more parents about such things, though i suppose time will tell.

I'll see if i can find the old article, as well.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

Would you take a man to court if that is what happened?

If the scenario I described happened to me, no I would not take him to court. I'd likely say no if the man was a stranger, which it seems as though he was, but I'd leave it at that.

I tickle my little niece, my friend's nephew, my other friend's kids..all the time. I think asking to tickle a stranger's child is a little socially awkward, but I don't think he did anything WRONG.

 

[Sandrock74]

The dude seems he's socially awkward. That, in and of itself, is not illegal. He was wise enough to cover his ass by asking first. I think he's odd, but he didn't do anything illegal, strictly speaking.

 

[Marquis De Sade]

Ew.

 

[maverick83]

Meh, sounds a little weird to me, and I’m sure my personal opinion has a certain amount of bias in it, but I don’t think the guy’s request is anything to freak out over. I often say that the only thing worse than some of the sick things that occur in our society is our obsession with them, and the paranoia we create as a result. We have to stop allowing our insecurities to dictate our behavior, and learn to differentiate between what actually poses a threat to our well being, and what merely makes us feel uncomfortable, because of assumptions and associations we make ourselves. Fear knows no freedom, as freedom knows no fear.

 

[Babyshambles]

I'm unsure why he would want to tickle kids in the first place? Kids he knew - maybe. Kids he did not know? Why? What innocent explanation is there for this?

Why would he ask people he does not know if he could tickle their kids? Why would he want to do this? He has not done anything illegal, it would seem, but I am in no doubt that he meant to sexually assault those children, which is wrong.

In regards to what skipadeedoodah said - that she would not take the man to court. That is a fair point, I probably would not take the man to court, but I would ensure he received a police caution, at the very least. It strikes me that this man wants to tickle children and will do so again. This is dangerous, in my opinion.

I hope he learns his lesson well and refrains from this kind of behaviour in the future.

 

[maverick83]

*shrugs* I have no idea what his reasons might have been, or what innocent explanation there might have been. I wasn't there, I don't know the guy, and I certainly have no idea what's going on in his mind. If we're to speculate, I'm sure I could hypothesize about both innocent and devious motivations. But that's just it. Speculation, without any clear indication about the likelihood of that speculation, is not valid grounds for action. It's easy to get carried away with that kind of thinking, and completely misunderstand/misrepresent people in the process. Certainly, if I were in the parents' place, I would be cautious, at the very least. But cautious. Not fearful, not paranoid. Politely deny this stranger's request, explain my discomfort with it, and make sure he doesn't try anything. Base my actions on what he did, not what I can imagine he might do.

Of course, I'm by no means insisting that there wasn't any valid reason to believe he might be after more than just some innocent fun. Like I said, I wasn't there. My opinion might change, depending on the circumstances. If he's rubbing his nipples while asking, or makes that Hannibal Lecter sucking noise, then yes, we definitely have a problem.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

It strikes me that this man wants to tickle children and will do so again. This is dangerous, in my opinion.

How is a man wanting to tickle children dangerous?? I don't understand. Adults tickle children all the time. I've done it, and I'm sure you've done it.

I agree that it was awkward and socially undesirable for him to ask to tickle with whom he wasn't already well acquainted, or well acquainted with his parents, but I entirely disagree that he's dangerous.





On another note, I think it's interesting that the fact that this is a case at all does illustrate the inherent sexuality of tickling. If the man had been playing with the children and asked their parents if he could buy them an ice cream cone, no one would have heard about it. Or if he pushed a child on a swing, or caught them at the bottom of a slide, I doubt most people would bat an eye. It's not just that he's physically touching the children. Somehow, the tickling is a red flag for these parents. Hmm...

 

[Cosmo_ac]

On another note, I think it's interesting that the fact that this is a case at all does illustrate the inherent sexuality of tickling. If the man had been playing with the children and asked their parents if he could buy them an ice cream cone, no one would have heard about it. Or if he pushed a child on a swing, or caught them at the bottom of a slide, I doubt most people would bat an eye. It's not just that he's physically touching the children. Somehow, the tickling is a red flag for these parents. Hmm...

I disagree with this, and i'll explain why.

About, maybe a year ago, i was listening to my favourite talk show host. I used to listen to talk radio everyday back then, until they changed the format and put on a man i can;t stand. Anyhow, the topic of the show was the fact that airlines had a certain rule in place. That rule was, that if a child was flying alone, they could not be placed beside an adult male passenger. So,that meant if you were sitting beside your wife with your family on the plane, and a kid who was travelling alone happened to get seated beside you by chance, guess who was getting moved? You were.

Now, the topic drifted a bit, because this was/is one of the radio hosts pet peeves, in that the statistics of a kid beling molested by somebody are incredibly slim, yet parents react as though their is a child molester around every corner. Their were several call ins, some from guys who had experienced the flight subject, but i remember a few women called in as well, and i had to perk an eyebrow.

One women talked about an experience at a water park, where she took her son. Well, while there, a young man(i think she might have said late 20's i'm not sure) asked her if he could draw her son. Well, this women was having none of that! God knows, the man was probably some type of pedphile, who would draw her son naked and then do evil things with the picture. So,not only did she decline(Which is cool. If she doesn't want somebody to draw her son, i can appreciate that much at least) But, then she started going around to all the mothers at the park and telling them what this wicked, wicked man was doing, and they basically had him thrown out of the park.

Another women called in about how their was a elder man sitting at a park bench, and when he started a conversation up with her son, she freaked on him for it. Sadly i can't remember all the details about this particuler tale, but i do remember that it was blown of out proportion by this women.

Sadly Skip, when it comes to children, all you have to be is male and interact with them to get labelled. Christ, i feel sorry for male elementary school teachers. I bet their lives are like walking on egg shells every fucking day.

 

[Skipadeedoodah]

I disagree with this, and i'll explain why.

About, maybe a year ago, i was listening to my favourite talk show host. I used to listen to talk radio everyday back then, until they changed the format and put on a man i can;t stand. Anyhow, the topic of the show was the fact that airlines had a certain rule in place. That rule was, that if a child was flying alone, they could not be placed beside an adult male passenger. So,that meant if you were sitting beside your wife with your family on the plane, and a kid who was travelling alone happened to get seated beside you by chance, guess who was getting moved? You were.

Now, the topic drifted a bit, because this was/is one of the radio hosts pet peeves, in that the statistics of a kid beling molested by somebody are incredibly slim, yet parents react as though their is a child molester around every corner. Their were several call ins, some from guys who had experienced the flight subject, but i remember a few women called in as well, and i had to perk an eyebrow.

One women talked about an experience at a water park, where she took her son. Well, while there, a young man(i think she might have said late 20's i'm not sure) asked her if he could draw her son. Well, this women was having none of that! God knows, the man was probably some type of pedphile, who would draw her son naked and then do evil things with the picture. So,not only did she decline(Which is cool. If she doesn't want somebody to draw her son, i can appreciate that much at least) But, then she started going around to all the mothers at the park and telling them what this wicked, wicked man was doing, and they basically had him thrown out of the park.

Another women called in about how their was a elder man sitting at a park bench, and when he started a conversation up with her son, she freaked on him for it. Sadly i can't remember all the details about this particuler tale, but i do remember that it was blown of out proportion by this women.

Sadly Skip, when it comes to children, all you have to be is male and interact with them to get labelled. Christ, i feel sorry for male elementary school teachers. I bet their lives are like walking on egg shells every fucking day.

Wow. That's ridiculous. I understand being protective..even a little over protective, but damn.

I guess my previous post was a little naive. I'd like to think that in general people have a little more faith in humanity than that. But then again, with all the craziness that goes on, why should they?

 

[Mz Chaos]

Here's my take. I don't think the guy just walked up to the parents and said "Hello, I see you have a child with you. May I tickle him?"

More than likely, the child was playing with other kids who were playing with the man, and the parents were probably watching. When the guy started playing tickle monster, he felt it would be inappropriate to tickle their child without asking, so he asked.

I don't think the situation was really as creepy as some are making it out to be.

If the scenario I described happened to me, no I would not take him to court. I'd likely say no if the man was a stranger, which it seems as though he was, but I'd leave it at that.

I tickle my little niece, my friend's nephew, my other friend's kids..all the time. I think asking to tickle a stranger's child is a little socially awkward, but I don't think he did anything WRONG.

I'd have to agree with you...

However...

I think I would be less creeped out if a stranger asked permission to play with my kids where him playing a "tickle monster" entered into it, than if he asked not just to play but asked just to tickle my kids.

 

[Adam]

I remember this story. I think the whole issue here is that this guy was approaching random strangers. If I have a child and someone I don't know comes up to me with a question like this, I'm gonna be a little freaked out too. I find what he did to be very unseemly, and in my opinion, he's lucky to have gotten off the hook.

 

[Fire_Sprite]

On another note, I think it's interesting that the fact that this is a case at all does illustrate the inherent sexuality of tickling. If the man had been playing with the children and asked their parents if he could buy them an ice cream cone, no one would have heard about it. Or if he pushed a child on a swing, or caught them at the bottom of a slide, I doubt most people would bat an eye. It's not just that he's physically touching the children. Somehow, the tickling is a red flag for these parents. Hmm...

I think the prolonged physical contact is the issue. If a stranger approached me and asked if he could hold my kids hand, I'd say no.

 

[Flatfoot]

Now, the topic drifted a bit, because this was/is one of the radio hosts pet peeves, in that the statistics of a kid beling molested by somebody are incredibly slim, yet parents react as though their is a child molester around every corner.

Shoot, I don't know what website Canada has for this, if any, but if you've ever looked at watchdog.us, it certainly SEEMS like there's a pedophile around every corner; especially up here in Ohio. vv

<img src="http://api.ning.com/files/M0jBx91fsYysrKzfpXQoyTohPB2nW1uBWqoXkbrrEnfq*k7O156zeVguxPyX*6JDoCVYeOTbZ*gHDoiG3BCvhtwKX1rTHO9f/BrianPeppers.jpg">

 

[lemoncake]

This whole case creeps me out and that guy annoys me. I found another article and apparently the guy was asking a woman if her child would "tickle the fuzzy bunny". And there was no visible fuzzy bunny. That is beyond creepy. This guy was not stupid. He knew the law, he knew what he could and could not get away with. I wonder if he will escalate into something else. I just want to know why he wanted to do this. Yes, he did ask parents, and did the asking in public places, but maybe that was to protect himself in case something did happen. I wish I could have been in the courtroom for this, it would have been very interesting I am sure.