This Rick dude on CNN is obviously so ignorant as to be laughable, but what's not funny is, 30 seconds or so into this video, his use of the word "punchline" to describe the rape of a woman on a city street:
I don't in any way mean to seriously say that this guy thinks rape is a joke, or that what happened to this woman is funny. But I think his casual use of the "punchline" term is indicative of a much larger problem with society's views about rape and violence generally. It indicates a kind of callousness, a throwaway approach, as if we're saying, "Yeah yeah yeah, violence happens all the time, but wait ... WOW CRAZY VIOLENCE!" What does it say about us that we have to amp up crime (daylight! omg!) for it to be surprising or shocking?
i'm not sure i can conjure rage here. Perhaps a poor choice of words, but he was simply saying "in addition to something terrible happening, people's inaction during daytime to stop it is also troublesome".
had he said "here's the kicker" or "and also worrisome is this additional fact" it probably would have been better, but i think you oughta pick your battles, there are far worse things feminists are facing these days.
yeah, i'm not so much enraged as just totally ... miffed, or confused or something. how does "punchline" even enter into this dude's mental vocab when he's talking about rape? so weird.
Posted 01/26/2010 at 01:50:49 PM
Jennifer said:
I love how he sets it up to sound like it's all very fishy that he WAS actually "all out raping her." As opposed to halfheartedly raping her?? The story is his from the get go, "a young man sits in jail tonight." Ugh.
Posted 01/26/2010 at 02:35:34 PM
Bobbyskizza said:
it is odd who victims are only important on the news when they're a children or old people. anyone aged 18 to 65 its the person commiting the crime who the news are interested in.
Posted 01/27/2010 at 03:54:06 AM
Kris said:
@Jennifer- Yeah, that struck me as ridiculous too. He's focusing on this poor, poor teenager who's been accused of rape. What a silly thing. That woman should have said no!
I couldn't watch the whole thing. Not out of rage, but because that man stutters so much I can't figure out how the hell he ever got on television. Anyone want to link to a written version of the events?
Posted 01/27/2010 at 09:15:35 AM
Kris said:
Nevermind, found a whole bunch of articles. Makes the opening that much more mind boggling. I understand not wanting to make slanderous statements on the air (You always say alledged), but that's way more waffling about the case than required.
Posted 01/27/2010 at 09:18:11 AM
Patti said:
I was so upset to see the video about an hour ago that I e-mailed CNN. What a disrespectful, arrogant, S.O.B. !
Was just going to e-mail others to complain when I came across your site. Now, I cannot find the video. Did CNN remove it?
Posted 01/27/2010 at 11:15:11 AM
Frau Eva said:
The woman they interviewed is the worst. She looks scandalized that a woman had the gall to get raped in front of her children, or that anyone suggest that *gasp!* she might want to have done something. You can tell she's one of those women who thinks the girl cried rape for attention or something.
What a terrible, terrible man; I agree with the police man interviewed that something this horrible, this young, and this blatant suggests that relapse is likely(but who wants to bet he gets out early to make room for more drug users?). As awful of a crime this is, it really puts into perspective the victim blaming tips about not walking around at night.
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That woman who didn't stop makes me SO ANGRY.
Posted 01/26/2010 at 11:53:18 AMi'm not sure i can conjure rage here. Perhaps a poor choice of words, but he was simply saying "in addition to something terrible happening, people's inaction during daytime to stop it is also troublesome".
had he said "here's the kicker" or "and also worrisome is this additional fact" it probably would have been better, but i think you oughta pick your battles, there are far worse things feminists are facing these days.
Posted 01/26/2010 at 01:20:50 PMidunno -
yeah, i'm not so much enraged as just totally ... miffed, or confused or something. how does "punchline" even enter into this dude's mental vocab when he's talking about rape? so weird.
Posted 01/26/2010 at 01:50:49 PMI love how he sets it up to sound like it's all very fishy that he WAS actually "all out raping her." As opposed to halfheartedly raping her?? The story is his from the get go, "a young man sits in jail tonight." Ugh.
Posted 01/26/2010 at 02:35:34 PMit is odd who victims are only important on the news when they're a children or old people. anyone aged 18 to 65 its the person commiting the crime who the news are interested in.
Posted 01/27/2010 at 03:54:06 AM@Jennifer- Yeah, that struck me as ridiculous too. He's focusing on this poor, poor teenager who's been accused of rape. What a silly thing. That woman should have said no!
Posted 01/27/2010 at 09:15:35 AMI couldn't watch the whole thing. Not out of rage, but because that man stutters so much I can't figure out how the hell he ever got on television. Anyone want to link to a written version of the events?
Nevermind, found a whole bunch of articles. Makes the opening that much more mind boggling. I understand not wanting to make slanderous statements on the air (You always say alledged), but that's way more waffling about the case than required.
Posted 01/27/2010 at 09:18:11 AMI was so upset to see the video about an hour ago that I e-mailed CNN. What a disrespectful, arrogant, S.O.B. !
Was just going to e-mail others to complain when I came across your site. Now, I cannot find the video. Did CNN remove it?
Posted 01/27/2010 at 11:15:11 AMThe woman they interviewed is the worst. She looks scandalized that a woman had the gall to get raped in front of her children, or that anyone suggest that *gasp!* she might want to have done something. You can tell she's one of those women who thinks the girl cried rape for attention or something.
What a terrible, terrible man; I agree with the police man interviewed that something this horrible, this young, and this blatant suggests that relapse is likely(but who wants to bet he gets out early to make room for more drug users?). As awful of a crime this is, it really puts into perspective the victim blaming tips about not walking around at night.
Posted 02/13/2010 at 04:01:14 PM