<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Yesterday I saw a piece on the tabloid TV show "Hard Copy" about how a
20 year old man was beaten to death at this Mardi Gras trying to
protect a girl who was being physically assaulted. Not a word of this
in the following article.
Apparently a story about alleged sexual assaults against women (after
all the story clearly states no girls have come forward to press
charges) is more important than the death of one fine and brave young
man.
Also many of these "chicks" were flashing their tits at crowds of
drunken men (sounds like that New York parade all over again). What
do these little girls think will happen if they advertise free sex?
The article quotes an unnamed official saying that apparently these
"women might feel that somehow they contributed to being groped,
grabbed or otherwise assaulted..."
*MIGHT FEEL LIKE THEY CONTRIBUTED* Ya think? Nah...we can't make
the girls responsible for their own irresponsible behavior. That
wouldn't be PC.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Many sexual assaults at Mardi Gras
Source: Seattle Post Intelligencer
Published: March 10, 2001 Author: Lewis Kamb and Tracy Johnson
Many women were sexually assaulted by groups of men during the Fat
Tuesday riot, but Seattle police investigating the mayhem said
yesterday that none of the victims has come forward to pursue criminal
charges. The attacks range from fondling of breasts to apparent
vaginal penetration, police say.
"It became animal-like," said 23-year old- Rachel, who attended the
Fat Tuesday celebration with ther brother and some friends. "It was
like they weren't seeing a woman. They were just letting their
hormones take over."..."I saw one individual who lifted her shirt,"
she said. "Then a bunch of guys all swarmed around her and started
grabbing and touching her, and knocked her down." "Obviously, the
girls who were flashing that night liked the attention," Rachel said.
"But as it became more and more violent, they didn't like it at all."
Police are investigating one of the most chilling attacks: A woman
baring her breasts to a raucous crowd is pulled down from a light post
and tossed across a sea of hands. They tore at her clothes, grabbed
her breasts and may have penetrated her with their fingers....Not one
complaint has been lodged...Police spokeswoman Pam McCammon hopes
victims will come forward. ...That none of the women has come forward
doesn't surprise experts.
"Sexual assaults are the least reported of al serious crimes," said
Lucy Berliner, director of the Center for Seaual Assault and Traumatic
Stress at Harborview Medical Center....
In a situation like Mardi Gras, she said, women might feel that
somehow they contributed to being groped, grabbed or otherwise
assaulted...women baring their chests while atop shoulders, light
posts and mailboxes--were the norm...The whole idea of "public
group-wilding with a sexual overtone" is not well understood, Berliner
said, because sexual attacks are usually planned to some degree.
**
Guess I am going to have to turn on the TV. I live near Seattle, and
I heard about this first on this NG. I asked around, and gather that
the death of the young man has been a hot item on the local news since
the Fat Tuesday "celebrations" - it competed with the quake for a
while, and is still something of a topic. I talked to an aquintance
who was over there until about 11PM, he says the girls were flashing
the crowd at 10PM or so, and just kept it up. With a 10 PM crowd
that's one thing, with a 2AM crowd - well, I'd have hoped they would
have known better. Guess they figured "female invulnerability" would
protect them. BTW - as of today, 10 have been arrested for rioting,
indecent liberties, etc. Nothing on the killers of this boy, AFAIK.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
**
Okay, here it comes….
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR> Actually, women have the exact same rights men have regarding public
nudity. Those who sexually assault others are to blame FOR sexual assault.
Blaming the victim is old hat for patriarchy.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
**
Bye bye !!
------------------
Van Canna
Bye Bye Baby
Moderator: Available
Bye Bye Baby
Well - no takers here so far eh? Not that there is that much participation here anyway - save a few great contributions/contributors...
Ok - I'll bite. Is it just me, am I too old or what - but what is the fun in being in a drunken crowd and exposing yourself at risk of being mauled? I guess there must be some kind of thrill in the exposure (remember "streaking" from the 70's? 'course - I never participated - just heard about it
) but in this day and age of crowds getting violent - women violated in broad daylight - seriously - where are these women's common sense? Or am I a prude? Granted - screams of "show me your t***!" are commonplace in places like New Orleans - and perhaps have been for some years without serious uninvited incident- but I find it an interesting observation - that here in this great country of ours - of ever decreasing freedoms - that sexuality is continually more distorted and perverted for the bigger "thrill" - even down to "reality TV" a la Temptation Island or whatever shows are designed to downplay the deeper and emotional aspects of life and instead go for the sensationalist factor. Where does it end? How far is this culture going to go trying to "top this" before it gets too far out of control?
Interesting comparison in living abroad - in the beachside resorts and even in the country - nudity or partial nudity is accepted as a natural part of life - children can play naked on the beach or in a lawn sprinkler - a topless sunbathing woman on the beach may be admired - but she is in no fear of being mauled or even raped. In the country and even in more urban areas a woman can openly breastfeed without reprisal, dirty looks, stares or catcalls. In this country a woman will nurse her newborn in a filthy public restroom instead of face the BS from the leering public. Don't get me wrong - this is a great country to live in - but as far as culture and civilization in this society of ours - we seem to be more akin to the convicts, rebels and cutthroats that really founded this country instead of the puritan pilgrims we like to teach our school children about. Sure - I'm all for toughness - but with class. I don't see much of it these days.
Ok - I'll bite. Is it just me, am I too old or what - but what is the fun in being in a drunken crowd and exposing yourself at risk of being mauled? I guess there must be some kind of thrill in the exposure (remember "streaking" from the 70's? 'course - I never participated - just heard about it
) but in this day and age of crowds getting violent - women violated in broad daylight - seriously - where are these women's common sense? Or am I a prude? Granted - screams of "show me your t***!" are commonplace in places like New Orleans - and perhaps have been for some years without serious uninvited incident- but I find it an interesting observation - that here in this great country of ours - of ever decreasing freedoms - that sexuality is continually more distorted and perverted for the bigger "thrill" - even down to "reality TV" a la Temptation Island or whatever shows are designed to downplay the deeper and emotional aspects of life and instead go for the sensationalist factor. Where does it end? How far is this culture going to go trying to "top this" before it gets too far out of control? Interesting comparison in living abroad - in the beachside resorts and even in the country - nudity or partial nudity is accepted as a natural part of life - children can play naked on the beach or in a lawn sprinkler - a topless sunbathing woman on the beach may be admired - but she is in no fear of being mauled or even raped. In the country and even in more urban areas a woman can openly breastfeed without reprisal, dirty looks, stares or catcalls. In this country a woman will nurse her newborn in a filthy public restroom instead of face the BS from the leering public. Don't get me wrong - this is a great country to live in - but as far as culture and civilization in this society of ours - we seem to be more akin to the convicts, rebels and cutthroats that really founded this country instead of the puritan pilgrims we like to teach our school children about. Sure - I'm all for toughness - but with class. I don't see much of it these days.
Bye Bye Baby
So what the hell ARE our rights for "public nudity?" Does this mean we all have the same right to run around naked - and if we are assaulted it is no fault of ours? Well gee - I see in the news all the time about men mooning people and then getting raped. Yeah right.
So walking by a construction site tomorrow - I can go ahead and lift up my blouse in response to the inevitable catcall and not expect any reprisal?
And if I did flash myself to someone - and then they did try to assault me - and some guy tried to protect me - what are his rights? In this day of PC'ness (Is there a smiley icon for throwing up?) you will hear more about the woman's rights - as Van posted above - than you will hear about the loss of a human life trying to protect another.
Women still have a long way to go in the way of rights and equality - but some things are definitely carried to far - and being a white male these days seems to be getting to be a disadvantage when it comes to public outcry. It still is not though when it comes to a promotion or a paycheck - so I wouldn't bitch too much!
It's all a matter of drawing the line - and carrying things too far. This country has a habit of going to extremes. Which is not only exhausting - it is dangerous.
My sensei taught me that highs are nice - but the problem is that they are followed by lows. The higher the high, the lower the low - as all will seek balance. The safest and most peaceful "middle path" - is to "go for grey."
The hard part is getting there.
So walking by a construction site tomorrow - I can go ahead and lift up my blouse in response to the inevitable catcall and not expect any reprisal?
And if I did flash myself to someone - and then they did try to assault me - and some guy tried to protect me - what are his rights? In this day of PC'ness (Is there a smiley icon for throwing up?) you will hear more about the woman's rights - as Van posted above - than you will hear about the loss of a human life trying to protect another.
Women still have a long way to go in the way of rights and equality - but some things are definitely carried to far - and being a white male these days seems to be getting to be a disadvantage when it comes to public outcry. It still is not though when it comes to a promotion or a paycheck - so I wouldn't bitch too much!
It's all a matter of drawing the line - and carrying things too far. This country has a habit of going to extremes. Which is not only exhausting - it is dangerous.
My sensei taught me that highs are nice - but the problem is that they are followed by lows. The higher the high, the lower the low - as all will seek balance. The safest and most peaceful "middle path" - is to "go for grey."
The hard part is getting there.
Bye Bye Baby
The pendulum swings from one side to another:
<u>She shattered the silence</u>
By Pam Ascanio
A few events in my life propelled me to write on the subject of women with nerve. Getting married was one. Exotic travels with my husband chronicled by my books, documentaries and newspaper reports of our "survival" over disasters in the world (bad timing on our part), lodges me in the category of nervy. I detest self-promotion at the expense of the other's suffering. So what do I write about?
What seems to interest people most are tales of resurrection from death. The stories akin to being eaten by a gator and crawling back out of his throat in one piece to tell about it. Only once did that happen to me.
We were in Chile, driving our old VW camper through Central and South America, when a piston blew. My husband, Robb, insisted CPR would resurrect the dead engine. I thought it a lost cause and left him to trek along a four-lane highway toward a gas station. En route a man decided a fine way to spend his afternoon would be trying to rape and kill me. I fought him and saved my life.
Later in the hospital I learned that I was nearly the first woman in the entire history of a city of 100,000 residents to have been raped. The police strongly encouraged me to take my shame and slink away, quietly. Their words broke my heart as surely as my body and spirit had been broken by a stranger.
A pharmacist, a woman, whispered that women were beaten and raped daily in that city. Rapists were never named, let alone prosecuted. You see, there was a code of silence. Like the U.S. 40 years ago, the victim was judged to have done something morally wrong to invite abuse. The woman's "wrong-doing" sanctioned further punishment by husbands or fathers.
Could I allow my attacker to continue his behavior, and possibly kill his next victim? I decided to scream into the silence. (This is where the nerve comes in.)
I'd been beaten and strangled. Breathing hurt as did sitting, standing, walking ... any movement hurt. Emotionally, I was a basket case. Additionally, I was uncomfortable taking on an alien and apathetic system controlled by a former "macho" dictatorship.
I fought through the courts to get my true testimony recorded. Pressured the police to investigate. When a forensics doctor ordered to certify my abuse slapped me, I screamed my outrage. And when progress threatened to pass into obscurity, I went to the local press. What inspired me were the many women who thanked me daily for speaking for them.
The Chilean detectives and I worked undercover day and night to track my attacker. They witnessed my pain and determination. They began wondering how safe their mothers, sister and daughters were, and my mission became theirs.
Ultimately, the detectives received commendations for solving the first attempted murder/rape in the region.
_____________________
Well - she didn't flash anyone and "ask for it" - but she may as well have by the way she was treated eh? Two sides of the coin...
<u>She shattered the silence</u>
By Pam Ascanio
A few events in my life propelled me to write on the subject of women with nerve. Getting married was one. Exotic travels with my husband chronicled by my books, documentaries and newspaper reports of our "survival" over disasters in the world (bad timing on our part), lodges me in the category of nervy. I detest self-promotion at the expense of the other's suffering. So what do I write about?
What seems to interest people most are tales of resurrection from death. The stories akin to being eaten by a gator and crawling back out of his throat in one piece to tell about it. Only once did that happen to me.
We were in Chile, driving our old VW camper through Central and South America, when a piston blew. My husband, Robb, insisted CPR would resurrect the dead engine. I thought it a lost cause and left him to trek along a four-lane highway toward a gas station. En route a man decided a fine way to spend his afternoon would be trying to rape and kill me. I fought him and saved my life.
Later in the hospital I learned that I was nearly the first woman in the entire history of a city of 100,000 residents to have been raped. The police strongly encouraged me to take my shame and slink away, quietly. Their words broke my heart as surely as my body and spirit had been broken by a stranger.
A pharmacist, a woman, whispered that women were beaten and raped daily in that city. Rapists were never named, let alone prosecuted. You see, there was a code of silence. Like the U.S. 40 years ago, the victim was judged to have done something morally wrong to invite abuse. The woman's "wrong-doing" sanctioned further punishment by husbands or fathers.
Could I allow my attacker to continue his behavior, and possibly kill his next victim? I decided to scream into the silence. (This is where the nerve comes in.)
I'd been beaten and strangled. Breathing hurt as did sitting, standing, walking ... any movement hurt. Emotionally, I was a basket case. Additionally, I was uncomfortable taking on an alien and apathetic system controlled by a former "macho" dictatorship.
I fought through the courts to get my true testimony recorded. Pressured the police to investigate. When a forensics doctor ordered to certify my abuse slapped me, I screamed my outrage. And when progress threatened to pass into obscurity, I went to the local press. What inspired me were the many women who thanked me daily for speaking for them.
The Chilean detectives and I worked undercover day and night to track my attacker. They witnessed my pain and determination. They began wondering how safe their mothers, sister and daughters were, and my mission became theirs.
Ultimately, the detectives received commendations for solving the first attempted murder/rape in the region.
_____________________
Well - she didn't flash anyone and "ask for it" - but she may as well have by the way she was treated eh? Two sides of the coin...
