Lets Put The Rapist And His Victim On The Same Moral Plane

[Todd-'o'-Vision]

And here we have a story about some other teenagers in another metro city … Marietta. There was a rape at Marietta High School. (Hey! Isn’t that the new $55 million dollar beauty the taxpayers just built?) Michael Dawson, a 17-year-old Junior drug a 16-year-old girl into a bathroom at the school and raped her. Dawson was seen on a school video system dragging the girl into the bathroom

Well … along comes Marietta School Superintendent Dr. Harold Barnett to make a statement to the press. He allows that rape is a “serious charge(s)” that “will be dealt with in a serious manner by the school system.”

How comforting.

Barnett also adds this gem to his written statement: “It is truly unfortunate that two young lives have been irreparably harmed.”

OK … first of all. If you go with the dictionary definition of “unfortunate” (Characterized by undeserved bad luck; unlucky) maybe Barnett is right – but only insofar as the rape victim is concerned. The word “unfortunate” certainly doesn’t apply to sexual predator Michael Dawson. Barnett is saying that Michael Dawson’s life has been “irreparably harmed” due to “undeserved bad luck.” Horse Manure. Here we go again with that decision & consequences thing. Michael Dawson’s life will be irreparably harmed (assuming he’s guilty) because of a choice he made -- a conscious choice to commit a violent sexual act against another person. This is neither bad luck nor undeserved.

Oh … by the way. Sure enough, after the rape the school officials ran in the counselors for the other students. Just another instance of the government teaching the youngsters in their charge that they simply aren’t prepared to handle the rough spots in their life without government help.

Am I the only one here that agrees that superintendant is off his rocker here.

 

[Ice Princess]

I agree, Todd, it's a disturbing comment.

The only thing I can think of that might have been in his mind is that the accused rapist has not been convicted of anything yet. Or he's just used to parrotting cliches off the top of his head and can't kick the habit.

 

[Todd-'o'-Vision]

I thought the same thing for about 1/4 of a second then I snapped back to my calous self and sid to myself.

It doesn't matter if it was his 1st or his 100th rape, he made a conscious choice he fucked up now he has to live with it, and hopefully it will follow him around for the rest of his life.

She had no choice in the matter, her life is damaged.

yeah i know i am a callous bastard arn't I for being unwilling to forgive him because he is just a juvienille not understanding what he did?

 

[Ice Princess]

Do you get the feeling that school official was actually advocating sympathy for the accused rapist? I guess I see it more as a case of either being very careful not to speak too ill of the guy until he's convicted of the crime, or a case of empty administrative cliches run amok.

 

[Todd-'o'-Vision]

Do you get the feeling that school official was actually advocating sympathy for the accused rapist? I guess I see it more as a case of either being very careful not to speak too ill of the guy until he's convicted of the crime, or a case of empty administrative cliches run amok.

I feel he was actually advocating sympathy for the rapist.

 

[kotori]

This is stupid

The man said the situation was unfortunate. Two lives were irreprably harmed. That is an awful situation. The fact that one of the two people involved was responsible may (if anything) make it even sadder, but I don't see any assignment to "moral planes" in this statement.

This looks like a case of paranoia on the part of the writer.

Someone who used the word "drug" as the past tense of "drag."

'Nuf sed.

 

[Flower Petals]

I think that the situation, as Kotori said, is unfortunate all around. However, I think the young man who did this needs to have some serious mental help.

There is something wrong mentally with a guy who can look at a girl as nothing more then pleasure for his demented mind. I can't quite get into type what I am trying to say. I guess just that I think anyone who feels the need to resort to such a controlling thing should have thier heads studied and treated for quite a while.


I certainly hope the young girl gets help with counseling, because after such a traumatic event, at an already traumatic time for young teens, she will be in need of it.

 

[sigh]

while i don't necessarily disagree with you todd, the piece was clearly written by a writer with an agenda (note the comment on the price tag of the school at taxpayer's expense...as if that had any relevance at all)

IF the story is accurate, then the superintendent was wrong, but the whole thing seems suspect to me...this isn't journalism...it's a badly written editorial

 

[TN_Vixen]

yeah i know i am a callous bastard arn't I for being unwilling to forgive him because he is just a juvienille not understanding what he did?

It is my understanding that as a Christian, you are supposed to forgive everyone for their sins. And, it isn't YOUR place to forgive anyway, it's the victim's.

The superintendant poorly worded his comments.

 

[NoRegrets]

while i don't necessarily disagree with you todd, the piece was clearly written by a writer with an agenda (note the comment on the price tag of the school at taxpayer's expense...as if that had any relevance at all)

IF the story is accurate, then the superintendent was wrong, but the whole thing seems suspect to me...this isn't journalism...it's a badly written editorial

I couldn't have said it better. I'm always suspect of deliberately biased accounts. It's impossible to be completely objective, even if you try.

Society’s responsibility is to protect the rest of us from this kind of behavior. I would prefer to read about genuinely productive and fair ways to improve things than this type of writing.

 

[Morning Rain]

It is my understanding that as a Christian, you are supposed to forgive everyone for their sins. And, it isn't YOUR place to forgive anyway, it's the victim's.

The superintendant poorly worded his comments.

May I quietly say ..... yes it is his place to forgive ..... If he harbors
hate ... then it is his place.
I think the super was covering his tush .... The boy did make a very terrible decision to violate her life. At a young age .... he does need help. And I hope he gets it.

As for her... she will more than likely carey it with her the rest of her life. Perhaps her children will carry it too.
It isn't something gotten over easily ....... I KNOW .....

 

[Weevil]

I thought the same thing for about 1/4 of a second then I snapped back to my calous self and sid to myself.

It doesn't matter if it was his 1st or his 100th rape, he made a conscious choice he fucked up now he has to live with it, and hopefully it will follow him around for the rest of his life.

?

Do you have no idea what "innocent until proven guilty" means? It's not a courtesy, it's not something we hand out to people we like , it's a right that is very important.

and idiots like yourself and the person who wrote the article proove that if you get accused of something you have been irreprably harmed.

It looks like this guy raped her, but you, me and the brain dead moron who wrote the article can't say for sure.

 

[riff]

I don't think that the Super is advocating anything. Like Vixen said, he spoke foolishly- a very poor choice of words. I think what he was getting at was like kotori said- the entire thing is terribly sad. The girl has to live with being a rape victim and the boy has to live with being a rapist if he is indeed guilty. But guilt isn't an issue here. Let's assume he is guilty.

Todd, would you agree with the statement that when a person commits a violent crime that they have done irreparable harm to themselves? Think about it.

 

[MissTaken]

Well, without all the facts, it would be difficult to make a determination.


Perhaps, the super's words were indicative of things we don't know.

Perhaps the boy is mentally retarded , or was in fact, raped himself prior to this incident? (Not an excuse, but a therapeutic explanation)

If, in fact, it didn't happen....the victim wouldn't be the first teen ager to use a rape story for a variety of reasons.

I am not advocating for the rights of a rapist.

I am advocating for information gathering and objective journalism. This article is crap.

Devil's Advocate sitting here with nothing to do but stir things up!

 

[Kitte]

More and more we are seeing incidents of both school and judicial systems trivializing rape. Here in Mass. a judge gave a rapist 6 months probation and told his victams lawyer that " she should get over it"

It disgusts me.

 

[riff]

More and more we are seeing incidents of both school and judicial systems trivializing rape. Here in Mass. a judge gave a rapist 6 months probation and told his victams lawyer that " she should get over it"

It disgusts me.

If they are being indeed trivialized, this is cause for great concern and it is disgusting. What about this particular case?

 

[Allexus_TN]

From a Survivor

First of all, its extremely hard to forgive a man who's raped you. (or anyone who's sexually molested you in any way.) Yes, its the Christian thing to do, but no one is perfect in that regard. When you've been brutally violated, forgiveness if like forgetting what happened. I live with the memory of my rape. Every explicit detail. Will I forgive him? Perhaps with my dying breath. Will I forget it? Not ever.
Making excuses for the boy is almost like raping the poor young woman over again. What ever his reasons were, HE alone made the choice. He alone fucked up his life by adding a felony to his name. There is no "sympathy" here at all. My feelings are for the victim of this horrible crime. The superintendent could have done well to say "No comment". Instead he made it sound like it was a mutual act of crime. His inclusive statement does imply sympathy toward the criminal, (whether he meant it or not) and that's exactly where it does not belong.

 

[Morning Rain]

Re: From a Survivor

First of all, its extremely hard to forgive a man who's raped you. (or anyone who's sexually molested you in any way.) Yes, its the Christian thing to do, but no one is perfect in that regard. When you've been brutally violated, forgiveness if like forgetting what happened. I live with the memory of my rape. Every explicit detail. Will I forgive him? Perhaps with my dying breath. Will I forget it? Not ever.
Making excuses for the boy is almost like raping the poor young woman over again. What ever his reasons were, HE alone made the choice. He alone fucked up his life by adding a felony to his name. There is no "sympathy" here at all. My feelings are for the victim of this horrible crime. The superintendent could have done well to say "No comment". Instead he made it sound like it was a mutual act of crime. His inclusive statement does imply sympathy toward the criminal, (whether he meant it or not) and that's exactly where it does not belong.

From One to the Other ...

I too am a SURVIVIOR ....
You never forget .... Never. I was kidnaped and taken by 3 men .... at the age of 11 .. Yes it was a few years ago.... Bur I still can remember as if it were yesterday .... The smell of them .( they were drunk) Their words of threats ... even their disgusting touch.
They release me after 12 hours .... to walk for miles back home.
Where I had to deal with it alone. My mother was drunk and out.
The hate for men devoured me for years . I controled every waking moment I had...Asleep or awake.
Finally one day I woke up to the realization that the memory of it was controling my lile....And them too after all those years.
So I took MY CONTROL BACK FROM THEM......I had to forgive .. It was either them or me ... and they weren't going to get me again.
It was if someone lifted the entire world from my shoulders. I finally could breathe again.
I since then have put my hurt to good use,,, Helping other Rape
Victim ....A victim no more am I...

This boy....IF guilty . .. Will pay one way or the other.

 

[Laurel]

Do you have no idea what "innocent until proven guilty" means? It's not a courtesy, it's not something we hand out to people we like , it's a right that is very important.

and idiots like yourself and the person who wrote the article proove that if you get accused of something you have been irreprably harmed.

It looks like this guy raped her, but you, me and the brain dead moron who wrote the article can't say for sure.

Exactly. This boy has not gone to trial yet, and thus is deemed innocent per our justice system. If the superintendent were to make some statement denouncing the boy, and it was later found that an entirely different boy committed the crime, he would not only be opening himself up to slander suits but also unfairly stigmatizing an innocent boy. The superintendent really has no business denouncing anyone, and his statement was fair and necessarily vague.

There are many instances in which the person accused of a crime is found NOT to be the perpetrator. That is why we have a court of law - to sort out the facts. Do you really think it would do the girl any good whatsoever to ruin an innocent boy's life? What if that were your boy who was accused of a crime he did not commit, but tried & executed in the court of popular opinion? Talk to Raymond Buckey, who to many many people will always be a child molester - despite the fact that the evidence against him was ridiculous, despite the fact that he was ruled innocent of all charges.

I don't know if this kid is innocent or guilty, and neither do you. It's up to a court to decide. If you don't believe that the accused are innocent until proven guilty - if you have no interest in the safeguards our American system provides for us - then maybe you should move to the Middle East or Turkey. Personally, I love this country and the principles it is founded on, because I believe in individual rights and protections.

 

[Morning Rain]

Exactly. This boy has not gone to trial yet, and thus is deemed innocent per our justice system. If the superintendent were to make some statement denouncing the boy, and it was later found that an entirely different boy committed the crime, he would not only be opening himself up to slander suits but also unfairly stigmatizing an innocent boy. The superintendent really has no business denouncing anyone, and his statement was fair and necessarily vague.

There are many instances in which the person accused of a crime is found NOT to be the perpetrator. That is why we have a court of law - to sort out the facts. Do you really think it would do the girl any good whatsoever to ruin an innocent boy's life? What if that were your boy who was accused of a crime he did not commit, but tried & executed in the court of popular opinion? Talk to Raymond Buckey, who to many many people will always be a child molester - despite the fact that the evidence against him was ridiculous, despite the fact that he was ruled innocent of all charges.

I don't know if this kid is innocent or guilty, and neither do you. It's up to a court to decide. If you don't believe that the accused are innocent until proven guilty - if you have no interest in the safeguards our American system provides for us - then maybe you should move to the Middle East or Turkey. Personally, I love this country and the principles it is founded on, because I believe in individual rights and protections.

Laurel ...... I bow to you ...... I couldn't have said it more eloquently ....

 

[Allexus_TN]

As I said before....

The superintendent really has no business denouncing anyone, and his statement was fair and necessarily vague.

Which is why I said the superintendent would have really have been better off saying NO COMMENT.

 

[IA951]

Todd I will give you credit for one thing, you come up with some compelling titles for your threads.