sundries

[rm]

Police say dozens of people watched as girl was gang raped. That should make you angry enough. But then the article goes on to give us this charming sentence, "The victim had drank a large amount of alcohol by the time the assault began, police said" which is relevant how, exactly? Grrrrr. (ETA: see comments for the very good point that if she was drunk it's harder to argue she consented to the rape; also be aware that comments have a discussion of victim-blaming).

keori (why aren't you reading keori? I link you people over there often enough) talks about the latest series of outrages and asinine remarks in the struggle to get rid of DADT. You see, apparently, LGBT people might be capable of doing some military jobs, but not others.

To everyone who helped out deza with money, advice, good thoughts and signal boosting: thank you! Overnight the needed funds were raised.

roadnotes just pointed to this amazing article about Terri White who was one of the amazing singers at the now closed Rose's Turn. I don't even know what to say, just read the article.

For runaways sex buys survival.

German-ism of the day: "it's raining cats and ducks." Why yes, it is.

Tempest Prognosticator -- it's a machine... made out of leeches!

I emailed someone asking if I could use a photo of theirs for a mock-up cover for ConSweet just to put on my NaNo page and all. Don't know that I'll hear back, but it's a fun thought.

Since we're not _in_ NaNo yet, I'm trying not to feel too guilty about my editing instinct that has kicked in. I know all the things I have to do to fix the first chapter (which is at the moment a series of cracky emails between various characters, but it's a lot to take in all at once), so I'm going to try to do that before NaNo starts and then just write through and fix later.

I am glad I am doing this story for NaNo. It needs out of my system. It surprises me sometimes all the ways in which I am capable of being suffused with melancholy. I'd been trying to keep that melancholy out of ConSweet, but I think I have to run with it, because I think it's how I make Evan be something other than an asshole, which is pretty critical.

If you want to add me as a buddy on the NaNo site, I'm there under Racheline, since that is, rather absurdly, my name.

Castle offered some meta fannish goodness last night. Also, Nathan Fillion dressed as Mal = always hot. And, referencing a story most of you don't know, Nathan Fillion = always the best footnote EVER.

Also, I have seen photos from Hub3, and I am still laughing.

Finally, why is LJ such a slow piece of shit today?

Comments

[rednwhiterose.livejournal.com]

Finally, why is LJ such a slow piece of shit today?

I'm glad to know it's not just me. :O)

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

why is LJ such a slow piece of shit today?

status is whining (maybe that should be 'bleating') that it's experiencing higher-than-normal load. From where, I'd love to know.

[rednwhiterose.livejournal.com]

Jack's pants?

[xtricks.livejournal.com]

I am considering doing that harlequin romance/Torchwood in argentina dream as my paultry nano participation. Except I know very well I don't have time/energy to actually participate so I dunno.

Still, WW2 through 1950s queer love story from a dream? Remains tempting.

[frodo-esque.livejournal.com]

Police say dozens of people watched as girl was gang raped. That should make you angry enough. But then the article goes on to give us this charming sentence, "The victim had drank a large amount of alcohol by the time the assault began, police said" which is relevant how, exactly? Grrrrr.

Was horrified enough to make a passionate post in response to this. Think I may be too sensitive to handle it right now.

[luke-jaywalker.livejournal.com]

That gang-rape story made me *sick* when I saw it myself earlier this morning. But I don't have a problem with mentioning that the girl had been trashed.

You're seeing it as the journalist implying the victim was in some way at fault; I'm seeing it as a relevant circumstance. When a man is reported to have been mugged in a dark alley, nobody's implying that the man even slightly deserved to be mugged because he entered the dark alley.

On the other hand, it's a data point to avoid dark alleys. Or excessive drinking.

[luke-jaywalker.livejournal.com]

...excessive incautious drinking, anyway. Excessive drinking with trusted, reliable friends around or in a 100%-safe place, is fun and should not be avoided. ;)

[rm.livejournal.com]

The idea that being a "good girl" will always prevent rape is a fallacy. And an offensive one.

[luke-jaywalker.livejournal.com]

I wasn't horrified so much as infuriated. My fingers were literally twitching to kill those scum.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Most rapes are committed my people women know, often well and often considered trusted.

[ladyaelfwynn.livejournal.com]

The story about the 15 year old who was gang raped is absolutely frightening. There but for the Grace of God...

There are at least two incidents that I was involved in as a 15-16 year old where I was waiting after dark at school for my ride to show...

**shudder**

It's kind of crazy how things that happened 25 years ago can be brought back so vividly and so easily by a news story.

I hope they get the bastards....

[luke-jaywalker.livejournal.com]

Who said anything about virtue here, or about always? I'm talking about careful behavior reducing the risk.

[britgeekgrrl.livejournal.com]

But then the article goes on to give us this charming sentence...

My morning paper did much the same - mentioning that she'd been met by friends and gotten drunk.

Glad I wasn't alone in shrieking "What has THAT got to do with it?" at the paper this AM...

[luke-jaywalker.livejournal.com]

I was as disgusted by the number of people who just let it happen. Who didn't even *call the damn cops.*

[frodo-esque.livejournal.com]

I think I'm in the shock phase right now, the anger will come forth soon.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

"But then the article goes on to give us this charming sentence, "The victim had drank a large amount of alcohol by the time the assault began, police said" which is relevant how, exactly?"

It is relevant because, if she was intoxicated, she was legally unable to consent. This means that the defense cannot claim that she consented. So it is relevant to the case, and it is relevant in favor of the young woman.

Of course, not everyone will choose to see it that way, but that it because many people are stupid. :-\

[rm.livejournal.com]

Women are constantly told to limit their actions (don't go out at night, don't dress like that, don't drink, etc etc etc) in order to avoid being assaulted, as if they are somehow responsible for their own assaults. Men's lives are not similarly circumscribed. Efforts to reduce rape in our culture include almost no education of men about how to address rape issues with each other or with women. They focus exclusively on encouraging women to further constrain their lives in hopes that will be good enough. It's unacceptable.

Obviously, getting randomly trashed no matter who you are in any circumstance, isn't awesome decision making. But this girl was gang-raped. Sober, a gang of men would still have been able to overpower her and rape her. She was sober when she went to hang out with the men. She wasn't raped because she was drunk. She was raped because she had the bad fortune to be associating with men who are rapists. Conservative estimates indicate that 1 in 6 women are a victim of a sexual assault in their lifetimes. Even if each man who rapes or commits sexual assault commits ten of these, that's still 1 in 60 men who are rapists. Statistically the odds are terrible, and living in fear doesn't make them better.

http://postbourgie.com/2009/09/18/sexual-assault-prevention-tips-guaranteed-to-work/

[gallo-de-pelea.livejournal.com]

That news story doesn't surprise me at all, and I desperately wish it did.

[rm.livejournal.com]

Ah, good point! Wow, that shows you how pissed off and fed up with crap I am. I totally missed that.

[frodo-esque.livejournal.com]

Why should a woman keep from enjoying herself (i.e. drinking) out of fear of being raped? Shouldn't we live in a country where a girl shouldn't have to refrain from drinking at a social event in order to protect herself?

Sure there are creepo's out there, but staying clear of drinking should not be something a woman should need to do in order to stay safe.

[rm.livejournal.com]

hughcasey actually makes a good point about it below.

[brewsternorth.livejournal.com]

Good point indeed.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

And you SHOULD be pissed off and fed up. Most people WILL see it that way, because there is still an undercurrent of "rape is about sex, not violence" and "it's the victim's fault" going on even today.

However, the ONLY way that her being intoxicated works in the defendent's favor is if she actually SAID, "Why SURE! I'd just LOVE a gangbang! But I'll need to get drunk first!" Which (call it a hunch) I really , really doubt she said. (Not that I haven't known people who WOULD say that, but hey, whatever floats your boat...)

[delle.livejournal.com]

thank you. you've decreased my fury one small notch, which, given the topic, is sky-high.

[hughcasey.livejournal.com]

Thank you.