Monday, July 26, 2010

I had a bad day...

...So apologies in advance for the bitterness that is ahead of you, my faithful readers.

A question, to everyone who thinks along the lines of the equivalent of rape convictions going to people who wrongly accuse others of rape, what do you think about this idea?

Rapists should be raped

You know that seems very fair to me, if we are going to start implementing a legal system that exacts "justice" based on the suffering of the victim then this should also be passed into law immediately! Come on people, rape for rapists, sounds good, no? It has a certain ring to it. What do we want? MORE RAPE! When do we want it? NOW!

Why send them to prison and just HOPE they are raped, why not just do it ourselves? While we are at it we can kill murderers and if they tortured people in their perversion we should torture them too. Bring on the needles people, we are going old school!

Afterall, only a rape victim can know the pain of a rape victim, so then, why not turn rapists into rape victims?

On second thought, I have a better plan, why don't we base laws on reason, logic and scientific study? Though they don't call me Crazy Cass for nothing, and this may be a part of that nickname.

Oops, did i just lose my patience with immoral people? Did I fail to shut up and accept the things I cannot change? Did I just commit some dreadful sin?

What about love? Compassion? Empathy? Is it uncool to relate to people who do bad things? Uncool to think that maybe they are people too, not under the influence of some force of evil, but just people, people that are also suffering. While not a fan of the bible I am all for loving thy neighbour (but don't get caught!) maybe sometimes people can focus their attentions on that part and leave the other pages to gather dust.

Today, dear bloggers, I fell apart, the thought that nobody actually gives a shit unless it DIRECTLY impacts on their precious lives, struck home. This terrible day led to these thoughts crowding into my mind. I was confused, how do I cope with the apathy and selfishness I see everywhere? I can never accept it, as people keep telling me I should. Where do I stand now? Well all I can think is I will just have to learn to be stronger, to care more instead of less, to make up for the ignorant and the self involved. To increase my resources, increase my advocacy for those issues that make the blood boil in my veins. To never accept, but always challenge.

Mostly though, I have to keep the hope alive. I hope that this blog is a way to do that, to keep my hope alive, and help others keep hoping. Some days I feel very alone in my passion and my desire to do good and be good, but one is better then none. I can only hope I have the strength of will to keep this one going at least.

And so ends my self righteous rant.

9 comments:

  1. That's a tough one. How do we keep caring when it seems most don't? How do we keep our energies focused on where to do the most good when they are constantly pulled by multiple agendas of bureaucracy, ignorance, uncaring, selfishness? (I struggle with that one a lot.)

    My best words of comfort are: you are completely right to voice and live in this struggle. By not ignoring it yourself, painful as it is, you have one tool of prevention from becoming those who don't care or just deal with what's in front of them.
    It's not easy, but it feels more real and it keeps you focused on where you can help.

    Hmm, sounds like you have all the makings of a Social Worker.

    And who wants equal sentences for false accusers? Sounds like that's what kicked this off. A good post for another time, perhaps.

    Hugs.

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  2. Thanks social worker

    Being a social worker has crossed my mind. I am not certain I could deal with it though.

    A lot of blogs seem to repeat the equal sentencing stuff. Have you read a blog called equal but different? I found one such reference on there (most of my comments were deleted). If you want to have a look she commented on my first blog entry and said something along the lines of "you are rife with contradiction". Sorry I can't link you atm but I buzzing around like a blue assed fly.

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  3. I always feel the same way!!! I'm so tired of the me me me attitude...I admit I do fall in that trap from time to time, but once I realize my folly straighten up. Beautiful post!

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  4. What would you do to those women who falsely allege that they have been raped? Have them raped too? Or in the recent case of two women who tortured another woman torture them too? Or what about the women who recently knifed her boyfriend in the groin, then her sister refused to call for help so he bled to death? Would you have them both executed or just one of them? Just curious.

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  5. @Marriedfem, thank you! It is nice to know there are other people frustrated with the status quo as well.

    @ anonymous, I think you missed the fact that this is a highly sarcastic entry. I am against the death penalty based on the facts that it isn't successful as a detterent so in fact is just a pathetic excuse to murder people. I would suggest you re-read what I wrote or read other entries in this blog. I was basically trying to say rape, torture and death is wrong, don't do it. I was pointing out the flaws in other peoples thinking. Just read it properly before you comment please.

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  6. @anonymous, sorry I missed addressing your first question. Honestly I don't know what to do with people who falsely accuse, it obviously isn't a nice thing to do. I think much research needs to go into it before I can form an informed opinion, or any opinion at all. However as with all crimes of this nature I would like to see therapy being a first step and take it from there. I am unsure if gaol time is that necessary, probably only if it is helpful as a deterrent.

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  7. If you google megan williams, you'll see she recanted her allegations of rape and kidnapping, only to have one of the defendants fess up and say that the recant was false that rape and abuse DID occur. How many women recant based on social pressures or other life damaging situations and the defendant doesn't fess up??? I doubt it's true with every false allegation...but it's still food for thought and all the more reason that BOTH sides need to be heard out.

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  8. @marriedfem, yes I had wondered if that also happened. If we were to decide to punish false accusers, what kind of investigation would be required? This creates more problems, how does that translate into respecting a rape victim's decision to drop charges as a result of the re-traumatising process? She couldn't be convicted of FRA without a thorough investigation and I think that would have similar problems as trying to prove rape, there just won't be sufficient evidence.

    This seems to be something that would cause further suffering for women both guilty and innocent. This is why I think therapy is the best way to deal with it. If she is lying about abuse taking place then maybe they can help her out and she wont do that again or if she was actually raped they can help her out with that too.

    As a side note I refer to rape victims as female because they generally are, I understand men and boys can also be raped.

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  9. Also because the MRA never mention that men may be false accusers also.

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