Times’ features all seem to have this one’s prolix, obfuscatory style these days. The pieces seem more concerned with conditioning the readers’ attitudes and reinforcing their priors than in reporting information.
One naturally wonders, in these evil, dark times we now live in, if the school would have been quite so reticent about disclosing the favorable results of their investigation to Jack and his family if he had been someone other than a White and (presumably) heterosexual male. It's so easy to visualize a Leftist faculty filled with 'diversity' hires whose natural inclination is to keep looking for any scrap of evidence that they can use to nail Jack to the wall, but, finding none, lose interest in the matter entirely because it doesn't serve to further their ideological agenda. The notion of keeping Jack and his family apprised of the results of their investigation doesn't appear to have been a front burner item for them in any way, given that the feelings of a White family or a White male don't rise to any level of particular concern to them...White people, and White men in particular, being unredeemable symbols of Evil to so many on the Left.
For an honorable and decent man, the allegation of the crime of rape is one of the very most devastating cudgels that can be used against him, as the current social climate instantly judges him guilty regardless of any evidence or lack thereof. Such allegations are all too often gleefully dispensed on a whim by anyone for any reason, and using such a weapon in the already stress-laden environment of a University can easily drive a good and honest man over the edge to madness or worse.
It is my belief that this open warfare against men contributes in no small measure to the 'incel' phenomenon as well as declining marriage rates and escalating divorce rates. It may also contribute to the social contagion of 'trans' youth, where some percentage of males may view this as an 'escape' from an unwinnable life; a declaration of being 'trans' instantly transforms them from being a pariah exclusively as a result of their sex and skin color into an adored member of the shrill and proud victim army, who can do no wrong and is awarded endless unearned privileges.
May God Bless Jack's immortal soul in Heaven and may his devastated family one day be able to find some small measure of peace in this sick, sick world.
Thank you Ann. For your follow up. The follow up gets mixed up. No matter. It is no less than heartbreaking. The loss of life. Please. Question. Always. Even if it matters not with the law. But. I. Do understand. More importantly. I believe. It does matter with individual conscience. Personal responsibility. To selves. To others. Thank you Ann for the opportunity for bonafide free speech. It really does matter. Please keep on. Do not give up. Thank you again.
The punishment for a false accusation of rape should be the same as the punishment for an actual rape, since that is what would have happened to the victim if the accuser's false claims were believed.
Failing that, there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for LA to protect the perpetrator. The public has a right to know the accuser's identity so he can be subjected to the same treatment, only this time with just cause, and so he can't get away with it again. Sociopaths are always repeat offenders and this man is a sociopath.*
(* "who was later expelled for an unrelated violation of school rules")
Gossip and bullying are evil. Old Hollywood portrayed it well. How Green Was My Valley one example of both. The current press is the see no evil hear no evil speak no evil: blind, deaf and conveniently ignorant.
A friend of mine went to Lawrenceville Academy (what the school was called before it went co-ed) in the 1970's. Based on what his Mom witnessed, Mrs. S. vowed that neither of her other 2 sons would attend LA, but would attend public school like everyone else.
LA, from what I could tell from my exposure to the social scene, and from my experiences with my friend after he became a student, wasn't really about academic advantages (you could probably get a perfectly fine education at any of the nearby public high schools) so much as it was about making connections and kissing ass, especially ass hitched to upperclassmen with wealthy businessmen fathers.
IMO, you were really fucked if your fellow students didn't like you, because being liked was what really mattered.
In many ways, what you're describing is a frat system for high schools (not that we don't get enough of it in college) but this is the privileged orientation. So add all the administrative flotsam you want, it won't change the heartless behaviors of the special classes, or the special nastiness of kids in their teens. The NYT ignores such, because the victim was the wrong sex, the wrong race, and didn't further their agenda. And agenda is everything.
Well, the stuff I witnessed among the Lawrenceville crowd went way beyond anything I saw in college. Among the Lawrenceville students there was real social conditioning going on, starting at age 14. It actually changed my friend's personality, for the worse. I was appalled.
I am certain that, "a new dean’s position that will be focused on mental health issues...." is going to solve the problem of how the hire for the new dean is going to afford his/her/its next vacation but do not see what good it does students who have no mental health issues until their crazy accusers and even crazier administrators give them mental health issues.
Does it escape the comprehension of the nitwit administrators, faculties and board members that these poor students will, on average, rise or fall to the mean of the lunatic behavior by which they are surrounded?
Times’ features all seem to have this one’s prolix, obfuscatory style these days. The pieces seem more concerned with conditioning the readers’ attitudes and reinforcing their priors than in reporting information.
The first 80% of any story is about reinforcing to the readers who the Good Guys and who the Bad Guys are.
The last 20% - when most people have stopped reading - is when they will finally (grudgingly) get to the facts.
One naturally wonders, in these evil, dark times we now live in, if the school would have been quite so reticent about disclosing the favorable results of their investigation to Jack and his family if he had been someone other than a White and (presumably) heterosexual male. It's so easy to visualize a Leftist faculty filled with 'diversity' hires whose natural inclination is to keep looking for any scrap of evidence that they can use to nail Jack to the wall, but, finding none, lose interest in the matter entirely because it doesn't serve to further their ideological agenda. The notion of keeping Jack and his family apprised of the results of their investigation doesn't appear to have been a front burner item for them in any way, given that the feelings of a White family or a White male don't rise to any level of particular concern to them...White people, and White men in particular, being unredeemable symbols of Evil to so many on the Left.
For an honorable and decent man, the allegation of the crime of rape is one of the very most devastating cudgels that can be used against him, as the current social climate instantly judges him guilty regardless of any evidence or lack thereof. Such allegations are all too often gleefully dispensed on a whim by anyone for any reason, and using such a weapon in the already stress-laden environment of a University can easily drive a good and honest man over the edge to madness or worse.
It is my belief that this open warfare against men contributes in no small measure to the 'incel' phenomenon as well as declining marriage rates and escalating divorce rates. It may also contribute to the social contagion of 'trans' youth, where some percentage of males may view this as an 'escape' from an unwinnable life; a declaration of being 'trans' instantly transforms them from being a pariah exclusively as a result of their sex and skin color into an adored member of the shrill and proud victim army, who can do no wrong and is awarded endless unearned privileges.
May God Bless Jack's immortal soul in Heaven and may his devastated family one day be able to find some small measure of peace in this sick, sick world.
Eloquently stated and spot on!
Thank you Gerry for your exceptionally gracious and complimentary post! It's sincerely appreciated.
Best wishes to you and yours! :-)
Who started the false rape rumor. Inquiring minds want to know to deter its repetition.
100 “likes” for this comment expressing a sentiment curiously absent from all the others above.
No more UVA “Jacky’s!!” Name her.
Liberals destroy everything they touch!
Thank you Ann. For your follow up. The follow up gets mixed up. No matter. It is no less than heartbreaking. The loss of life. Please. Question. Always. Even if it matters not with the law. But. I. Do understand. More importantly. I believe. It does matter with individual conscience. Personal responsibility. To selves. To others. Thank you Ann for the opportunity for bonafide free speech. It really does matter. Please keep on. Do not give up. Thank you again.
Charges of “rape” are becoming as prostituted and vicious as charges of “racism”.
The NYT et al should look up “the boy who cried wolf”.
The punishment for a false accusation of rape should be the same as the punishment for an actual rape, since that is what would have happened to the victim if the accuser's false claims were believed.
Failing that, there is absolutely no excuse whatsoever for LA to protect the perpetrator. The public has a right to know the accuser's identity so he can be subjected to the same treatment, only this time with just cause, and so he can't get away with it again. Sociopaths are always repeat offenders and this man is a sociopath.*
(* "who was later expelled for an unrelated violation of school rules")
A good deterrent. I agree.
Gossip and bullying are evil. Old Hollywood portrayed it well. How Green Was My Valley one example of both. The current press is the see no evil hear no evil speak no evil: blind, deaf and conveniently ignorant.
A friend of mine went to Lawrenceville Academy (what the school was called before it went co-ed) in the 1970's. Based on what his Mom witnessed, Mrs. S. vowed that neither of her other 2 sons would attend LA, but would attend public school like everyone else.
LA, from what I could tell from my exposure to the social scene, and from my experiences with my friend after he became a student, wasn't really about academic advantages (you could probably get a perfectly fine education at any of the nearby public high schools) so much as it was about making connections and kissing ass, especially ass hitched to upperclassmen with wealthy businessmen fathers.
IMO, you were really fucked if your fellow students didn't like you, because being liked was what really mattered.
In many ways, what you're describing is a frat system for high schools (not that we don't get enough of it in college) but this is the privileged orientation. So add all the administrative flotsam you want, it won't change the heartless behaviors of the special classes, or the special nastiness of kids in their teens. The NYT ignores such, because the victim was the wrong sex, the wrong race, and didn't further their agenda. And agenda is everything.
Well, the stuff I witnessed among the Lawrenceville crowd went way beyond anything I saw in college. Among the Lawrenceville students there was real social conditioning going on, starting at age 14. It actually changed my friend's personality, for the worse. I was appalled.
Fascinating.
I am certain that, "a new dean’s position that will be focused on mental health issues...." is going to solve the problem of how the hire for the new dean is going to afford his/her/its next vacation but do not see what good it does students who have no mental health issues until their crazy accusers and even crazier administrators give them mental health issues.
Does it escape the comprehension of the nitwit administrators, faculties and board members that these poor students will, on average, rise or fall to the mean of the lunatic behavior by which they are surrounded?