Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Reporter foot in mouth disease: Part II
It must be that time of year; talking hairdos from all over the globe are just opening their mouths and totally stepping in it.
First Rush Limbaugh, now Tito Lacle.
You may recognize Lacle, a reporter from the paper "Aruba Today" frequently interviewed for the NH story on Fox. Seemingly likeable fellow, if you ignore his proclivity to hit on women who post at Scared Monkeys. The very first night he arrived was like "The Dating Game: Aruba version..."
But, I digress.
Apparently it really is better to make love than war, as the adage goes. Because after making this comment last night at the SM forum, Tito lost many a fan, including me:
http://www.scaredmonkeys.net/viewtopic.php?p=139570&highlight=#139570
No. You didn't just climb into a time machine and speed back to medieval times.
He actually said that a girl - oh, excuse me, a "good" girl, was "asking for it" by getting into a car with three guys.
Granted, it wasn't the smartest choice in the world. If it really was her choice. Some believe she thought she was getting in an unmarked taxi, a fairly common sight in Aruba. Others believe she may have been drugged, or forced.
All that aside, for a moment. Think about the whole "good girl" versus "bad girl" debate. Which should be something we, as a world and a nation, are well beyond. Unfortunately, not so.
And then ask yourself: If a guy had climbed into a car with three girls never to be seen again, would that make him a "bad" boy who was "asking" to disappear forever?
Nothing Natalee Holloway did that evening, or any other evening, should have resulted in her disappearance or likely murder. It needs to be off the table. Now. Treating female victims of crime differently than males is a cruel disservice.
I have to wonder if the mentality exhibited by one of Aruba's so-called professionals, a quasi-spokesperson for their country during the NH disappearance, isn't precisely part of the reason the case seems to be constantly in neutral, or just stalled. Is that the prevalent attitude with law enforcement and others?
Is that the underlying attitude, internationally, in a case such as this - insidious and unspoken, of course? Hopefully the answer is no, in both Aruba and America.
But when someone prominent makes a statement like this, it does make you wonder.
First Rush Limbaugh, now Tito Lacle.
You may recognize Lacle, a reporter from the paper "Aruba Today" frequently interviewed for the NH story on Fox. Seemingly likeable fellow, if you ignore his proclivity to hit on women who post at Scared Monkeys. The very first night he arrived was like "The Dating Game: Aruba version..."
But, I digress.
Apparently it really is better to make love than war, as the adage goes. Because after making this comment last night at the SM forum, Tito lost many a fan, including me:
Tito: QUESTION FOR THE MONKEES.. ..
HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT OF BEING ON THE OTHER SIDE.. ??
ORRRR... EVEN WORSE.. IF NATALEE WAS A GOOD GIRL.. WHY WOULD SHE HOP INTO ANOTHER CAR.. WHILE HER FRIENDS TELL HER NOT TO.. DID SHE NOT ASK FOR IT? OOKEE.. NOW.. WARPING BACK TO REALITY.. OR TO WHAT WE KNOW..
http://www.scaredmonkeys.net/viewtopic.php?p=139570&highlight=#139570
No. You didn't just climb into a time machine and speed back to medieval times.
He actually said that a girl - oh, excuse me, a "good" girl, was "asking for it" by getting into a car with three guys.
Granted, it wasn't the smartest choice in the world. If it really was her choice. Some believe she thought she was getting in an unmarked taxi, a fairly common sight in Aruba. Others believe she may have been drugged, or forced.
All that aside, for a moment. Think about the whole "good girl" versus "bad girl" debate. Which should be something we, as a world and a nation, are well beyond. Unfortunately, not so.
And then ask yourself: If a guy had climbed into a car with three girls never to be seen again, would that make him a "bad" boy who was "asking" to disappear forever?
Nothing Natalee Holloway did that evening, or any other evening, should have resulted in her disappearance or likely murder. It needs to be off the table. Now. Treating female victims of crime differently than males is a cruel disservice.
I have to wonder if the mentality exhibited by one of Aruba's so-called professionals, a quasi-spokesperson for their country during the NH disappearance, isn't precisely part of the reason the case seems to be constantly in neutral, or just stalled. Is that the prevalent attitude with law enforcement and others?
Is that the underlying attitude, internationally, in a case such as this - insidious and unspoken, of course? Hopefully the answer is no, in both Aruba and America.
But when someone prominent makes a statement like this, it does make you wonder.
