Monday, April 18, 2016

Annals of Asshattery

John Kasich schools us on how to prevent rape.

Republican presidential hopeful John Kasich [Friday] told a female college student concerned about “sexual violence, harassment and rape” that she should not “go to parties where there’s a lot of alcohol.”

And if you do, well, whatever happens is YOUR FAULT.

Blaming the victim is one of those ways that the conservatives can get anti-abortion legislation whooped through legislatures: hey, you should know better than to have gone to that party or gone out with that guy; it’s not his fault that you had a little too much, young lady.

Yesterday he was aghast that anyone would think he was victim-blaming by saying he’s the victim of being taken out of context.  Then he basically doubled down on what he said in the first place.

4 barks and woofs on “Annals of Asshattery

  1. I knew Kasich would be punished for that remark. Perhaps I am overly generous but I didn’t interpret it as victim blaming but more as fatherly advice. Perhaps it is because of my age but I think it is sound advice. You very well might be right about political implications concerning the right wing but they seem to find a way to blame women regardless of the circumstances.

    However, I confess that I’m confused about campus rape. I do not understand why rape is reported to the school rather than the police. I certainly understand not reporting a rape. I do not understand reporting it to any agency other than the police and pursuing criminal charges.

  2. I probably need to say that the advice to avoid drunken brawls applies equally to young men. A young man has less risk of being sexually assaulted but a higher risk of being involved in fights. Both sexes are at high risk of trauma/death from alcohol poisoning, falls, vehicle accidents.

    My understanding may be limited because I was never geared to drinking to the point of puking and passing out. My chosen risks were in other areas; I rode horses and worked in a nearly all male environment and both went more smoothly if I was in control of myself. Besides, I never believed I was smart enough to give up much in the way of whatever intellectual function I had – seriously.

  3. My governor is Mr. Kasich. It is a scary thought but true that he appears to be the most reasonable person in the Republican party at present. He is Midwest polite. I will give him that. However, he is no friend to unions or to those who support reproductive health rights. He was wrong to say this but he is the best the Republicans have at this point and that is not so great.

  4. Yes, I think there are plenty of substantive issues that Kasich should be questioned about. I just don’t think that this comment qualifies.

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