On Sun, 12 May 1996, Jeanne Hedge wrote:

I'm finding it rather interesting that of the people responding to
PhoneyNT's original question about what makes rape so bad (and subsequent
thread drift), the females/female-online-personas seem to be rather strongly
in favor of nasty punishments for rapists, while those coming out against
those nasty punishments (stating that they are excessive/cruel-and-unusual
punishment/against the US Bill of Rights) while still saying rape is wrong
are male/male-online-personas...

Just an observation...

It's a very good observation Jeanne.

It also helps explain a few things.

During a case where three american officers admited to kidnaping and 
raping a twelve year old girl, intervention by the American Government 
reduced the time to serve in jail to six years instead of the forty years 
being asked for by the prosecutors.

Now, considering that they would gladly be killed buy MANY individuals, 
especially the parents and pamily of the girl, the sentence is extremely 
light and has not met with the approval of a lot of people.

Yet the American lawyers for the admitted rapist say that the sentence 
was too harsh and they should oly have time served as the sentence.

They are currently appealing that descision.

Now the real question I have is that when Americans go to other 
countries, that country has to follow American law.  When foreigners for 
America, they have to follow American law.  Why?

More to the point, why is it that rape is considered such an 
insignificant crime in this country that claims to be much more open and 
want to provide the victim with restitution.

Why do you want to make a hero out of rapist by the manner you are when 
they are criminals who make women a victem forever?

It does not matter what sex the perpetraitor is, the punishment should 
fit the crime, and it has in past.

The American case is the first exception that has ever occured.


I know people have made heroes out of Bonny and Clyde and other s who 
kill and take freedom away, but why is that mindset a part of American 
culture?

Hitomi

     jhedge@waterw.com ==================== 75512.1214@compuserve.com

       "Some editors are failed writers, but so are most writers."
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