I (DRM) wrote: 
The thing is that rape is about the most unpleasant crime our society
can contemplate, and the thought of this happening to a character
(Akane) who, though disliked by some on the list, is virtually a
personal sweetheart to others...well, the thought doesn't sit well.

Sean Connor wrote:

Now, I'd recommend against writing this fic for a number of reasons
(the chief of which is that it seems to be sick and demented simply
for the sake of being sick and demented), but one of those reasons is
_not_ because it will piss off fans of any particular character.
That, IMHO, is a _very, very poor_ reason not to write any particular
fic.

That's not what I meant to say. You may not have meant to refer directly
to my comment when you wrote the above. In case you did, let me
clarify:  by no means would I EVER assert that something shouldn't be
written just because it would offend fans of a popular character.

Sorry.  My misunderstanding.

I
spoke above of Akane specifically because a rape of Akane was the
initial premise of the story,

Was it?  Take a look at the initial premise again: 

1. Ryoga is mistakenly accused of raping Akane when she's found
comatose and naked and bound with a bandanna.

We don't know that Akane was raped.  We don't have any idea what 
happened to her.

All we know is that the rest of the cast, based on the above 
evidence, jumped to the conclusion that Akane was raped.

and because I wanted to allow for the
possibility that the author was an anti-Akane person who thought other
anti-Akane people might find the idea appealing.

ACCK!  This is how conspiracy theories get started! :P:)

Writing about the rape
of an unpopular character would be just as bad as writing about the rape
of a popular one. Rape is an appalling violent crime that I would not
under any circumstances write about for entertainment, or advocate
anyone else write about for entertainment. One might write about it, or
read about it, in order to wrestle with the social or psychological
conditions that cause it to happen--but certainly not for entertainment.

I'd tend to agree.
 

True, you have to know what you're getting into - take a look at the
flamefest on RAAF over Bitter End - but this factor _shouldn't_ deter
anyone from writing any particular fic.

No, of course not. Writers should certainly be true to their visions,
but along the way, they should interrogate their visions. They should
find reasons for what they do. Writing a story for shock value is a
possible, but overall an immature strategy. Having accomplished a shock,
you then need to make the shock count for something. If there's nothing
but shock, the work falls flat.

That was my main objection, along with quite a few other people's 
main objection, too.  I've said that I don't think that the story 
should be written.  But that's all I'll say.  If the author still 
wants to proceed with this story, fine.  I, for one, wouldn't touch 
it with a ten foot pole.
  

DRM

- Sean Connor (connor@meena.cc.uregina.ca)

        "It jams." - Intel TV ad, referring to the Pentium chip.