<p>as the proud youngster to 4/C Disher, i can only say that as long as we have role models like CDR Disher, we are in good hands. </p>
<p>i just want to say one thing to the women. all male mids are not like this. they are, by and large, honorable, dashing and amazing young men. i should know, they are some of my best friends, and i am dating one. they are my classmates and my peers. </p>
<p>there are men that will have sex with you when you are passed out and unconscious, and there are men (and women) that will defend them to their dying breath. lamar owens was not found guilty because the UCMJ definition of rape has two stipulations: the victim must deny consent and there must be force involved. you don’t have to force someone when they are unconscious, and when a victim is blacked out it turns into “he said she said” concerning consent. </p>
<p>wonder why, right now, the UCMJ definition is being revised?</p>
<p>remember: in this situation, “not guilty” doesn’t equal “innocent.”</p>
<p>do we want to believe things like this can happen? of course not. do they? far too often. victims MUST be granted immunity in order to foster the kind of environment at this academy where victims of violent crimes feel safe coming forward. she didn’t come forward to get out of standing a month’s restriction for underage drinking, please don’t be absurd and suggest that that is the case. no one was going to find out anything had happened, that any conduct offenses had occurred, if she did not say anything about what happened to her. please, don’t see this as some nasty, lying woman coming forward to ruin a good midshipman’s life. this was a MIDSHIPMAN coming forward with a serious allegation against another midshipman! recognize that she has just as much merit as he. to the alumni, she is equally (if not much more) deserving of your concern.</p>
<p>i came to this academy with wide, innocent eyes as to the continuing gender wars dividing us. i am not so innocent now. my boyfriend’s classmates tell him to be careful because no female mids can be trusted. does anyone remember three years ago, when a male mid was separated for raping…another male mid? no, i thought not. somehow, no one seemed to question that victim’s motives for coming forward.</p>
<p>i say that we have come very far at the academy, but we still have a long long way to go. we need the alumni to stand behind us, all of us, with fair and equal concern, turning away from past prejudices. i thought i saw that on this board. i was wrong. i cannot write anymore, i am too disappointed.</p>