<p>Why does this have to be about the SEX of the accuser? No one has said that a female midshipman doesn’t have the right to come forward with a legitimate accusation against anyone. What we ARE saying is that just because one legitimate claim is brought forward, it does not exonerate the accuser from a legitimate claim brought against HER.</p>
<p>If THAT is disappointing, then I wonder what your definition of fairness is?</p>
<p>Male mid accused of rape by a woman who was too drunk to even realize it was happening. Male mid is rightfully dragged through the UCMJ system, but found not guilty. While it is true that “not guilty” does not mean “innocent” (OJ Simpson, anyone?), it DOES mean that LEGALLY. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, female mid gets so drunk she can’t even tell she is (allegedly) being raped. Thank God she wasn’t on duty. The alleged rape aside, she is clearly guilty of horrendous judgement, and should be disciplined for it. Just because she was attacked doesn’t excuse her behavior BEFORE the attack.</p>
<p>I am really getting sick and tired of the whole “so much has been done, but so much more remains to be done” garbage. Women are at USNA and have been for 20+ years. The blasted Alma Mater got changed (yeah, we can see those “changed attitudes” all right!), Mids are dragged through hour after hour of senseless “training”. Haven’t we had a female Brigade Commander and/or Valedictorian? What more do you want? Are you suggesting now that calling a female mid on her improper conduct BEFORE an attack on her is somehow sexist? Are we ALWAYS going to have “so much further to go” so as just to keep the issue alive and useful?</p>
<p>If you do, then you see why your boyfriend’s buddies tell him female mids cannot be trusted: because you KNOW there is a double standard. That double standard does nothing to help women; quite the contrary. It also builds up the resentment that you describe.</p>
<p>Both of these mids should have been expelled for conduct unbecoming a USNA Midshipman. The attacker THEN should have gone through a courts-martial for the alleged rape. Instead, we have one guy acquitted of rape (whether he did it or not) but now being expelled (which raises all sorts of questions of bias - if he didn’t do it, why the expulsion?), and another mid who drank so much she blacked out and wasn’t able to even TRY to avoid this scandal that has so hurt the Academy, but she gets to stay. It makes no sense, and anyone who is surprised that outcomes like this cause resentment should seriously reconsider.</p>
<p>If USNA truly wants to end these problems, they need to put out the word CLEARLY that being drunk SHALL NOT be accepted as an excuse for ANY conduct offense, that charges of assault and the like will be thoroughly investigated, and if ANY mid is found guilty of either of the foregoing they SHALL be expelled. Period. No exceptions, no special dispensations. If YOU have behaved in a manner that brings discredit to USNA, YOU ARE GONE. </p>
<p>I just summed up several hours worth of “training” in one paragraph. </p>
<p>Tell them that, make sure they know it, and STICK TO IT, and these problems will vanish quickly. Keep trying to play this middle-road where one side seems more protected than the other, and we will, sadly, continue to have to live through these sordid incidents.</p>