<p>Well, CNN’s manipulative tactics seem to have worked based on reading the posts here.</p>
<p>Point 1: The victim’s mother–my understanding based on other news sources is that the victim herself was not in the courtroom–made a statement on audio. CNN played Ma’Lik’s father’s interview twice and said something I think is untrue–I do NOT think juvenile sex offender status stays with you the rest of your life (though I admit I don’t know Ohio law) before playing the audio clip from the victim’s mom. Unfair IMO. The video at this site has the audio of the mother’s statement.
[How</a> Blogger Helped Steubenville Rape Case Unfold Online - NYTimes.com](<a href=“http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/how-blogger-helped-steubenville-rape-case-unfold-online/]How”>How Blogger Helped the Steubenville Rape Case Unfold Online - The New York Times) I think we should have at least have heard the victim mom’s statement before CNN replayed Ma’Lik’s father’s interview and interviewed the “expert.”</p>
<p>Point 2: If you watched the whole tape, when the verdict was announced Ma’Lik turned to his lawyer and said “My life is over. Nobody will want me now,” which, IMO, in context meant no football team will recruit him. He continued sobbing …Trent Mays “apologized” and then Ma’Lik apologized. In its video clips, CNN shows only this part, which made it seem as if Ma"Lik was remorseful. If you’d heard his first reaction the impression you get–at least the one I personally got–was that he was crying because HIS life was “ruined” because he doesn’t think he’ll get to play college ball. He did not seem the least bit remorseful. A whole lot less sympathetic, IMO.</p>
<p>But then I did watch 20/20 when he was interviewed. He insisted he did nothing wrong and he was very convincing. There wasn’t an ounce of remorse displayed then either.</p>
<p>he found the sexual assault rate on campus, in particular at frat parties, very demoralizing and wanted in some way to intervene. In his view it was the most privileged students who had arrogant, entitled attitudes which predisposed them to thinking any girl would be “lucky” to be with them. Many of these students also did have what would be considered alcohol abuse problems. He had nothing to do with these students, but it was a serious issue, and is on most college campuses, to varying degrees, possibly more so at the rural campuses where alcohol infused parties are “the” social scene.</p>
<p>Yes. I believe that is one of the reasons our D rarely visits any frat events.</p>
<p>Watching the apologies I always felt they were really saying I’m sorry I was caught and my life is ruined. Never once did any of them reference the harm to the victim. Never once!</p>
<p>The one in four program leaves out the one thing that we KNOW would make a difference: helping women file a report with off-campus law enforcement before reporting it to anyone to do with the college’s administration.</p>
<p>How can you go through a whole website supposedly “educating” men about rape and not find mentioned, even once, that rape is a CRIME, and rapists CRIMINALS? (They aren’t “entitled young men” when they rape, they are rapists and criminals, often protected by their college administrations.)</p>
<p>lindz126, what you describe is exactly the privileged culture I was alluding to in a post earlier today. It is definitely present at some of the “CC top 20 LACs,” which is why it does not surprise me that a couple of them (which are also rural) have a higher reported incidence of sexual assault than schools that do not attract such an entitled group of young men. You should be proud of the work your son did during his time at his LAC. We need more young men like him.</p>
<p>I know all that–can you tell I have gotten WAY too interested in this case? </p>
<p>My point was that CNN said the boys apologized to the victim in a way that made it sound as if she was there when the boys spoke after they were convicted. She wasn’t.</p>
<p>CNN played the judge’s decision. That is news. CNN played the defendant’s reactions. That is news. Poppy was next to the father during the trial and reported on his comments to his son that he loved him. The father later said he was not in his son’s life much. That is also news because the absence of a father in a boy’s life can explain why the boy breaks laws. CNN played the mother’s audio comments and it was obvious from the tone of her voice she was pretty upset about the ordeal. I am sure CNN would have loved to interview her if she had been available. I am sure CNN would have loved to have had an exclusive interview with the victim but she wants her confidentiality. CNN’s reporting was accurate and appropriate. </p>
<p>The two boy’s lives are ruined. As the expert explained they will forever be listed as sex offenders. It is sad to see the lives of two boys ruined just as it is sad to see the life of the victim ruined. There are three lives ruined by these crimes. The only difference is that the two boys are the ones who made the decision to ruin the three lives. The boys are at fault and it is sad to see how much damage they have done. </p>
<p>There was absolutely nothing wrong with CNN’s reporting and I don’t even like CNN as a channel.</p>
<p>thanks Sally305—honestly he felt like an outlier in that setting at times, he felt many of the young men were very similar to George Huguely, the LAX student at UVA who murdered his girlfriend. These students were always bailed out for their various inappropriate behaviors through the years. This was something we had never seen before and my s could not and didn’t want to relate to them. </p>
<p>I was pleased he opted to do something positive, but it saddened me that this was part of his college experience. It really sickened him how pervasive this was…</p>
<p>as far as “ruined lives” I find this disturbing especially about these young men. The victim’s mother took a positive perspective about her daughter acknowledging she will grow and move on, and this will not define her.</p>
<p>why can’t we set out for these young men to learn and grow and do something to turn this around, something to give back! saying their lives are ruined assumes they were destined for greatness. NOT. This can be a saving grace to do some good in their own lives. But it appears they are focused only on what they won’t be able to do. Too bad. Someone needs to wake them up.</p>
<p>The mother of the victim released a new statement several hours ago in which she called upon parents to be more responsible. She says:</p>
<p>“I feel I have an opportunity to bring an awareness to others, possibly change the mentality of a youth or help a parent to have more of an awareness to where their children are and what they are doing. The adults need to take responsibility guide these children.” </p>
<p>She also stressed the need to look out for others and to stand up for what is right.</p>
<p>Thanks for these links. Would be wonderful if this could be required viewing by all entering U students like alcohol videos are. The video of the guy who kept his buddy from raping the girl was very moving.</p>
<p>Yes I am confident that the victim will move forward with her life, especially with her parents to support her. They seem like very grounded and practical people.</p>
<p>Until that decision is made, WE CANNOT KNOW HOW LONG THEY WILL BE REQUIRED TO REMAIN REGISTERED. Go to
[Ohio</a> | Think Before You Plead:](<a href=“http://www.beforeyouplea.com/oh]Ohio”>Ohio | Think Before You Plea) and scroll down to the explanation of how the sex offender registry works for JUVENILES.</p>
<p>CNN"s “expert” was just plain wrong when he said, as if it were fact, that the boys would remain on the registry for the rest of their lives, and that’s part of the reason why I think CNN did a lousy job.( See my previous post #361)</p>
<p>Our culture has taught many that “yes” means “yes” and pretty much everything else means maybe or yes too. This is a big part of the problem as well–women and girls “playing hard to get” but are really meaning yes in some deluded fantasy mind. Am very glad this was not tried before a jury–may not have been able to assemble one with the boys so revered along with the team.</p>
<p>There are people who turn their lives around in prison.
Lives aren’t ruined unless the young men continue the direction that they were heading.
Since no one else was able to get them to change course, perhaps time to think about it in jail will.</p>
<p>If these convictions deter ANY predators and make them re-examine their behavior and consider whether it could be considered criminal, this is extremely valuable. Keeping these boys from becoming more violent and repeat offenders is something this conviction may also accomplish. The boys have to decide for themselves if they want these convictions to define their lives or if they want to grow from them, as does everyone in any way involved in the case.</p>