Post by prisma on Nov 24, 2014 12:59:11 GMT -4
This is not related directly to Cosby but to this society's attitudes on rape: Rolling Stone just published an article about the rape culture at the University of Virginia that went viral. They put up an additional page of commenters whose personal experiences echoed the story of the woman profiled...some going back decades. (Seriously...one fraternity has a reputation as the "coke bottle rape" fraternity that dates at least to the early eighties and the administration still has blinders on?) In response to the negative publicity, UVa just suspended all fraternities until January 2015 and is reexamining their sexual misconduct policy. Were in not for all the negative publicity, it seems quite certain that the administration would be happy to keep sweeping the fraction of rapes that get reported under the rug with the complicity of the student body. There's definitely a "blame the victim" culture in Charlottesville.
UVa is proud of its honor code and cites it all the time as part of its Jeffersonian traditions but it in no way applies to sexual misconduct in which women are victimized. Although not explicitly stated but at least in the popular consciousness at that community, rape and sexual assault are not classified as dishonorable conduct.
Reading through all those stories this morning made me think, "Well, of course Bill Cosby is indignant about these claims." His behavior and attitude is pretty consistent with the prevailing culture at UVa, where a girl can get drugged and gang raped and have everyone from friends to administrators encourage her silence and encourage her self-doubt. For him to recognize his behavior as wrong would actually be pretty countercultural. I know I'm not explaining my point very well, but I'm just kind of sickened that this attitude about rape is still so pervasive. Bill Cosby is just emblematic of it. But he's a revered black celebrity and not a rich white kid from a fancy rich family. I'm sitting here trying to figure out if I think race is a red herring in this particular debate. I know there are plenty of Joe Bubba good ole boys around where I live (of all levels of wealth) who would be outraged at the thought of a black man drugging and raping a white woman but who would probably condone the UVa system of things.
Again, I don't know if I'm getting my thoughts out well. This is a complicated issue. To throw my own hypocrisy in there: I have not been a big fan of Bill Cosby since my late teens because I find him smug and irritating. I saw him live in concert when I was 15 or 16. But I am a big fan of Bill Clinton, who has his own troubling history of sexual assault accusations. I realize I am more willing to turn a blind eye to the significance of Bill Clinton's behavior because I think he's such an important figure in a "big picture" kind of way. I think he was a good leader. And, well, there's no clearer example of a double standard than that.
I'm just depressed and sad now.
UVa is proud of its honor code and cites it all the time as part of its Jeffersonian traditions but it in no way applies to sexual misconduct in which women are victimized. Although not explicitly stated but at least in the popular consciousness at that community, rape and sexual assault are not classified as dishonorable conduct.
Reading through all those stories this morning made me think, "Well, of course Bill Cosby is indignant about these claims." His behavior and attitude is pretty consistent with the prevailing culture at UVa, where a girl can get drugged and gang raped and have everyone from friends to administrators encourage her silence and encourage her self-doubt. For him to recognize his behavior as wrong would actually be pretty countercultural. I know I'm not explaining my point very well, but I'm just kind of sickened that this attitude about rape is still so pervasive. Bill Cosby is just emblematic of it. But he's a revered black celebrity and not a rich white kid from a fancy rich family. I'm sitting here trying to figure out if I think race is a red herring in this particular debate. I know there are plenty of Joe Bubba good ole boys around where I live (of all levels of wealth) who would be outraged at the thought of a black man drugging and raping a white woman but who would probably condone the UVa system of things.
Again, I don't know if I'm getting my thoughts out well. This is a complicated issue. To throw my own hypocrisy in there: I have not been a big fan of Bill Cosby since my late teens because I find him smug and irritating. I saw him live in concert when I was 15 or 16. But I am a big fan of Bill Clinton, who has his own troubling history of sexual assault accusations. I realize I am more willing to turn a blind eye to the significance of Bill Clinton's behavior because I think he's such an important figure in a "big picture" kind of way. I think he was a good leader. And, well, there's no clearer example of a double standard than that.
I'm just depressed and sad now.