"Teen Convicted in Steubenville Rape Back on Football Roster"

[KitSileya]

http://www.wtrf.com/story/26248983/teen-convicted-in-steubenville-rape-back-on-football-roster

Ma'Lik Richmond, one of two teens convicted in the rape of a 16-year-old girl in Steubenville, is back on the roster of the Steubenville Big Red football team.

....

When reached for comment, Jefferson County Chief Probation Officer Fred Abdalla Jr. said, "There's no law against it that states he can't play. There's no OHSA rules that they'd be violating, then I think the boy should be allowed to play. Malik Richmond has done everything the court has asked him since he's been sentenced."

There's no law against it except the law of common decency. But no, everyone agrees how horrible rape is, and how horrible rapists are, and that's why there's no rape culture.

for the sarcasm impaired.

[bluestateguy]

1. For the future I would propose the following law

though maybe nothing can be done about this particualr case, unless say, oh, a lineman from another team were to cold cock this kid with a late hit.

Anyway, pass a law stating that conviction for a violent felony shall disqualify a student from intercollegiate athletics for the rest of their high school career.

[KitSileya]

2. People have raised some good points.

How is it that a registered sex offender, because that is what he will be for the next 20 years, can go to a school with minors? Not to mention, the cheerleaders will have to cheer for him.

Now, I am not suggesting that he not be allowed to continue with his education. Nor that he should be walking around with a scarlet R on his clothing. But considering that it was his popularity as a football player that enabled him to rape Jane Doe, it is beyond bad taste to put him back on the team.

I don't appreciate your suggestion that violence can be a solution to this problem, though. That's vigilantism, and illegal.

[MineralMan]

3. Well, that bites big time.

WTF were they thinking?

[KitSileya]

5. The adults of Steubenville

have shown that they aren't interested in thinking, they are interested solely in winning at football.

This is what rape culture is.

(You can also see it with Mike Tyson being rehabilitated after being convicted of raping Desiree Washington, getting his own biopic. No disgust for a rapist and a wife beater there...)

[MineralMan]

6. Exactly. Rape Culture is what it represents.

In a just world, there would be no cheerleaders at that school during football season and no girl at that school would attend any football game there.

Sadly, that's probably not what will happen.

[KitSileya]

12. No, we saw how that goes at Penn state.

Can't hurt the chances of even one football player to keep little boys and girls safe.

[LanternWaste]

4. if students are being thrown out of marching bands, drama clubs, etc simply for taking a few tokes

As far as I know, students can be (and have been) expelled from extracurricular programs for simply drinking beer off-campus on the weekends. Three fellow marching band weenies were kicked out of the band for having gotten caught smoking pot during a band trip when I was in high school.

That in effect, these extracurricular activities are privileges a student has to not only show aptitude for to be a member of, but abide by additional policies too. And if students are being thrown out of marching bands, drama clubs, etc simply for taking a few tokes off a two dollar joint, how in the world is the Steubenville school board rationalizing allowing the return of a convicted rapist back onto the football team?



(rhetorical question as I've followed this case since it broke, and fully realize the lack of character the adults in charge posses)

[MineralMan]

8. But it's "Futbol!"

Football players must be like gods in that crappy town. This is thoroughly disgusting, and I hope the Internet explodes over this travesty of justice. I expect there will be outrage, even in Steubenville. My guess is that this decision will not stand and that rapist will not play. If he does, no team should agree to play against them. I know that I'd forfeit a game on that principle.

[KamaAina]

10. That's about the size of it

Football players must be like gods in that crappy town.

The Friday Night Lights mentality extends far beyond Texas. Even Hawai'i has a football factory, St. Louis School.

[KitSileya]

11. Thank goodness Alexandria Goddard stuck to her digging and brought the case into the light.

Otherwise, he wouldn't even have been punished.

I really hope this won't cause a resurgence in the death threats against Jane Doe.

[redqueen]

20. Well said. nt

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

7. At least CNN can stop worrying about the "promising" career of -that- one, now.

[bluestateguy]

16. Poppy Harlow

What a stupid name.

[radicalliberal]

22. The three stooges came to the rescue!

[img][/img]

[TheMightyFavog]

9. Ohio's high school sports governing body needs to change that rule NOW.

That is so messed up!

[stevenleser]

14. I wrote to them for comment when I discussed things I thought they should do on my radio show

I never received a response.

My impression is they don't care and just want this to go away without them having to take action.

[stevenleser]

13. W T holy F.

[KitSileya]

15. Isn't it infuriating?

This is a prime example of how wrong people are when they claim that there's no rape culture because everyone agrees that rape is horrible and rapists should be punished.

[stevenleser]

17. Very, see my #14 above. The state governing body the school belongs to doesnt care either.

I wrote to them to try to get any kind of comment and had zero response.

[ismnotwasm]

18. Figures nt

[YarnAddict]

19. Anyone know what happened

to the obnoxious jerk who was caught on tape doing the "she's deader than OJ's wife; deader than Kaylee Anthony" thing. I think he was supposed to play football for OSU, but couldn't take the harassment he was getting there. Just wondering if he is playing somewhere else now. I hope not.

(Off-topic, I know.)

[niyad]

21. but, we are told repeatedly, almost hysterically, there is NO rape culture!

says a lot about a society that football is more important than rape.