Kobe - Does sexism beat racism in today's world, or is it money/sports?

[Democat]

This is not a post about whether Kobe is guilty or not. It is about how the right wing media is reacting to the charges against Kobe.

Looking at the way that much of right wing talk radio seems to have decided that Kobe is innocent and the girl is lying, what might that say about our society?

This is a black guy who is charged with raping a white girl.

Right wingers, especially talk radio hosts, mostly seem to be taking Kobe's side.

Think about that - a black guy accused of raping a white woman and right wingers take the black guy's side.

That's interesting.

Is it because sexism is a stronger issue with the right than racism? In the old days, it's almost certain that the right would have taken the woman's side because she is white and even the idea of a black guy having sex with a white woman would have been enough to inflame many of those on the right. Are people more willing to accept interracial couples today than they are willing to accept a woman charging a man with rape? Is this a reaction against feminism by the right? Do they have a stronger reaction against feminism than race equality?

Has there been more progress in getting rid of racism than in getting rid of sexism?

On the other hand, Kobe is a sports celebrity and a rich guy, so maybe that's why the right wing media has decided to take his side?

I don't know for sure what to think of the situation and the position that much of the right wing media has taken.

[Booberdawg]

1. It's because he is a rich and famous sports celebrity

with a big dose of double standards and sexism on the side.

And, it isn't just the right wing media either. There is following right here at DU that refuses to acknowledge any fact that reflects poorly on Kobe's credibility (the fact that he cheated on his wife to begin with, and initially lied to the police AND the public about it) who are also anxious to exploit unproven gossip when it comes to the victim, who incidently, has NOT been charged with a crime.

I think you are putting undue emphasis the right wing in this case.

[Punkingal]

2. Yes.....

I believe in many instances they are more sexist than racist. Witness their absolute hatred for Hilary Clinton.

[Isome]

3. Oh' please!

The media, RW or otherwise, isn't giving Kobe a "free pass". (Another DUer just made a thread about Kobe's 'premature conviction' on MSNBC.)

Sexism and racism, to one extent or another, still exist in all groups and/or political factions. From what I've seen, too many people who've already made up their minds about his guilt or innocence have done so because of one of the two ism's.

[Democat]

4. I was mostly talking about talk radio

It seems that many of the people who I deal with who get all of their opinions from right wing talk radio have decided Kobe is innocent.

It's interesting to me that people who get their views from right wing talk radio would decide that a black man accused of raping a white woman is innocent. I just wonder why that is.

[AP]

5. Because of the huge marketing effort behind Kobe.

Also it's a way of saying fuck you to the criminal justice system. Justice will never get in the way of all the money that has been invested into this guy's potential to sell products.

The media is also on a big high after convincing CA to vote for a sexual assaulter and nazi sympathizer. They think they can do anything now.

[SoCalDem]

6. MONEY trumps everything

ask OJ :)

[AP]

7. OJ's a little different, because the public is still left

with the perception that he was guilty. OJ went free because the jury didn't reflect popular attitudes (he also bought himself a defense that was ten times better than the prosecution). If OJ had more endorsements as was more important to the media, he might have gotten off and have been perceived innocent by the general public.

If Kobe is guilty but ends up going free, there won't be a single person in America who thinks he's guilty once the media is done.

[SoCalDem]

9. I refuse to watch any of it..

She was stupid to go to his room
He was stupid to "invite" her..

nuff said..

Both are guilty/ both will pay a heavy price for their dalliance..

If he had dragged her down the hall to his room, i might have more sympathy for her..

If he had said...let's meet in the coffee shop, I would have more sypathy for him..

He risked his fortune, his family, his reputation,and his freedom for some pretty young thing.. How stupid..

Whatever happened was nothing that does not happen on any given night in the US.. "Date rape" is as common as a cold..

It's never "ok", but there are always lots of young girls who put themselves into dangerous situations and claim surprise when it happens to them..

I was 17, drunk and stupid once too, so I know what I'm talking about.. He was a lieutenant in the army, and 24 or 25 .. I chalked it up to experience and was more careful about who I drank with from then on..

She should have been more careful..

[Booberdawg]

10. It's not okay to rape stupid people, even if they "should" know better

Rape is a crime, the intelligence of the victim is irrelevant.

[SoCalDem]

11. I'm not saying she is dumb.. just that she should not have gone to

his room.. That did not give him the right to rape her, if he did, but it certainly did not improve her personal safety..

Because they were the only two there, we will never really know what happened.. Her story is one thing and his is another..

I can see why she might fabricate a story to gain $$$.. and I can see why he would fabricate a story to salvage his reputation and remain out of jail..

No matter what happens, TWO stupid choices have ruined many lives and nothing will make it "un happen"..

[AP]

13. Dumb? Come on. We should all expect to live in a world

where people don't behave like criminals. Don't blame the victim here.

[Booberdawg]

17. That rumor about financial gain has been debunked time and again

There is no financial gain in this for the woman involved - so far only death threats.

A jury will have to decide the case based on evidence - not simply on the individual versions spoken by the two in the room, so it isn't a matter of believing one person's "story" over the others. We have not even seen the evidence in this case yet. (The prosecutor does not have to divulge his entire case at the preliminary hearing and is wise not to do so.)

To suggest we will never know anything about a crime because there are no witnesses completely discounts the value of physical evidence. If I walk into my home and it is completely cleaned out of all televisions, computer, radios, and all electronic equipment, I know I have been robbed. I didn't see who did it - only the burglar knows exactly how it all came down, but I know for a fact that a crime has occurred and I have been robbed. Same with murder - there is rarely a witness but the circumstances of death can be determined and a definitive judgment made that a criminal homicide has occurred.

We have yet to see much of the evidence involved in this case. I'm not a lawyer, but I do know that victim stupidity is not a valid defense. Nor is there any financial gain for the victim, so that is not going to work. The fact is that the prosecutor brought this case against Kobe - not the victim. Rape is a crime against The People, and the victim had no say in whether charges were brought or not. He apparently feels he has the evidence to prove his case. Kobe is entitled to a vigorous defense and the presumption of innocence in the meantime. The victim has not been accused of or charged with a crime.

I've never heard of a crime yet that wasn't the result of a stupid choice. I have a couple brothers that have seen the inside of a jail cell more than once. I love them, but I don't make exceptions for them. I'm not about to make exceptions in a rape case. If you can't do the time, don't do the crime. Simple as that - don't make stupid choices.

[AP]

12. Just because you flirt with a guy and go to his room

doesn't mean you consent to getting violently raped while he clasps his hand around your throat.

(And we don't even know if she was flirting. She might have just been doing her job and acting totally professional. I should also add that we don't know anything about what happened in the room.)

[SoCalDem]

14. That's why I refuse to watch it.. we will never "know" the truth

Bad all around:(

[AP]

15. well, if the jurors convict him, presumably, there was proof

beyond a reasonable doubt. And they'll get to hear the witnesses first had and will be able to decide for themselves who's telling the truth.

[Isome]

8. Not so... oh' not so...

O.J. is a pariah, even if he is a free pariah.

Cap't Kirk's wife (damn if I can't remember his name) died under highly suspicious circumstances, yet there wasn't even an inquest of some sort.

Phil Spector, that wierdo, has an upcoming trial for murder, yet it rarely makes any headlines.

Cullen (or Cullem) Davis on the other hand, he's considered a pillar of his community.

You've got to know who he is right? If you don't, it's because his violent rampage (1 death, multiple people severely wounded) and subsequent acquittal didn't generate the public outrage that O.J.'s did, despite his multi-millionaire, old Texas money status.

All of them have big money, yet only one has been socially sanctioned with outright hostility from the general public.

[CoffeePlease1947]

16. The Bell Hop was the dumbest of them all

Kobe was dumb for having sex with her when he married.

She was stupid for taking him on a tour and getting alone with him in a room.

But the Bell Hop, he takes the cake. Every one with an IQ over 80 and at least an 8th grade education knows that a rape victim is not thinking clearly and you need to get them to the hospital right away.

He should wrapped her in a blanket, easy to find in a hotel, drove her straight to the Hospital emergency room. From the hospital he should have called the police, the hotel owner/manager, and then the parents of the young girl.

If he would have done this we would know the truth. Now we don't. The fact that he didn't and the girl had the pubic hair and semen of another man in her underwear the next day when she went to hospital, I am very suspectious.

If he had done this we would have all the evidence from Kobe, her, and the hotel room. This would tell us if he really did it or not. Now all the evidence either way has been destroyed or has been tampered with.

Kobe cannot, nor should any man, be convicted of such a serious crime as rape on the flimsy evidence of her word vs. his word with no other reliable information.

So what happened, we don't know because the bell hop didn't know what to do. On that, you cannot convict Kobe.
If he did it or not, we will never know. But in a US court of law someone is innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. I have lots of doubts that he is guilty. "We don't know what happened" means he is not guilty in our courts. It is too bad if he really did do it, because you cannot convict him on anything.
My hope is that if he did do he is found guilty and goes to jail for a long long time, if he didn't do it I hope he is found not guilty and she is exposed as a gold digger.

Mike

[Booberdawg]

18. Good article that takes both sides into account

Kobe case serious, not sporting event

For some reason, sexual assault trial treated like Super Bowl


Oct. 20 — A trial in the Kobe Bryant case has been ordered. What I expect to happen next is that the prosecution and the defense will begin wrangling over details about how to proceed, such as what color uniforms to wear, what side of the playing field they’ll defend, and who gets to kick off.

IN THE MEANTIME, there will be the customary player profiles, stats, highlights and up-to-the-minute injury reports. It should be a real barn-burner.

Ordinarily, in any criminal trial, a certain amount of fairness is desired — but especially in a sexual assault case, which is, the last time I looked, a violent crime. But that won’t stop a large segment of the media and the public from choosing sides and breaking out the pom poms. That is because this is no longer a rape case, but a sporting event. And that is about as unseemly as it gets.

I suppose it’s understandable. America likes winners. We like to check out, say, the Miami-Virginia Tech game, evaluate both sides, and predict who will come out on top. The Miami people are good, the Va. Tech people are evil. Or vice versa. It doesn’t matter. What is vital is offering up one’s two cents and getting involved in the competition.

Kobe case serious