Something to think about...hard.

I know the rape case at BSU has had heated debate on all sides, not just those restricted to SweetandSourGoth's blog, but I admit that I was shocked that the case wasn't even going to court when I heard it on the news last week. Then I got cynical. After all, women just cry rape. We ASK for it. And all of those other acid tasting, horrible, politically incorrect phrases that get bandied about when discussing rape flashed in my head and even were spat from my tounge. Today however, I read an Opinion from my school paper that made me realize that I'm not the only one who see this crap as filth. I filched the article from the Universtiy Chronicle. Injustice at BSU serves as example Published: Thursday, December 9, 2004 Bemidji State University holds a very special place in my heart. It was where I met some of my best friends. It was where I learned how to be better then I was, it was where I got to party with my little brother because he went to school there two years after I started. Most importantly, it was the place where I met my future wife. On Thursday, December 2, 2004, the 10 o'clock news came on telling the world that three men who attended Bemidji State University were not going to trial for a rape that occurred the previous fall. Was this a case of not having all the evidence like they say, or was it a way for an athlete and a deputy to get off without a scratch? I am sure it was the first one, since all people are good, especially in Bemidji. When was the last time a study was done in Bemidji about how many rape cases are reported a year, and of those cases, how many make it to court? After I graduated BSU I went two hours south to SCSU to further my education and climb up to the next level of money-making, because as we are all told, more education means more money (yeah, right). I have been here for over a year now, and when this story broke out it got so big that the women on my new campus held a rally for the young woman going through this ordeal. It is a sad day in the world when a person says he or she was raped and there is nothing that comes of it. Some say there was lying, some say the bad people are walking free, the point that is being lost here is that women are still not being treated equally. That night, when I was watching the news on television, I had the opportunity to witness two different newscasts on the same story. KARE 11 simply said there was not evidence to charge the three men, however, KSTP the lovely ABC affiliate, put a spin on the story that attacked the rape victim in this case. Just a few more non-guilty boys getting to sleep soundly in their beds tonight. Once again the people of the world are reinforced with the idea that women are below men, that they are not equal. Oh, there is another woman lying about being raped, how awful for those boys. There are a few things in this world that need to change as I see it. First, men have to stop raping women, or should I say people need to stop raping people. The news media need to allow for their reporters to work towards a better objective way of reporting, where was the side of the victim in this story? Education needs to expand and teach something useful, enough of these elementary children learning how the white man triumphed over the Native Americans; it didn't happen like that. If these things were to happen, it would be a start in the right direction. However, until this does happen, we are going to have rape, murder and drugs all around and it could be my family going through this next time. Ryan Lowe Graduate Student Mass Communications