Yes, yes, rape is a horrible crime. Sure it ruins lives, but not always the lives most rational, empathic human beings would assume. No, it doesn't just wreck the lives of the victims, but it also destroys the lives of the rapists. Those poor, poor rapists.
At least, that's how CNN chose to frame their coverage of the judgment of the Steubenville rapists when the judge pronounced the guilty verdict and sentencing,
Jocks Trent Mays (17) and Ma’lik Richmond (16) were found guilty of raping a 16-year-old while she was unconscious. Poor Richmond could be released from a juvenile rehabilitation facility by the time he turns 21 and Mays could be incarcerated until the ripe old age of 24.
Anchor Candy Crowley set the sympathetic tone by telling location reporter Poppy Harlow she couldn't imagine how emotional the sentencing of the rapists must have been.
Harlow concurred, saying "It had been incredibly difficult" to look on “as these two young men — who had such promising futures, star football players, very good students — literally watched as they believed their life fell apart. One of the young men, Ma’lik Richmond, as that sentence came down, he collapsed,” the CNN reporter recalled, adding that the convicted rapist told his attorney that 'my life is over, no one is going to want me now.' ... I was sitting about three feet from Ma’lik when he gave that statement. It was very difficult to watch."
I'm assuming Harlow found the sentencing of the rapists more difficult to watch than the actual rape itself, which was recorded and spread throughout the internet by these poor, poor weeping boys.
Crowley, evidently really hung up on CNN's "Sympathy for the Rapists" narrative then turned to CNN legal contributor Paul Callan, and pointed out that “a 16 year old, sobbing in court, regardless of what big football players they are, they still sound like 16 year olds.” Not entitled, crybaby rapist jocks, but crying boys.
Crowley asked, “What’s the lasting effect though on two young men being found guilty juvenile court of rape essentially?”
Callan continued with the rapist sympathy framing, adding “There’s always that moment of just — lives are destroyed. But in terms of what happens now, the most severe thing with these young men is being labeled as registered sex offenders. That label is now placed on them by Ohio law. That will haunt them for the rest of their lives.”
Know what else haunts people for the rest of their lives? BEING FUCKING RAPED!
CNN - The Rapist Enabler Network.
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