Of course, I’m white and middle-class and was living in a very affluent suburb. I was clearly a “real” citizen in their eyes and therefore worthy of protection. Friends of mine who dared cross the border from Detroit into the surrounding suburbs? Not so much.

““Betty Boondoggle” must be some fancy foreign language for “student of theory who can’t read”.

Listen, honey, put the books down and look through the tread for something other than that which “proves” whatever theory you were just reading about in class.”

NOt a single shred of a hint what the hell got his panties in a twist, but apparently I’m a college student because I posted something crybaby didn’t like.

*LOL* Trolls are fun.

I just feel whipped, sometimes, when confronting this. all i could do is tear up from frusration, when i read this. because it’s everywhere, every day, in so many guises; it is the sad truth.

i havent been able to bring myself to read much of the thread yet, but i did click on the 20/20 article & –& im sickened by how they have tricked her out with make-up & felt the need to disclose she had ‘vaginal & anal’ penetration…this wouldnt be an issue, just stating facts, in a truly equal world. but in this instance, i think theyre tying to be sexually titilating. fucking rot in hell.

Four years later, the honeymoon was long over. I had been roofied once (though escaped unharmed), and two of my good friends had been raped, a number of women involved with the military students were in abusive relationships. The conquest/pack mentality, the “othering” of women, the blind loyalty. The one friend who reported her rape was instantly besieged by instant messages from “friends”: “Oh, c’mon, M! Don’t do this, you’ll ruin his career! Besides, it wasn’t rape, it was date rape, if anything!”

I’m sick every time some politician spouts pseudo-patriotic spiel about “supporting the troops.” No, actually, I don’t: I know far too many of them personally.

“Are you gonna pay for that?”

“What’s it to you?”

“It’s stealing, asshole. Put it back.”

Dumbest motherfucker ever. There was a cop right outside the store. He tried to stare me down, then he put it down and ran, right into the cop.

Every time I’ve done it, I’ve gotten threatened and menaced. But I can’t live with myself otherwise. After combat, I’ve even more sure of taking on assholes. What are they going to do to me, shoot me? I can take anything they have away from them.

I remember calling the cops about my neighbor downstairs, who was beating his wife. The LAPD declined to come, saying that it was a ‘private’ or a ‘domestic’ matter. Only when the owner of the building called—because the now-ejected man had kicked down the door—did the cops take him seriously. When they got there, the cops were arrogant, macho, and extremely dismissive. This was LA in the Eighties.

If you go up to somebody aggressively enough, they will be cowed. They will back down. Somewhere inside they know they’re assholes. They fear being called on it.

I’ve had twenty years of threats, attacks, and being cussed out by people I called on shit. I get it from friends and soon-to-be-former friends. You will pay a price for it, especially if you’re a woman. It’s worth it. You can sleep with yourself.

It’s funny - when you are taught first aid the first thing you learn is the D in DRABC. D for Danger. But a lot of people seem to think that when an altercation involving a violent person is going on, the D has to be skipped, and calling the cops isn’t an acceptable enough R.

I think a lot of people who make those judgements wouldn’t themselves interfere in the actual situation.

About a block ahead of me, I saw a man and woman arguing loudly; he was dragging her along by the arm, and she was fighting to get away. I didn’t have a clear impression of race, SES, etc.

Two police officers were nearby, not looking in that direction, and I pointed out the altercation to them. “It looks like he’s beating her up. You should do something.”

The police were both young — though it’s relevant to this thread, i can’t recall whether both were men or one was a woman. “Police” becomes a gender to itself, maybe. “She’s probably a prostitute.”

They didn’t do anything, and sadly to say, I went a block out of my way to avoid the couple. I guess I belong to the group “Something should be done” but not to those who take action.

Statistics don’t apply to individuals. Ony 14% of American women have college degrees. But that number goes up if your white. And that number goes up if your parents had college degrees. And that number goes up a lot if you are between the age of 21 and 51. However, there are no 9 year old women who have college degress, so they bring the average down.

Before a statistic might apply to you, you need to figure out if you’re in the right demographic.

I would not have gotten involved either. I worked behind a counter for a few years too, and the first rule we learned was don’t try to foil a robbery. A few cartons of cigarettes is not worth anyone’s life.

You’re lucky you didn’t get shot.