Rape... a Nation-Wide Hunting Ground

Like a cat toying with a mouse , John Stewart's "Fact~ish" comedy segment analyzed Rolling Stone's response to their journalistic fact-checking sloppiness in their explosive story about an alleged rape at the University of Virginia. Stewart feigned being amused, confused and bemused before his final pounce that laid bare the chilling truth of this whole debacle,

 "Campus rapes happen with shocking frequency; victims need support... 

but somehow in  a sea of verifiable assaults, 

you [Rolling Stone] managed to Where's Waldo 

the only rape story 

 that not only would fail to get your point across but 

set the cause back."

That's the biggest tragedy here; every future story about sexual assault  will live in the shadow of doubt cast by that Rolling Stone article.

As we read that story it was horrifying, but it wasn't unbelievable. Why not? Because rapes like that happen far too often on college campuses. Tonight I watched the screening of The Hunting Ground at the Spectrum Theater.  It's a look at the epidemic of sexual violence on college campuses and the injustice victims often face when they rely on their college for support and justice. These stories of victimization and transcendence are a place to start the discussion on how to change a system that's not working. 

The Hunting Ground is showing again Friday, April 10th at the Spectrum; make the time to see it. Our sons and daughters deserve an education without fear; let's figure out how we can give that to them.