When an athlete is accused of sexual assault there’s usually no shortage of voices expressing doubt about the allegations. This case..however..is different. Now that Roethlisberger is at the center of his second sexual abuse scandal in nine months..commentators have been forced to revise their typical skeptical responses. As it turns out..the classic approach of discrediting or blaming the victim doesn’t play as well the second time around..instead of maligning the quarterback’s 20-year-old accuser..many in the media have simply ignored her.
Take an article in The Atlantic by Hampton Stevens..who echoes fellow Atlantic writer Ta-Nehisi Coates’ sentiments by calling Roethlisberger immature:
"To keep partying like a frat boy when you’ve got much bigger responsibilities would have been irresponsible…. Ben clearly is."I’m not one to rush to the defense of fraternity members..but equating alleged sexual abuse that sent a woman to the hospital with “partying like a frat boy”? Stevens goes on to say:
"Ben isn’t the only one Ben’s actions affect… The Steelers have invested millions of dollars in his future. So have the corporations whose products he happily endorses. More importantly, the nation’s army of Steelers fans have invested their time, money, hopes, dreams, and love."Stevens doesn’t include the alleged victim on the list of “entities” affected. Bleacher Report columnist Todd Kaufmann even more willfully disregards of her:
"If you’re Ben Roethlisberger, how do you put yourself in a situation where this kind of thing might happen to you again?Whether he assaulted the girl is irrelevant in my thinking at this point. What matters is why he put himself in this situation…again."Yes Ben..why did you put yourself in that situation? How could you leave yourself so vulnerable? Going to a bar..you were asking to be accused of sexual assault!
Kaufmann also asserts that whether or not the allegations are true is irrelevant. Really?? Consider if Roethlisberger had been accused of child molestation for the second time. Would a columnist have said.. “Hey..it doesn’t matter if he really did it..the real question is..‘What was he doing hanging around children..again? Has he learned nothing?’”
No..of course not..because that would be asinine.
These columnists’ responses to Roethlisberger’s newest scandal betray that they don’t take these kind of allegations seriously..even the second time they are made. Rather than dealing with the quarterback’s alleged sexual misconduct..they criticize him for partying..as if that’s what the police investigation will be about. They do not denounce the alleged sexual assaults..because they try not to acknowledge them. And since they can’t as easily get away with vilifying the second accuser..they dismiss her entirely. I wonder how many allegations have to be made before the media changes its tune.
Big Ben was a guest at at UK basketball game this past season. If he's at another game..I will simply turn off the game. Generally..where there is smoke..there is fire. My advice to my Hale's Angels..hide your daughters. My opinion of Big Ben??? He's a piece of shit!
Peace out my HALEYUNNS!
Agreed, now to be fair I was not there to witness anything. However he should probably have avoided putting himself in that situation otherwise he looks guilty as hell regardless of whether he did it or not.
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just saw on the news...there is a 3rd women...I usually read these, but seldom comment, but come on...3.
ReplyDeleteHe needs to stay out of the bars....