Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Expansive Definitions of "Rape" cheapen the word and the crime

I have an issue when the word "Rape" is used incorrectly. It is a horrible crime that deserves severe penalties.
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But you can't call whatever you want "Rape". To wit: an Israeli court just convicted a man of rape and sentenced him to 18 months. Because he pretended to be Jewish and was, in fact, an Arab.
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Now, I will be the first to acknowledge that an Arab CAN be Jewish - but this is how Haaretz reported it so I can't give more information.
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The judges also rejected the Prosecutors plea bargin of community service saying ""The court is obliged to protect the public interest from sophisticated, smooth-tongued criminals who can deceive innocent victims at an unbearable price - the sanctity of their bodies and souls," (Judge Tsvi) Segal wrote.
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Lying to get laid isn't rape. It is, in fact, pretty much the definition of dating. Dressing nice, pretending to be single, or already divorced, or wearing push up bra or having false eyelashes or saying that you find someone funny and can see you spending your life with them.
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If your entire defense is that an Arab said he was a single Jewish Man - and you had consensual sex with him, then you are culpable. The fact that the authorities have never prosecuted a married Jewish Man who said he was single to get sex makes you think it has more to do with sending a Jim Crow message than actually prosecuting a crime. As does ignoring the prosecutor
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Whatever it is, it isn't rape - and calling it rape cheapens the word.