I am starting a new feature here at Rantings From Florida entitles "Stupid Pol of the Week," something for those lawmakers who do something exceptionally gaffe-worthy and which makes us truly question the soundness of our democratic process. This was inspired by a reader who sent a note on a Florida lawmaker.
So let's hear it for state Rep. Kathleen Passidomo. She is promoting school uniforms, of which I have never been a fan, but it was her unfortunate blaming of street clothes for the gang-raping of children that she has earned this honor.
Via Raw Story:
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"There was an article about an 11 year old girl who was gangraped in Texas by 18 young men because she was dressed like a 21-year-old prostitute," Passidomo declared.
"And her parents let her attend school like that. And I think it’s incumbent upon us to create some areas where students can be safe in school and show up in proper attire so what happened in Texas doesn’t happen to our students," she added.
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So yeah. The 11-year-old girl brought it on herself. Anyone wondering, she is referencing the much-hyped incident in Cleveland, Texas.
Not much to say about Passidomo. Her words speak for themselves.
And that is what I want this to be about here. Readers, please let me know when you hear of a politician saying something truly appalling. And I mean a really awful statement, not just a stance on an issue in which you disagree, but a truly reprehensible framing of the issue.
Remember, it's a Florida blog, so try and focus on the many, many fools we have representing the Sunshine State. But I want this honor to be one bestowed by the readers of Rantings, not just a decree from myself. So please, insult away in our comments below.
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ReplyDeleteI don't want to take any bit of the responsibility for a horrific crime away from where it belongs - on the people that raped an 11 year old girl (how to apportion blame among a group ranging from a 27 year old man to middle school boys is another issue). And I certainly don't want to imply that anyone is "asking for it" by the way they dress. But I think it might be valid to criticize parents for allowing their child to dress "like a 21 year old prostitute", whatever that means, and if it's indeed the case.
Mentally, I'm trying to tiptoe around this, and find the difference between that and blaming an adult woman for getting raped. It's tough to articulate, but in my gut, there's a difference. An 11 year old doesn't have the ability to understand sex and attraction, and she doesn't have the ability to defend against predators. Her parents, responsible for her safety, need to recognize that and avoid sexualizing someone without the ability to say no, or allowing her to do it herself. An adult woman understands this (hopefully), and is capable of making an informed decision.
That's what I think Passidomo was getting at - not blaming the child for getting raped. And without that, I don't think it really rises to the level of truly appalling. I wouldn't even characterize it as offensive. Maybe insensitive.
That's not to say that she's not off her rocker. Dress codes that are already in place would allow a school to send home someone in overtly sexual attire. This is a woman with a solution in search of a problem - a lot like the Sharia guy.
I appreciate where you are going with this argument. But whatever she was trying to say, what she said puts the blame on the child, the parents and the dress code. I think something else, like the rapists, really deserve more of the credit than any of the things she takes issue with.
ReplyDeleteI don't like dress codes. But I didn't highlight Passidomo because of her position on that issue. I highlighted because this is so immensely insensitive and wrong-headed a way to look at the issue. It's not just that she put this in an inartful way, but that she would look at the issue in such a distorted fashion.