Labour MP Jess Phillips repeatedly threatened with not being raped

originally posted by: seeker1963

originally posted by: SprocketUK
Makes me wonder when rape stopped being such a bad thing.
I remember when I was a kid, about 14 or so, word got round that some lad at school had raped a girl. Up to that point he was moderately popular.

When he came back from borstal or wherever he'd been a couple of years later none of us had anything to do with him. He was completely cut off from everyone and after one beating too many he left town.

Yet now people toss the word and the threat around as if it's nothing...

Ever get into gaming? "You got raped!", "I so raped that dude!". The word has a whole new slang meaning now. Then you look at what 3rd wave feminism has done to the use of the word "Rape". They have and still do use the term inappropriately to describe actions of men. If a man looks at a feminist wrong, it is rape in their twisted view of their hatred toward men.

Look at the word "racist" for example. Same thing. Using the word maliciously to attack someone for saying something not racist at all, but because of that, the word has done more too harm those legitimately of racist attacks than help them.

"The Boy Who Cried Wolf" story comes to mind.....

Good point, but even I can tell the difference between the gamer type reference and the sexual violence version of the use of the word.

Context is everything and no one with a brain would give odds on those blokes talking about a game of COD with her.


The other point you made has some validity I think and you put it over well.

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

No. I thought that was quite a reasonable response.

Did my language trigger you?

a reply to: rockintitz

Hm, when someone tells a another member to log off and reevaluate themselves, it comes across as angry.

I think one of us has been 'triggered'. : )

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

I wasn't talking about you. Unless you really can't handle random comments on the internet.

If so then, yes, I suppose I was.

ladyinwaiting:

Oh my.

Oh. That's annoying. If I'm wrong, as a writer and a scholar, you can put me right, I'm willing to concede where I am wrong , and adapt my thinking. That is the best way that I can empower you, not over me, but with respect as an equal. I don't need to be emasculated, simply because I am male, to treat a lady with equal respect. To me, your mind will be far more attractive than your gender. If the mind is expressed right, the rest follows under its own natural compunction.

a reply to: monkofmimir
I can figure how the lady had to have a titter at international men's day as being something to be discussed in the political arena, she was in fact, being sarcastic since international woman's day is as very much in the political arena, as elsewhere, and it was bound to have some repost. I don't agree with the repost, but neither do I agree with her opening her gub in the first place. So in fact, she was laughing at something that is not really funny.
However a germane repost could be funny, something that Churchill is supposed to have said to a lady MP at one time, comes really close to the subject here, and would be funny if he did actually have said it.

a reply to: rockintitz

Calm your tits, titz.

Rape is not funny.
Rape isn't "a joke".

are we supposed to applaud these guys for stating they don't want to rape her?

just how low has the bar being set?

this dosent hide the fact, these same people make rape threats whenever they feel belittled.

originally posted by: elysiumfire
ladyinwaiting:

Oh my.

Oh. That's annoying. If I'm wrong, as a writer and a scholar, you can put me right, I'm willing to concede where I am wrong , and adapt my thinking. That is the best way that I can empower you, not over me, but with respect as an equal. I don't need to be emasculated, simply because I am male, to treat a lady with equal respect. To me, your mind will be far more attractive than your gender. If the mind is expressed right, the rest follows under its own natural compunction.

I suppose that response was unfair of me. Sorry. I will go read that post again... be back.

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

Very well put.

a reply to: Hazardous1408

See when you say things like that you're putting to much power into the words.

And when you do that there will undoubtedly be a response from people that just want to push your buttons.

Btw the joke was about the opposite of rape lol.

Shrug it off and grow a pair.

originally posted by: rockintitz
a reply to: Hazardous1408

See when you say things like that you're putting to much power into the words.

And when you do that there will undoubtedly be a response from people that just want to push your buttons.

Btw the joke was about the opposite of rape lol.

Shrug it off and grow a pair.

As has been pointed out numerous times, the imagery that this "opposite of rape" conjours up is the power play behind the words.


Sorry but if this was your mother or sister I'm quite sure you wouldn't be telling me to grow a pair.

a reply to: Hazardous1408

The "imagery." Gotcha. So is it not acceptable to use the word rape at all because of the imagery it might conjure in someone's mind?

Idk what point you're trying to make here.

And yes, anyone who gets there feelings hurt by random internet trolls does in fact need to grow a pair.

a reply to: elysiumfire

What we can and should achieve is equality in society, but not at the emasculation of one gender for the emancipation of the other, that hurts society and the feminist's agenda. So-called militant feminists don't want equality in society, they want empowerment over the male in society. That's a very dangerous goal.

This is what I took issue with. When most of us - American women, "feminists', talk about equality, we mean equality in the work place. Fair treatment, equal pay, equal opportunity for advancement, allowance for time off for childbirth, etc.

I am unaware of large groups of women who want power over men in society, or who want men to be emasculated. I know I don't. I think most of us appreciate the differences between men and women, and wanting equal pay and equal status at the workplace is not "dangerous".

Now, I say "American women", because that is all I can address. I've read about some other feminists groups in other countries who seem to be taking this to the next level, such as Swedish women telling men "if you see me being raped, don't save me!" To me that is a ticket on the crazy train.

If you see me getting raped Help! Help! Rescue me and I would love you for it. So to me, and maybe I am overly simplifying this.. the primary 'agenda' is in regards to the workplace, not to obtain world domination over men, or emasculate them.

So, my thoughts were you got a bit carried away in your assessment of things, making the 'agenda' appear sinister, and designed to diminish men.

Thus the 'oh my".

a reply to: rockintitz

I disagree with harassing women, it's something I happen to be averse to as a grown #ing man.

I never said it hurt my feelings.


Can you not debate without low common denominator ad hominem bull#.

originally posted by: EllisColin
We as a society are too thin skined and are unable to withstand any insults or criticisims. Yes, of course its not nice and of course we know he was most likely commenting on her attractiveness. So what? People say mean things all the time.

If your overweight someone who wants to hurt you will call you fat.
If your gay someone who wants to hurt you will call you fag.
If you have a big nose someone will call you a bird.

The only way to stop the volintary use of the language would be to stop the intent, but that would mean people would have to stop wanting to hirt eachother. Realistically that is not going to happen, so your only other option is to censor people and that just causes more ill feelings at the oppression.

Just grow a spine and refuse to flop on your back and wave your feel sorry for me flag. Stand up straight and tall, refuse to give the aggresor what he or she wants. dont let it hurt you and it is no longer a weapon. Let it roll off your back and act like nothing happend. Life is not always easy and life is not always kind, which is why you should be prepared to hear something you dont like and still be able to move on.

Good post! Not sure why it has been ignored so far....perhaps people would rather go through life with their panties in a wad feeling offended at everything?

a reply to: Hazardous1408

I disagree with harassing women, it's something I happen to be averse to as a grown #ing man. 

Heh. Equality right?

I never said it hurt my feelings. 

And I wasn't talking about you.

Can you not debate without low common denominator ad hominem bull#.

I took the cue from you. To talk about rape is only acceptable if it's in a context you deem appropriate right?

What happens when someone disagrees with that?

Why not just delete the word from the dictionary and be done with it.

a reply to: rockintitz

Heh. Equality right?

What does that even mean?

And I wasn't talking about you.

You told me to grow a pair.

You then emphasised that point a second time but talking about hurt feelings.

I took the cue from you.

No you really didn't.

To talk about rape is only acceptable if it's in a context you deem appropriate right?

That's a Strawman I never once said that.

What happens when someone disagrees with that?

Then we disagree.

Why not just delete the word from the dictionary and be done with it.

Never said that either.

I figured I'd put in my point of view on this.

I think Sargon's actions were counterproductive and needlessly antagonistic, by phrasing it as "I wouldn't even rape you" it was obvious that it would be seen as antagonistic. The fact that his followers aped him isn't his fault although I think it would have been wiser of him to dissuade them.

Jess isn't completely without fault however as her approach towards proselytizing her world views is also antagonistic and her approach to handling it through the media will only serve to galvanize both sides.

I'm also opposed to the medias handling of the issue because many outlets are reporting this as rape threats which is the literal opposite of what is happening.

Basically I think all sides are at fault on this issue.

Sargon needs to stop needlessly baiting people.

Sargon's followers need to realize that one person sending one rude message might be funny or OK but if they all do it its starting to cross a line into bullying.

Jess needs to grow a thicker skin and re-evaluate how she approaches these online issues.

The media need to actually bother to cover stories properly instead of simplifying them to the point that they're wildly misleading.

Unfortunately I doubt any of them will learn anything from this.

Ladyinwaiting:

This is what I took issue with. When most of us - American women, "feminists', talk about equality, we mean equality in the work place. Fair treatment, equal pay, equal opportunity for advancement, allowance for time off for childbirth, etc.

Thanks for the reply. We are actually on the same page, and singing from the same song sheet. I stated in an earlier post...

What we can and should achieve is equality in society...

...which is shorthand for what you are saying.

I grew up in an 'absent father' home, so my perspective on society comes from a view seen through the struggles my mother (and many other women like her) had to contend with daily. We were impoverished for many years, but she did what she could, how she could, and remained honest throughout. She put her whole raison d'etre into the raising of three sons on her own. She was a smart, intelligent women, with an inner strength and tenacity she needed to have as she lived a life that would have made many men weep. She was married twice, and lived with one, and all three were selfish losers and products of their time, who did not balk at using their fists on her, but she gave as good as she got. She was an immense fighter, often to her detriment. She was the best mentor any son could wish for, and instilled in her sons (by example) an all-round common sense approach to life based on honesty, integrity, and respect of others. She died in 2012 of lymphatic cancer, and I and my younger brother were with her when she passed away, our older brother wasn't, he turned out like his father, a total dick head, and ruined two of his own marriages.

Now, perhaps, you can understand where I an coming from? I perceive and relate to others on merit, regardless of gender. Women should be equal as persons in society. If they do the same job as a man, they should get paid the same...and so on. However, I don't believe women should be elevated above men, that is just taking things from one wrong end of the spectrum (oppression of women) to the other wrong end of the spectrum (the emasculation - mostly psychological) of men. It is the middle ground we need to be in. We're supposed to be an equal society, so women should be treated equally.

There are feminists who do seek an empowerment in society above that of men, politically and sexually. There are many misandrists amongst women, just as there is much misogyny amongst men, and they are both dangerously damaging to society.