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Mark Winegardner on the Alabama teabagger and LSU victim in ESPN the Mag

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Double Down, Nov 15, 2012.

  1. Doc Holliday

    Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

    What a mess. I honestly can't believe that ever happened considering that every citizen in American is now armed with a cellphone that takes video.

    Always remember, somebody is watching you.
     
  2. BillyT

    BillyT Active Member

    Or a sexual assault, depending on how you look at it.
     
  3. Mark2010

    Mark2010 Active Member

    The whole debate in an incident like this just illustrates what goes on nearly every day in our legal system. The difference between a slap on the wrist misdemeanor and a major felony is often a judgment call.
     
  4. Doc Holliday

    Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

    As for the article, it was interesting and entertaining, but I wouldn't say this is great writing. The story kind of told itself.

    There was some good background and some good homework done, but in all honesty, this was just a shallow piece with not a lot of meat to it. Developing the victim's side was done well but it left me wondering more about him. I thought there were several missing pieces to his angle of the story.

    If you guys think this is great writing, you haven't ever read great writing then.
     
  5. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Well, considering that neither one of them REMEMBERS the incident, I'm guessing they weren't really considering the consequences. I'm in the camp that thinks Downing got the right sentence. I don't think he should have to register as a sex offender, but he deserved punishment for doing that, no matter how drunk he was.

    Have to agree with Doc that this wasn't a great story. An interesting read, but it pretty much wrote itself. From the headline, I assumed that at the end they would meet again and Downing could apologize. It bothered me that Downing said he never thought of the victim, but I guess it doesn't surprise me. His life was turned upside down by his stupidity, and he lost his job, so he had other things to worry about. But I would think I would at some point try to apologize for what I did.
     
  6. Doc Holliday

    Doc Holliday Well-Known Member

    You're so right ... that's another element that was missing.

    I fully expected an apology and that part of the story just came up empty. The writer didn't even approach it. He could have at least pointed out that he had apologized or didn't think an apology was necessary. Instead, he steered clear except to say he was too busy to think about the other guy. All of that left me wondering what the hell and if the guy was even remorseful at all. It didn't really indicate one way or the other.

    That's just not very good writing in my opinion, definitely not great.
     
  7. Norrin Radd

    Norrin Radd New Member

    As a reader, I would have perceived any expressed remorse as contrived.
     
  8. BDC99

    BDC99 Well-Known Member

    Why? He SHOULD be remorseful if he is the guy his wife thinks he is. But all he cares about is his family and his job. That's a lot to be concerned about. But if you put your ballsack on a guy's face in a drunken stupor so bad you can't recall it, and go to jail for it, don't you at least THINK about the other guy?
     
  9. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    I have no sympathy for the nasty motherfucker. None whatsoever.
     
  10. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    Prison is a waste of time and taxpayer money. Given that they both were drunk off their asses in public, both should have to admit what they did was embarrassingly wrong before a live audience on a Dr. Phil broadcast; the teabagger then has to apolgize sincerely to the victim, who accepts it with dignity; the victim then gets to punch the teabagger in the stomach as hard as he can; and then everyone goes home and it's over, except for a stiff fine of, say, $2,000 for the teabagger. He lost his job, too. Ten months of hard time is too harsh.

    But the guy damn sure should have apologized when he had the chance.
     
  11. Drip

    Drip Active Member

    Bullshit.
     
  12. Riptide

    Riptide Well-Known Member

    Don't let it happen to you, Drippy. The line would stretch around the block.
     
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