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Whatever
A 20-year-old woman who was robbed at an ATM in Bloomfield was also maimed by her attacker, police said. ... [T]he robber took $60 from the woman, then became angry when he saw a McCain bumper sticker on the victim's car. The attacker then punched and kicked the victim, before using the knife to scratch the letter "B" into her face....
Added: More here, including a photograph. See this story on CNN, anyone? No? How about in the New York Times... No? Well, to be fair, they're far too busy - there was a McCain rally somewhere and someone might have suggested Obama was palling around with terrorists, and there's stories about Sarah Palin's clothes to write... They're just swamped. Actually, that isn't fair; it's not that the media isn't interested in the story, the Obama campaign just haven't told them how they'd like it covered yet.
And: looks like it was a hoax. But two things to say: that doesn't vitiate the media's failure to cover it before (they will certainly do so now, because whereas before it might have reflected badly on Obama and will now be made to reflect badly on McCain), and I would maintain that the immediate chorus of doubt was an inappropriate reaction. What is incredible here is that someone would fake it, not the original story.
More: When a woman says she's been attacked, my assumption - ceteris paribus, and absent good reason to think otherwise - will be that her story is true. That is not something for which I will apologize. The information available prior to her admission of making it up did not, in my view, rise to a level to rebut that assumption.
I am not saying that we should necessarily believe every sob story, but that we should proceed on the assumption that the allegations are true, lest insult be added to injury. I fear and reject - and my response yesterday and this morning was shaped by this view - the fostering of an environment where women who were attacked might fear to come forward because they will be subjected to a barrage of scorn and doubt.
Taking this seriously was, in my view, the right thing to do. There were two ways to treat any story of this kind: to assume, ab initio, that she was telling the truth until contrary evidence emerged, and behave accordingly, or to do the the opposite. If the former path is taken, and the story later falsified, quite obviously there is time enough to criticize the hoaxer. If the latter path is taken but the story later found to be true, it is too late to undo the hurt and damage that the initial skepticism and scorn had done to the victim and to other victims who might rightly fear the same treatment. To my mind, the former was the better way to proceed.
I understand that some felt that all was not equal, and the evidence did suffice to rebut the presumption in this woman's favor. I disagreed then, and on review, disagree now. Better to risk no harm and be wrong than to risk great harm on the hope that one is right.
Our RSS feed
1) I hope the "B" doesn't
1) I hope the "B" doesn't scar.
2) She's a very pretty girl imo!
*Yes, really, Simon's wife. Envy or pity me. ;)
It's a hoax. The scar was
It's a hoax.
The scar was not made by a knife. And it's a mirror image. So either the robber was remarkably careful with his blade and dyslexic, or it's a hoax.
Update by Pat: Michael's post was originally removed because at the time he posted it, there was insufficient evidence to determine whether the young woman was lying or not. A comment to the effect that there were inconsistencies would have been fine. When it turned out to in fact be a hoax, I decided it was appropriate to show for the record that Michael accurately predicted what subsequently turned out to be the case... however unsupported by the evidence it was at the time he made the comment.
First off, let me say that this is an unspeakable crime, and the
thug who did this ought to face justice. I did hear about this on MSNBC of all places, as well as on CNN, and Fox, so you can't really call it a media blackout at this point.
UPDATE: Clear-headed wisdom for Ed Morrisey:
"In the world you will find tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
We shall see, won't we?
All well and good, but can anyone deny the likely reation of media if the letter was M or P? They would have a great time forcing McCain to apologize. After all, Obama claimed a McCain fan said "kill Obama" at a rally. No such thing happened as the FBI has concluded. I know the kind of things uttered at Bush, Cheney and of late McCain and Palin, by some Obama supporters. I doubt however, if these thugs are going to vote. Then again, I hear some cons ACORN has signed up say they're voting for Obama....LOL
There is a lot strange about
There is a lot strange about this one. Even Michelle Malkin thinks it seems a little odd. I will be curious to see how this pans out.
PS I noticed another Jim M in the comments there with a pretty stupid statement. Not the same one as me.
Just saw that over at Althouse. I agree that there is something
suspicious going on here, but I'm not jumping to conclusions until the facts are out. Either way, it's not a good thing.
"In the world you will find tribulation, but be of good cheer, for I have overcome the world."
John 16:33
It reminds me of people on
It reminds me of people on forums who give their opinion on whether a certain photo is photoshopped or not. Its believable as true, her body could have been facing away from him and it could have been a key and not a knife like she says. 'B' could be some gang thing.
I don't know why its a story. We'll find out sooner or later if it was faked, I think.
Unbelievable
"Unbelievable" sums it up. I remember a celebrity's attempt to regain his fame by claiming an attack by Nazis in an airport bathroom. "They" drew a swastika on his forehead - backward, just like you might do looking in a mirror. Notice the victim's "B" is also backward.
That guy daubed paint on his
That guy daubed paint on his face. To believe this is a hoax, you have to believe that a 20 year old girl cut on her own face, and I know plenty of people are willing to go along with that, but I think it's too crazy to be the most plausible.
"When someone says their heart needs lifting, don't ask how come, ask how high."
Is it too crazy? This
Is it too crazy? This article seems to have some interesting information:
EDIT: Ok, it seems the article changed from the time I did the cut and paste. The last part is no longer in the story. it now says:
The fish smell is really starting to pick up.
Edit #2: I think we have a dead fish
From KDKA in Pittsburgh:
Maybe it is...
...this wouldn't be the first time someone "victimized" themselves in a bid for attention. It seems to be particularly prevelant among college age adults.
So, I'm waiting until it is confirmed by the police.
Everyone acting like a CSI wannabes made me sick.
Barry from cynical nation had it right - it should have stuck as a local issue. And my opinion still stands. Too many people were dismissive of this crime, which doesn't make them look perceptive, but hateful and arrogant. And they still do look that way to me. Everyone acting like a CSI wannabes made me sick.
I said it all last night, Innocent until proven guilty - both parties, accuser and accused.
And I agree that if this was a black woman Obama fan who claimed a white man who was McCain fan did this to her, they would not have dealt with a polygraph test. Too un-PC. It would have been Duke Redux.
Still if the media wants to rub this in McCain's face, let them. I think they may be in for a hella surprize come the 4th. No one likes bullies or jerks, which seem to consist of too many Obama fans (with the exception of Rafique and my mother. ) And to be honest, this tempts me to vote for McCain even more so. Tempts.
Rachel
I brew the beer I drink
Not sure if this was directed at me or not...
...but I didnt think I was CSI'ing much of anything. I said wait for the police.
It wasn't to you or anyone on SN
It was for those people on the other various websites. Their claims of knowing how this crime was committed was ridiculous. You said exactly what I hoped most people should have said without argument- wait for the police.
Rachel
I brew the beer I drink
Oh ok
...thanks Rachel.
No, it didn't look right at
No, it didn't look right at first glance. Real violence is generally messier, and a lack of corroborating witnesses means insta-doubt and higher burden-of-proof to an old cynic. But I must say....
Had this turned out to be true, all it would have proved is that there are some real freakin' nutburgers running around out there.
Now that it's been exposed as a hoax, all it proves is that there are some real freakin' nutburgers running around out there.
Those who jumped on it from either side before serious investigation occured need to examine both their motivations and their standards of proof.
Thank you, Tully
Those who jumped on it from either side before serious investigation occured need to examine both their motivations and their standards of proof.
Thank you Tully.
Rachel
I brew the beer I drink
is that the nutburger rule?
Is that the nutburger rule? :-)
I wish more folks would apply the nutburger rule. I have so little patience for the kinds of "this just goes to show " reasoning that such incidents cause.
There are more deranged folks out there than most of us wish to acknowledge. It ranges from petty obsessions and dissociative behavior right on up to those who are barely in touch with what passes for reality. And don't forget this when it comes to vetting folks with Bush derangement or Obama derangement or whatever. Sure, some of those folks are deranged because of Obama or Bush. But some of them were already deranged and just needed something to focus their twisted minds on.
__________
I have often said, and oftener think, that this world is a comedy for those who think, and a tragedy for those who feel. -Horace Walpole
Our family standing joke for many years
"The first thing to do in a _________________ (crisis, accident, incident) is assign blame"
Corrolary (or follow up rule)
"Only then can we figure out what really happened"
Chris
You're quite an optimist...
It ranges from petty obsessions and dissociative behavior right on up to those who are barely in touch with what passes for reality.
I think you're overcautious with that upper boundary. :-)
Quite right. That's why I
Quite right. That's why I titled my response "we shall see, won't we?". Media is so craped out these days, one ought to apply the nutberger rule all the time. I remember when Obama claimed at the last debate that someone at a McCain rally cried out to murder Obama. Well, after the FBI investigated, not a single witness surface.
one ought to apply the
one ought to apply the nutberger rule all the time
I do. It's one of the membership requirements to become a card-carrying cynic. :-)
I hear you Tully
I hear you Tully. Just a note. Boy did the media run with the story about the hoax tonight. Seems stuff like this is a pathology of the Right...LOL. And of course, the spin is based on racist assumptions about those who oppose Obama. Citizen of the year Ayers and racist Republicans characterized by this unbalanced woman above. I have to agree with Theo in the open thread. The next four years will be an intense and ugly struggle for 2010 and 2012. We ain't seen nuttin yet.