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Woman Studied Bobbitt Case Before Castrating Father
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theonlybirdleftintheaviary
09/22/09

In reply to Woman Studied Bobbitt Case Before Castrating Father
I am TOTALLY playing devil's advocate here, but, would the concensus still be the same (no feelings of sadness for the abusive parent) if the genders were switched?

If this was a young man who murdered his abusive mother, would it elicit the same feelings?
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whynotshesaid
09/22/09

@theonlybirdleftintheaviary: If a man killed his mom after she'd sexually abused him since the age of 3? Yes, I would still feel sympathetic toward him.

Sexual abuse will fuck a person up, regardless of the genders involved.
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bitchyspice
09/22/09

In reply to Woman Studied Bobbitt Case Before Castrating Father
My only concern is that an acquittal could have disastrous results for criminals or shady lawyers who see a get-out-of-jail-free-card. Kill a parent? He abused me! Look at all this evidence! I do sympathize with her circumstances, though; this just isn't a cut-and-dry issue of guilt or innocence, no matter how many fancy statutes or rules you apply to it.
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Hana Maru promoted this comment Edited by bitchyspice at 09/22/09 12:16 PM bitchyspice was starred bitchyspice was unstarred

Hana Maru
09/22/09

@bitchyspice: oh, come on. This is a very hard thing to prove in court, and even then, it's usually only a mitigating factor in sentencing.
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bitchyspice
09/22/09

@Hana Maru: And this is why I said could. I'm not entirely aware of all the ramifications, but if this did happen to work, it could be used by anyone who had been abused in any manner. A lot of it can be chalked up to worst-case-scenario, but sometimes, worst-case is the appropriate scenario.
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cirocco
09/22/09

@bitchyspice: You make it sound as though an abuse defense has never been used before in criminal law. The so-called "battered-women's defense" has been attempted in court, without much success, for almost two decades.
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bitchyspice
09/22/09

@cirocco: No, I get that, but the facts are a bit different than the battered-women cases I have read. I've actually been trying to do a little research on it, lol.
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CurtCole
09/22/09

In reply to Woman Studied Bobbitt Case Before Castrating Father

Bobbitt trumps hobbit any day.
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Edited by CurtCole at 09/22/09 11:55 AM CurtCole was starred CurtCole was unstarred

Penny
09/22/09

In reply to Woman Studied Bobbitt Case Before Castrating Father
The moral of this story? Fathers, don't abuse your daughters.
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marshmallory
09/22/09

@Penny: That sounds like a bad John Mayer parody just waiting to happen.
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Penny
09/22/09

@marshmallory: Ha! You're right. Oh god.....
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EdnasEdibles
09/22/09

In reply to Woman Studied Bobbitt Case Before Castrating Father
Yes, because it makes no sense to punish someone if they will just wind up all douchey and star in low-budget porn.
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LaComtesse
09/22/09

In reply to Woman Studied Bobbitt Case Before Castrating Father
I could never be on this woman's jury, because I recognize she's absolutely guilty in the eyes of the law: I would never in a million years bring that verdict upon her. EVER.

Then again, I'm against our current jury system and laws concerning the rights of abuse victims, so I don't see what system I'm really trying to protect. On second thought, how can I get on that jury...?
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Edited by LaComtesse at 09/22/09 11:50 AM LaComtesse was starred LaComtesse was unstarred

colormeroutine
09/22/09

@LaComtesse: I was thinking that, until I clicked over to the article and found out she did it in her own apartment, which he did not live in (or so it sounds according to the article), and had ordered the scalpal online specifically for the purpose. That made me reconsider....now I'm just perplexed
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queenjulie
09/22/09

@LaComtesse: I'm so with you. I know she's guilty, but I don't think I could punish her. I'd have the same problem ever punishing someone who killed their rapist, even if it was years after the rape had occurred. Of course, I might feel differently if our justice system actually ever punished rapists itself.
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GirlFailer
09/22/09

@colormeroutine: Well, he abused her since she was 3 years old. I'm sure he thought that out pretty carefully too. I still feel so sorry for her, no matter what she did. Bottom line, if he hadn't abused her since she was a child she would not have killed him. I can't place judgment on her.
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LaComtesse
09/22/09

@colormeroutine: Exactly. It was premediated--I don't care. I'm usually vehemently anti-vigilantism, but in a case like this or even more so in the Bobbit case my emotions get the better of me and I just think "The fucker had it coming."

Did the woman in question perform a monstrous act? Yes, but he created the monster. I can't imagine how badly your mind is fucked up when your own father does something so terrible to you since you were a BABY. How can we truly expect her to function rationally in any interpersonal relationship let alone where he is concerned?
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bitchyspice
09/22/09

@LaComtesse: That gets into some rough territory, though. How can we okay it for that particular person and situation and not okay it for someone else?

That being said, I don't think prison is the right option for her; I don't think she's a monster as much as she's victim of terrible circumstance. Rehabilitation for her could be some sort of in-house therapy/hospital program so she can heal to be a productive member of society; she won't get that in prison.
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colormeroutine promoted this comment bitchyspice was starred bitchyspice was unstarred

colormeroutine
09/22/09

@GirlFailer: I of course still feel sorry for her, and I don't think she deserves to go to prison (perhaps a mental health facility) I'm just not exactly ready to applaud her either, given those details
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TryScience
09/22/09

@LaComtesse: Isn't that why we have a jury system? So that the people currently living in the society set the level of punishment for the crime? It was meant to be flexible since the founding fathers were smart enough to realize that the crimes of 1776 might not be the crimes of 2009. Mores change.
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GirlFailer
09/22/09

@colormeroutine: I agree, I don't think she should be applauded, but she doesn't deserve prison. She needs help dealing with years of abuse, not a trial for the murder of a man who tortured he for years.
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NefariousNewt
09/22/09

@LaComtesse: He was, ultimately, the victim of his own abuse. It does not excuse what she did -- she could have taken the matter to the police, or sued him in civil court. But, as it says, "what you have you sown, you shall also reap." He reaped a bitter harvest, indeed.
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LaComtesse
09/22/09

@bitchyspice: As I said, it's not logical. It's how I feel. I depart from logic so infrequently, don't begrudge me this!

@eclare09: Fingers crossed.

@colormeroutine: Oh. Definitely not applauding her. I just don't feel horror over her crime.
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LaComtesse
09/22/09

@TryScience: Don't get me started on the jury system, we'll be here all day...
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bitchyspice
09/22/09

@LaComtesse: I don't begrudge you! I agree with how you feel because I feel similarly, but the law school, it makes the compassionate feelings go away, which is a bummer.
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Edited by bitchyspice at 09/22/09 12:15 PM bitchyspice was starred bitchyspice was unstarred

LaComtesse
09/22/09

@bitchyspice: I come from a family chock full of criminal defense attorneys: I feel you, girl.
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Cerridwen
09/22/09

@LaComtesse: I'm right there with you. This is the (very tragic) definition of chickens coming home to roost. I'm having trouble mustering much sympathy for the father but my heart hurts for that woman and what she must be going through.
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Red-headed bookworm
09/22/09

@colormeroutine: Still, I have a friend who was abused, not by her father but by a family friend. I love her dearly and the amount it messed her up, I would hurt the person if I ever met them and she hasn't been around them in years.
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Freddie DeBoer
09/22/09

In reply to Woman Studied Bobbitt Case Before Castrating Father
I thought castration meant cutting off the balls, not the wang doodle.
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o-line
09/22/09

@Freddie DeBoer: Correct. According to Wikipedia, penectomy is the proper term for removal of the penis. Which just sounds silly.
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Never_Nude
09/22/09

@o-line: "Penectomy" sounds like when someone steals a writing instrument from you.
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whynotshesaid
09/22/09

@Freddie DeBoer: Damn you for making me laugh about this.
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ArtfulSlinger
05/08/09

In reply to 10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week
Don't make fun of Tom, from #3. He is the opening comedian for the show for like 3 or 4 years and this is one of his first moments on TV. Also, I went to high school with him and he is VERY nice guy. So lets be nice here.
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haguenite
05/08/09

In reply to 10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week
Cannot. Resist. Temptation!

Here's a Tyra, there's a Tyra, and another little Tyra

fuzzy Tyra, funny Tyra, Tyra Tyra, boobs.

Tyra Tyra Bobbit Tyra KK View Rachael Ray Tyra

Tyra Tyra screencap Tyra

Tyra Tyra FUCK.
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EsmereldaFitzmonster
05/08/09

In reply to 10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week
As though iBoning was such a rare thing. Pssh.
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ErinGoBawl
05/08/09

In reply to 10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week
As a former prom queen I am highly insulted, and disappointed in you Tyra. How dare you? You don't know who I am, and what the hell I've been through!But I'm not a big headed-bitch, I learn from it. They were rooting for me, they were ALL rooting for me, and she's coming here rolling her eyes and acting like it didn't mean anything.Take responsibility for yourself, Tyra, and learn something from this.
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notheretomakefriends
05/09/09

@ErinGoBawl: Word.
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Yellowbelt
05/08/09

In reply to 10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week
What exactly is Barbara referencing? Sorry, I don't keep up with The View regularly!
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shnuguel
05/08/09

@Yellowbelt: yeah, I wish someone would answer that...
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thecameralovesyou
05/08/09

@shnuguel: She was talking about JOn & Kate plus 8 and his alleged affair. She was saying sometimes husbands stop being attracted to their wives after they've had babies.

Aren't you glad you now know?

It was totally awkward, with a pregnant Elisabeth sitting beside her. And you know... because of the comment itself.
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Laura Enriquez
05/08/09

@thecameralovesyou: I have a theory that Babs hates Elisabeth.

This incident doesn't disprove this theory because she didn't say ALL husbands lose interest in their wives after kids just SOME. So, she totally could have said that then made some aside that Elisabeth's husband wasn't like that or let her say that, but instead she made it even more awkward by staring at her and being all pointed.
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thecameralovesyou
05/08/09

@Laura Enriquez: I sometimes agree with you but I don't see how anyone could hate elisabeth and not yell at her all the time. Speaking from what I know I would be like if I were on that show. I wouldn't be able to hold in my hatres. So props to babs for her self control.
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ladyjaye75
05/08/09

In reply to 10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week
heh, the Trekkie... surprised he's not all geared up in Starfleet uniform! And yes, he reinforces the stereotypes indeed! I loved Whoopi in TNG as well, but I wouldn't start enumerating how many decks there are in that version of the Enterprise (not that I'd know anyway)!
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BabyJane
05/08/09

@ladyjaye75: I am embarrassed to admit that I saw this today. He and Leonard Nimoy gave each other the Vulcan salute for what seemed like an eternity. I couldn't look away, although I desperately wanted to.

It serves me right for watching The View on a day off.
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stoprobbers
05/08/09

In reply to 10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week
The boy just walked behind me as I was watching the Today show clip. He asked, "What the hell is this?" to which I answered, "The drunk hour of Today."
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jeepgirl
05/08/09

@stoprobbers: That is THE perfect description of it!
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AthertonMerriweather
05/08/09

In reply to 10 Things You May Have Missed On TV This Week
Kim and I need to talk. It's Friday and I don't fit into my damn jeans!!!!
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