Friday, October 24, 2008

Oppressions

I have refrained from really writing about the "Duke Lacrosse" case here.  I'm not directly involved in the case, I don't know anyone who is directly involved in the case, and there has been so much conflicting information in the media that it is hard to judge for myself.  

When the case was "happening" my source of information was largely the NY Times.  I've heard it discussed, and I know people in that region of the world and from time to time hear their opinions.  (By the way, you North Carolina Voters, I understand that your attorney general is using the Duke case in his re-election ads . . . which if nothing else seems in bad taste and likely to convince victims in your state that the state is unfriendly, uncaring, and not really all that nice to victims.  But, that's just my take.)

Today, we in the office watched via the internet a press conference held sometime within the past week to announce the publication of a book by the young woman in the center of the case.  I was most impressed by a professor from NC A&T University who spoke rather elegantly about the case.  

Her statements were the perfect springboard to a discussion about the intersectionality of oppressions and sexual violence.  This case isn't just about rape.  Or gender.  Or race.  Or privilege.  Or social class.  This case is about ALL OF THOSE things, and probably a few more.  

Would it be too simple to say that perhaps what really went wrong with this case, beyond the obvious, was that it challenged too many of our socially held notions and the system overheated and blew up?

Maybe the long shot of this case will be that we start working towards a meaningful conversation about the many oppressions at play in our society.

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