Clementi's Suicide and Dharun Ravi's Trial

Slang_Tang

You'll probably remember Tyler Clementi's suicide and the furore it created. Tyler Clementi committed suicide in 2010 after his roommate broadcast a video of him in a sexual encounter with another man. There was lots of discussion in the media about cyber-bullying, gay teens, and homophobia.

His roommate, Dharun Ravi, will shortly be starting his trial. I just wanted to post this article from the New Yorker, which made for really interesting reading. I think the central message is that Ravi's actions were motivated by immaturity rather than homophobia. Having said that, he comes across as smart, devious, manipulative, and doesn't seem to accept any responsibility for his actions.

The article is quite long but worth it I think. Article is here.

Dharun Ravi grew up in Plainsboro, New Jersey, in a large, modern house with wide expanses of wood flooring and a swimming pool out back. Assertive and athletic, he used “DHARUNISAWESOME” as a computer password and played on an Ultimate Frisbee team. At the time of his high-school graduation, in 2010, his parents bought space in the West Windsor and Plainsboro High School North yearbook. “Dear Dharun, It has been a pleasure watching you grow into a caring and responsible person,” the announcement said. “You are a wonderful son and brother. . . . Keep up your good work. Hold on to your dreams and always strive to achieve your goals. We know that you will succeed.”

Dwn Wth Vwls

The article confused me in that I don't understand why he committed suicide anymore. The incident was quite minor and limited, he was already out, he talked to friends and didn't seem hugely bothered by it. It just seems so out of the blue.

Pilotman

Can't wait for the article from one year into what I hope will be a LONG sentence. I'm tipping Dharun Ravi will have an entirely new perspective on homosexuality. Soon too! Roll on the trial.

baby and crumble

Pilotman wrote: »

Can't wait for the article from one year into what I hope will be a LONG sentence. I'm tipping Dharun Ravi will have an entirely new perspective on homosexuality. Soon too! Roll on the trial.

Can you clarify your point here? Sounds like you're equating prison rape with homosexuality, which is not the same thing. At all.

Pilotman

No clarification necessary, unless from you for "sounding like" you evidently subscribe to the stereotype of gays being precious and oversensitive. Dharun Ravi is yet to be tried, but Tyler Clementi will still be dead, no matter what the outcome. The Romans believed that the punishment should fit the crime, and if it transpires that homophobia played a part in compelling Ravi's college roommate to kill himself, then YES, I hope prison is hard for him. In the hardest possible way, as a matter of fact. Perhaps you view rape as the sole purview of the heterosexual? Perhaps you believe prison rape to be a solely sexless enterprise of brutality? Please clarify? No, wait. Please don't.

baby and crumble

Pilotman wrote: »

No clarification necessary, unless from you for "sounding like" you evidently subscribe to the stereotype of gays being precious and oversensitive. Dharun Ravi is yet to be tried, but Tyler Clementi will still be dead, no matter what the outcome. The Romans believed that the punishment should fit the crime, and if it transpires that homophobia played a part in compelling Ravi's college roommate to kill himself, then YES, I hope prison is hard for him. In the hardest possible way, as a matter of fact. Perhaps you view rape as the sole purview of the heterosexual? Perhaps you believe prison rape to be a solely sexless enterprise of brutality? Please clarify? No, wait. Please don't.

1) I am a lesbian, and we're generally never referred to as "precious" and "oversensitive".

2) I never said any such thing as rape is purely heterosexual, what a ridiculous thing to infer from my post.

2) We don't advocate rape as a punishment here, or violence of any kind. Take this as an on thread warning. Any more posts of this nature and you'll earn yourself a week ban.

Pilotman

Gosh!

So much bold type, baby and crumble!

"Sounds like" I hit a nerve. Well, I'm delighted to make your acquaintance and I really hope you and I can be good friends, life is too short after all, but you can't just slobber over your shortcomings with bold typeface and hope they go away unchallenged. To continue with your screwed up, all-in-bold numbering system.....

1. Congratulations on being a lesbian, there are few more fabulous things in the world, but if you haven't met any that are both precious and oversensitive in the extreme, then hon, you need to get out more.

2. What is truly ridiculous, baby, (may I call you baby?) is to infer that it "sounded like" I was...

equating prison rape with homosexuality, which is not the same thing. At all.

...in my recent offering on the subject of the very evil Mr. Ravi. Of course I was not. I was merely expanding on a growing sense of Shadenfreude that Dharun Ravi, a man accused of driving a poor little gay boy to KILL HIMSELF, (lets not forget that bit in our haste to give each other a good spanking) will probably find himself as a plaything for hairy, twenty-five stone, Mexican gangsters, or perhaps an ersatz girlfriend for equally large, but tattooed white supremasists, shortly after his trial later this month. Lamentable, perhaps, but a well known aspect of the American 'justice' system. Not my advocacy, you understand, merely a reflection of fact. Some might suggest such an outcome could be construed as poetic, even lyrical justice, given what he's accused of. I couldn't possibly comment. Your views would be very much appreciated though, in the interests of clarity.

It wasn't

a ridiculous thing

to infer confusion from your post, since statements out of context are rarely helpful and besides, your post is plainly guilty of wanton logical fallacy. You know the sort of thing; all tomatoes are red, this fire engine is red, therefore this fire engine is a tomato. Oh dear!

2.(my favourite number too)

We don't advocate rape as a punishment here, or violence of any kind.

Just so we're clear, neither do I, and it's naughty of you to think so. This is called projection and really quite snooty and hurtful of you. Bad girl!

4.

Take this as an on thread warning. Any more posts of this nature and you'll earn yourself a week ban.

Warning noted, though I'm plainly not guilty of what you accuse me, unlike the unfortunate Mr. Ravi. Just so I know for future reference, do you usually wield all that oestrogen-fuelled viciousness in so unrestrained a manner, or are you a benign and lovely, moderate lesbian moderator, well within the reach of reason, and one who knows, perhaps even reluctantly, that there are smarter people than youself that read and post herein?

5. Once again. Peace, baby. Bliss out. Lets be friends.

Pacifist Pigeon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3BRw_ihZRJI

Annasopra

pilotman banned for 1 week ban for Trolling