Choudhury Slams King's Article as Prejudiced and Irresponsible

Author: Andaleeb Choudhury

I find it hard to understand how someone, who, ostensibly, seems to be a perfectly normal, intelligent member of our College community could suddenly, one day, sit down and dash off an irresponsible, baseless and, worst of all, prejudiced article such as the one published in The Campus last week by Kevin King. When a writer expresses his opinions, I would assume that he has had the courtesy (not to the people he is bashing of course), but to his readers, at least, to check his facts. I would have thought that he would address a real issue of concern being presented by the topic he chose to address the posters crying rape on campus. I did not, however, expect a writer — no matter how opinionated — to spin a peculiar tale he created out of thin air to get air-time on a newspaper.

Before I am accused, in true King style, of being some man-bashing rally- attending feminist monster — not that there is anything wrong with being a man bashing rally- attending feminist monster (its a lifestyle choice, after all) — let me clearly state some facts. I am one of the many Middlebury Campus readers who read the paper now and then, looking forward, with interest in seeing how the student voice and opinion is shaping my living enviornment. I do not write heated articles to papers, frothing at the mouth at some imagined wrongdoing. I usually laugh with my friends over a cup of coffee at hot-headed writers who do so. But I have a conscience, and in all good conscience I have to say that Mr. King's article was offensive, ridiculous, and saddest of all, completely besides the point.

The posters that have since been removed from most public areas on campus did not bash men in Middlebury, they did not even bash men in general. No, I didn't put them up, and no, I dont know who did. I do know that Feminist Action at Middlebury (FAM) did not do so because, unlike Mr. King, I didn't assume things, I just went and asked them. I do know that they represented some deep pain and anger, and was the outcome of someone's horrific experience because again, unlike Mr. King, I bothered to read the whole of the poster and didn't go running to my laptop to accuse people of being mean to me again. And I know this: there are many girls on this campus who have had experiences with assault, with harrassment, and even, on several occasions, with rape. I have heard whispers, I have seen friends cry after a night out which went too far in spite of them saying no. I have not experienced it, thank God, but I know that there are those who carry anger and resentment within them because they simply cannot believe that they will be believed. I never thought like this, I always assumed, if this crime happens to me, or to someone I love, I will speak out and I will be heard and taken care of. However, after reading Mr. King's article, that is one belief that I am giving up on. I can't help but imagine what it was like for that unknown girl, that anonymous victim who tried so hard to get her voice heard, and whose cry for intervention became so grossly misintepreted.

It's a double whammy, Mr. King, to be raped, and then to be accused of victimizing others. It's double the heartache when some girl on this campus tried to be heard, no matter how controversial a platform she chose to do so, only to get shot down by an unfeeling, pointless diatribe against a community group. Rape is not something to be taken lightly; it relieves me, and many of my equally angered friends, that you say you take this issue as seriously as we do. Rape is a crime, an abomination of power, it's not about sex as much as its about control, and you, and the majority of men on Middlebury grounds will agree with me that only sick, perverted criminals choose rape as a means to establish themselves. But face it Mr King. We don't hate you, that anonymous girl doesn't hate you, each person who writes today angered by your thoughtless article doesn't hate you. You are not the issue, and thankfully, you never really are. But someone on this campus was raped. Someone is walking the halls of this College with that crime on his hands. And in spite of the false start that you provided to this dialogue, we, as the College community need to do something about it.