I came here hoping this would be a safe place to talk about Amanda Knox.

[pnwmom]

Last edited Sun Feb 2, 2014, 02:21 PM - Edit history (1)

Even though I know not everyone will agree with me about her innocence, I trust that everyone here will have noticed the blatant sexism surrounding her prosecution in Italy, and her treatment in much of the European media.

About a month ago, a poster joined DU, and over the last few days he's been putting up OP after OP with info from Amanda Knox hate sites -- sites like True Justice and Perugia Murder File -- that rose up during the time the first prosecutor was screaming about Satanic cults and another attorney was calling her "Luciferina" in court. Is there any way to stop Fred Sanders from spreading this shit? Would DU ever ban posts from sites like this, that aren't political sites?

Or are we just stuck having to fight each separate post as more and more of these creeps invade DU with their hate? They're all over the web. I've felt lucky they were never here, until now.

As I said, I understand that it is possible for thoughtful people to disagree. But these aren't thoughtful people; they're vicious.

[Evergreen Emerald]

1. Sexism is rampant on DU

You need look no further than the vitriol against Hillary Clinton.

[Scootaloo]

3. One doesn't even need to look that far

Click on a thread with the name "Woody Allen" in the title.

[cinnabonbon]

8. You should only do it

if you have a strong stomach. That post was completely horrible.

[pnwmom]

4. That's why I decided to ask the question in this group. Maybe someone will know the answer

but at least no one will attack me for asking it.

[bravenak]

2. And some people are obsessed with her like she offended them personally.

And I don't like seeing her called 'sex fiend extraordinaire'. I don't even know what that is, I could be one and not even know it.

[Squinch]

11. It's an old, old, old attitude that likes to portray certain

women as Jezebels and "leaders into sin." It allows the abdication of responsibility, and it allows for the expression of the fear that some feel about women in general.


"I could be one and not even know it." Here's hoping you are, because of course, sex fiend-ery is great fun.

[murielm99]

5. General Discussion can be a minefield

no matter what the topic. And that is just the regulars, not the new people who join simply to harp on one topic.

I was astonished by the people I had never seen before, who joined only to defend the FLDS creeps and their disgusting leader. None of them are here now, but if the FLDS ever becomes news again, they will be back. We had people who defended Zimmerman, too, but that seems to have been quashed early on.

I can't make up my mind about Amanda Knox, but I will try to listen to all sane viewpoints. Good luck!

[pnwmom]

7. If you're ever looking for more information, here is a site that tries to show both sides of the

argument, although it is definitely pro-Amanda.

Many of her supporters started out thinking she was guilty because of the media coverage. We had to pick our way through a lot of garbage to figure out where the truth lies.

www.murderofmeredithkercher.com

(there is a site with the same name except beginning with the word "the." That's a hate site.)

[JoeyT]

6. I think we're stuck.

While I can't say with 100% certainty she's innocent, I think she is, and even if I didn't the trial itself has become enough of a crazy mess that in any system that even pretends to be a just one I think she should walk. Once the evidence is corrupted and the prosecutors are shown to be trying to railroad someone, that really ought to be the end of it.

Even if she confessed tomorrow to not only this crime, but to everything from being on the grassy knoll to running moonshine, the amount of vitriol directed at her gender would be absolutely unacceptable. You don't use gender based insults against women unless you were already itching to use them and think you've found a way to do it without being called out for it.

[Violet_Crumble]

9. Using a protected group to call out another DUer is wrong...

Sorry, but if you want to talk about the case from a feminist perspective, that's one thing. That's something I'd be interested in reading. But the vast bulk of that post is calling out another DUer you don't like and it's wrong to drag that drama into this group.

Maybe you should consider editing the post or self-deleting it, because it's really not a good look...

[Gothmog]

10. The material posted by Sanders is weak

As a father of two bright daughter who are the same approximate age as Knox, I have been interested in this case. I am also a lawyer and so I am interested in the legal aspects. The material posted by Sanders has been weak. I really do not think that this evidence would get to a US jury it survive a motion to dismiss.

I have not been impressed with the material and facts posted by Sanders. These "facts" are weak. I stand behind my views on this evidence and my belief that Knox's rights were violated. I am also convinced that the Italian justice system is a joke. I have read the "facts" presented by Sanders and tHese material have not changed my opinion

[Gormy Cuss]

12. Please take your question to the MIR team

Last edited Mon Feb 3, 2014, 11:29 AM - Edit history (2)

The poster is, AFAIK, beyond their purview but it's worth a shot. Send a PM to someone who you trust on the newly selected team.

Also consider bringing it to Skinner in ATA. It's a valid question.

[Violet_Crumble]

14. I'm on MIRT and I can tell you what I'd say to that question...

I'm assuming the question is where they used this group to call out another DUer in this bit?

Is there any way to stop (removed name, but it's there in the OP if anyone wants to see who was being called out) from spreading this shit? Would DU ever ban posts from sites like this, that aren't political sites?

I can't speak on behalf of everyone on MIRT, but my answers are:

1. No. Mainly because at DU people aren't stopped from voicing opinions just because another DUer disagrees with them. Unless the opinion is a right-wing one, or racist, or bigoted against Jews or the LGBT community, then that's a different matter...

2. I'd expect the answer from Skinner would be no, because a DU where we're not allowed to post links to sites that aren't political would be a very boring DU. I'd no longer be able to post pics of Eddie Vedder, or cute Spoon clips from YouTube (which I'm going to do at the end of this post). If we're talking only about non-political sites someone dislikes because the site doesn't share their opinion, that'd open up a can of worms, as a long line would form of DUers demanding every non-political site they don't like be banned. And think of the fighting that would ensue when someone demanded a non-political site another DUer loved was banned. Or fights over the grey area between political and non-political. GD would be turned into a barren wasteland of scorched earth and cyber-corpses slumped over their smouldering keyboards. It'd be ugly for us four or five survivors...

Just an aside here, but I strongly suspect the word 'hate site' being given a fair flogging in this thread is being applied incorrectly. A hate site isn't a site someone personally hates. Hate sites are run by hate groups and the primary purpose of those groups is to incite and foster hatred and sometimes violence against minority groups based on their religion, sexual orientation, and ethnicity. The Southern Poverty Law Centre has a good, but not exhaustive list of active hate groups (hate groups being the folk who run hate sites like Stormfront), and their definition of a hate group is: "... have beliefs or practices that attack or malign an entire class of people, typically for their immutable characteristics." I couldn't find the entire list on one page on the SPLC site, but this Wiki page has the whole sorry lot of them on one page...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_organizations_designated_by_the_Southern_Poverty_Law_Center_as_hate_groups



And now for a keepon dancing to a Spoon song that I desk-dance to every day at work!! Turn those speakers up, people, coz I have shit hot taste in music!

[seaglass]

15. I agree that MIRT would be pretty useless in this situation and for more than you've noted but this

poster has been a member for 6 weeks with 3 hidden posts already so it is appropriate to bring it to the Admin's attention. My personal feeling, if the hides are legitimate, is that DU doesn't need more posters who can't be civil and can't get along with others.

[Gormy Cuss]

16. Please remove the DUer's name from your post quote.

Thanks.

[Violet_Crumble]

17. I did, but it's sitting right there in the OP....

I hope the person who posted that has been asked to remove it...

[Gormy Cuss]

18. OP removed it on Sunday.

Or removed it as much as one can by using edit.

[Lunacee_2013]

13. I have noticed that a couple of

the usual suspects act like she's guilty because she's a young white woman. It's like a knee jerk reaction to how young white females usually get treated by the media, but neither way ir right.

I have no idea if she's guilty or not (I'm thinking not), but some of the posts here about her are definitely over the top and probably sexist.