Feminist Susan Faludi, of all people, debunked one of the great false rape claims of modern times in "The Terror Dream: Myth and Misogyny in an Insecure America." According to Faludi, in Rick Bragg's book about Jessica Lynch, "I Am a Soldier, Too: The Jessica Lynch Story,"Bragg states: "The records also show that she was a victim of anal sexual assault."
According to Faludi, however, "Lynch had no such memory of . . . any . . . aspect of this alleged ordeal."
In Faludi's words at page 249: "'I didn't remember any sexual assault,' she told me. I still don't, to this day. I haven't had any flashback or memory of it or anything.' . . . . Lynch was adamantly opposed to including the rape claim in the book. 'I definitely did not want that in there,' she told me. But, she said, Bragg eventually wore her down. 'He told me that people need to know that this can happen to women soldiers.'" Among other things, Faludi quotes the first doctor to examine Lynch after her rescue: "There is no way she could have been raped." (Page 250.)
Faludi notes that the press jumped on the alleged rape claim as gospel truth. Her point, of course, is to "prove" that our culture is misogynistic because we fabricate a false rape claim simply to buttress the myth of the helpless damsel in need of men, and so on and so forth. You know that shtick.
It is well that Ms. Faludi debunked this false rape claim, but, of course, she drew exactly the wrong conclusion from it. It isn't a misogynistic culture that creates false rape claims, Ms. Faludi. It is a misandric culture. We invite you to spend several days reviewing the true life accounts of false rape claims on this website, and the objective, scholarly pieces we link to. They demonstrate that the problem of false rape claims is caused by the women who make them, and the radical feminists who foment a false rape culture that enables and gives instant credibility to every claim of rape, no matter how far-fetched or false it may be. Ms. Faludi should seriously ask herself, which group in our society insists that women don't lie about rape when, in fact, they do? Which group insists that rape is rampant when it isn't? And which group insists that women need to "take back the night" from mostly imaginary rapists when, in fact, innocent males are victims of assault to a far greater extent? Hint: it isn't the dreaded "misogynists." It's people much like you, Ms. Faludi.
Jessica Lynch apparently, and to her great credit, sought to no avail to keep the rape claim out of Mr. Bragg's book. The fact that Mr. Bragg included it anyway; the fact that he could assert with a straight face that people need to know that this can happen to women soldiers; and the fact that so many people accepted it as true, is testimony to the marvelous job that radical feminists have done to fan the flames of rape hysteria and demonize males.
Thanks for debunking the Lynch rape claim, Ms. Faludi. Now go back and rethink the lessons of that false claim. If you are honest with yourself, you will find that it is misandry, not misogyny, that underlies it.
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29 comments:
When Susan Faludi says "misogynist," what she really means is "chivalrist."
But she isn't completely off the mark. Promoting myths and outright lies about rape DOES demean the women who want to be treated as adults, not as pity objects.
Our victim-feminist culture is bad for both men and women, and it's time for women to recognize this fact. We MRAs know fully well that paternalism is half of the problem, acting in conjunction with feminist stereotypes.
Anonymous, paternalism and chivalry engender a host of pathologies and hurt men and women in many ways, and I have no use for either, but to discuss them as a principal cause of our false rape culture is to minimize and trivialize the evil and corrosive harm done by radical feminism on the innocent men and boys falsely accused of rape.
I agree with you that promoting myths and outright lies about rape DOES demean the women who want to be treated as adults, not as pity objects. Unfortunately, the civil discourse about rape and false rape claims has been misappropriated by a sexual grievance industry that is run by radical feminism. In no other sphere of life is radical feminism so prominent. They are almost entirely responsible for the lies and half-truths about rape and false rape claims that have hurt so many innocent men and boys.
The fact is, the principal purveyors of the myths you reference are people like Ms. Faludi. The two percent canard and the "women don't lie about rape" mantra are feminist inventions.
We need to keep one thing in mind: prior to the 70s, our culture enjoyed a healthy skepticism about rape claims. But that skepticism suddenly became politically incorrect and then verboten -- not because of chivalry or paternalism -- but because of radical feminism. Men, by and large, are not fanning the flames of rape hysteria; men, by and large, are doing what men have always done: reacting to supposed threats to women and girls that men are told are real, and men are being protective of them. To suggest that this protectiveness is somehow evil, or a complicit conspirator in the harm being perpetrated by radical feminism, is simply wrong, I think.
Where men have failed is that they have falled asleep. They are so busy protecting the women and girls that they have dozed off when their brothers needed them. It is our job to awaken them.
"We need to keep one thing in mind: prior to the 70s, our culture enjoyed a healthy skepticism about rape claims. But that skepticism suddenly became politically incorrect and then verboten -- not because of chivalry or paternalism -- but because of radical feminism."
Yup.
"They're small in number"
"They're harmless"
"No one will buy it"
"They won't change anything" "You're over-reacting"
"You're sexism is showing"
"You hate women"
"They're not fascist, you are"
I warned people then and I warn people now, but it still falls upon deaf ears.
RM
RM, you are correct.
I want to comment one one more thing the first anon wrote: "When Susan Faludi says 'misogynist,' what she really means is 'chivalrist.'"
I'm not disputing you, but isn't it amusing that no one takes offense when someone accuses our culture of "HATING WOMEN" when they really don't mean it? Feminists have this gift of tossing the "m" word around as freely as they defecate -- it means nothing to them. Anything that arguably affects women different than men, for whatever reason, MUST be "misogyny." An implicit, unspoken part of that allegation is that men are the principal beneficiaries and sponsors of such hatred of women. That is what they teach in their Womyn's Studies classes. So just remember, anytime someone uses the "m" word, it is a slander on an entire gender -- male.
The spellchecker in microsoft word 2007 includes the word "misogyny", but not the word "misandry"
The spellchecker in microsoft word 2007 includes the word "misogyny", but not the word "misandry"
I noticed that too.
Men are definitely fanning the flames of rape hysteria. Our society in general is doing it. Just read the comments section in your local paper the next time a man is accused of rape with no corroborating evidence and count the number of men who threaten to murder the defendent.
This "protectiveness" IS evil, and can only be countered by sound moral values and rationality.
"Men are definitely fanning the flames of rape hysteria."
AND that's largely because we've been fed a revisionist verion of reality for the past 35 years. You see, now we can't even question aloud if the woman consented or it's "victim blaming." Yes, if a man believes a rape occurred, he reacts violently. But this insistence that every rape claim is true is a recent phenomenon.
But wait, it gets worse. There are a lot more false rape claims now. In the 50s if a girl cried rape, it probably was true. Now, with no consequence to crying rape, false claims are an epidemic. The trouble is that this epidemic has not been publcized in the mainstream media, so people still regard rape claims as likely true on their face.
Here's the real trick: check the comments under the original newspaper story after a false rape claim is reported. Keep in mind the persons commenting are not steeped in false rape terminology as are the readers of this blog. You will never see such outrage -- AND they hit on all the key issues: anonymity, arresting a guy based solely on a woman's word, the insufficient punishments for the false accusers.
excellent post.
It seems to me that another reason Faludi would want to debunk the supposed incident, is because in one sense it takes away from Lynch's 'perfect hero' status - in a sense, it 'dirties' her.
"Just read the comments section in your local paper the next time a man is accused of rape with no corroborating evidence and count the number of men who threaten to murder the defendent."
I wouldn't call this fanning the flames of rape hysteria. This kind of reaction from many men seems more like the kind of reaction you would also get if you yelled out "Fire" in a cinema - people would just assume the truth of it, and act hastily in response.
The only ones working the hysteria are the liars - everyone else is their victim. The fact that some people are more gullible than others is just a fact of life, and shouldn't be confused with culpability.
Rm, what you have been saying for years has not fallen on deaf ears, so just keep saying it.
It was in the 70's when the gender feminist / law enforcement misinformation ALLIANCE....took shape, and this perversion will not stand forever.
The Jessica Lynch case was complicated by the propaganda needs of the war machine.
Miss Lynch seems like a decent, honest person, though. She refused to pretend that she had been raped.
I remember reading that Jessica Lynch had pretty severe anal injuries. Consistent with anal rape. She was unconscience after some explosion or something. So of course she had no memory of it. That doesn't mean it didn't happen. Or maybe what you guys think is, conk someone on the head, rape them, and since they are unconscience, it doesn't count and is chucked into the false rape category!
I remember hearing something about Ms. Lynch firing upon her fellow soldiers out of panic.
Apparently the media just prints whatever bullshit they're fed, including imaginary anal injuries.
The version I read in the papers said she was actually 'hiding' behind two male soldiers, instead of committing her supposed heroic wartime acts.
I do know that the bottom line is that she was discharged from the military mainly due to her popularity - so she could write a book.
RM,
creeping fascism is what has gotten us in trouble. Most people have the attitude you describe...and don't forget, "you're paranoid!"
"That doesn't mean it didn't happen."
Gentlemen: Jeana is actually contradicting Susan Faludi! Jeana may be kicked out of the cabal for that!
Jeanna, The problem with you fomenting more rape hysteria..Is simply that so many women/girls are now whimsically lying about being raped..and innocent men and boys are being "rape/lynch killed"...on false rape accusations!!
Susan Faludi contradicts Susan Faludi, so does that mean that she's also out of the Cabal?
"Susan Faludi contradicts Susan Faludi, so does that mean that she's also out of the Cabal?"
One of the great features of radical feminism is that there is no concern about consistency, honesty, or reasonableness. The only concern is insuring that maleness is put in its place (as they define what that place is).
Scott,
How is what Jeanna said have anything to do with "rape hysteria"? She was just pointing out that if she was unconscious at the time of any possible rape, then she wouldn't have any memory of it. Now, if it is true that some of the injuries she recieved were consistant with that of anal rape, then it's something to think about. But I don't know, I would have to read up on the whole thing. And then, there was also what the doctor said.
Pierce,
Anything that arguably affects women different than men, for whatever reason, MUST be "misogyny."
I wouldn't say that's always true.
So just remember, anytime someone uses the "m" word, it is a slander on an entire gender -- male.
I'm sorry, but I absolutely do not agree, at least in my case. Whenever I used the word "misogyny" or seen it use, it's about an idea, society itself, a specific person, belief, etc., not an entire gender. When you used the word "misandric", I didn't see it as a slander to the ENTIRE female gender. That almost gives the impression of victimhood. But hey, I don't know your personal experiences with the word "misogyny".
Pierce,
We need to keep one thing in mind: prior to the 70s, our culture enjoyed a healthy skepticism about rape claims.
In the 50s if a girl cried rape, it probably was true.
There's alot I can say about these two statements so I'll keep it brief. Some of it may have been healthy skepticism, but there was some merit to the complaints from feminists and women in general (and maybe men too) about victim-blaming. Especially considering the ideas about sex back then. And the 50s?! If she was telling the truth and if she was rape by someone she knew or a relative, how was it received and treated? How was SHE treated?
Do you really think that feminists just suddenly decide to create the idea of "victim-blaming" just because?
And what about black males who were lynched because of false rape claims (if I got the time period correct)?
You see, now we can't even question aloud if the woman consented or it's "victim blaming."
The best I can explain it is this. There's nothing wrong with questioning, it's just the reasoning and logic behind some of the questioning that's the problem. Note the "some". And the fact that there are people who do blame or partly blame the victim for what happened (as if she/he's not already blaming him/herself).
And what about black males who were lynched because of false rape claims (if I got the time period correct)?
Well.... good question. What about them? For starters, black males are still frequently the victims of false accusations, and many of us would like to do something about that.
Those lynchings should tell you that the good old days weren't so good for men as the feminists would have you believe. It was very possible to destroy a man with a false accusation even before radical feminism became the prevailing morality of the land.
As for the sexual mores of the 50's, they're long gone -- so why do we still have laws that pretend that people are going to say she was asking for it if you find out about her sexual history? It doesn't work that way.
I find it incredible that anybody would insist that Jessica Lynch must have been raped just because that's what the papers said, even though she freely admits that she wasn't and that the army brass made it all up. Have you seen any medical report that says that her ass was torn up? I sure haven't. I'm pretty sure that's confidential.
Those lynchings should tell you that the good old days weren't so good for men as the feminists would have you believe.
Well at least for black men, something that the ones I've read from online are aware of.
As for the sexual mores of the 50's, they're long gone -- so why do we still have laws that pretend that people are going to say she was asking for it if you find out about her sexual history? It doesn't work that way.
Because people still do that believe it or not. With that being said, do some of the laws need to be looked at and changed, yes.
I find it incredible that anybody would insist that Jessica Lynch must have been raped just because that's what the papers said, even though she freely admits that she wasn't and that the army brass made it all up.
I'm not sure you're talking about me, but if you are, I never insisted that she was raped. I was just talking about Jeana's post. All Jeana did was point out what she read about the case and wondered if she was indeed unconscious, then would she remember anything. Jessica herself said that she doesn't remember. But hey, like I said, according to the doctor, it couldn't have happened.
Have you seen any medical report that says that her ass was torn up?
That's a very crude way of putting it....
How would you have put it?
Renee, see our previous post Victim blaming is largely a myth It is yet another feminist canard.
Archivist said...
" The only concern is insuring that maleness is put in its place (as they define what that place is) "
Jail, prison or, their graves.
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