Just noticing: Observations Of A Blogger
Posted by Michelle Moquin on November 3rd, 2013
Good morning!
“Just noticing…”
Victim’s House Burned Down After She Accuses Football Star Of Rape
The Steubenville rape case attracted national attention last year because of how extraordinary — and terrible — that story was: A young girl was victimized first by her teenaged rapists, and then by the town itself, which engaged in the worst kind of victim-blaming and rushed to the defense of her attackers, who were athletes for the town’s pride and glory, the high school football team.
But in the months since that case first came to light, national attention has turned to more and more cases like Steubenville’s. Just this weekend, another, eerily similar story emerged — this time in the town of Maryville, Missouri.
The Kansas City Star published on Sunday their remarkable, seven-month investigation into an eerily similar story that unfolded last year in the small, northwestern Missouri town of Maryville. In this case, though, the rape victim never got to see her horror story go to trial — and the family’s terror hasn’t ended; they’ve even had their house burned down.
Fourteen-year-old Daisy and her 13-year-old friend were both high school freshman in January 2012, when they were invited to a house party by a senior star of the Maryville football team. Once there, the older girl was given a large glass filled with alcohol and urged by a room full of some of the school’s most popular athletes to drink it. She did, and they handed her a second glass.
The following morning, Daisy’s mother discovered her daughter, alone on her front lawn in sub-freezing temperatures, weeping. She helped Daisy into the bathtub after finding her outside, where she noticed reddish, irritated areas around her daughter’s genitalia and buttocks.
Daisy’s mom also found the 13-year-old friend was upstairs in Daisy’s room, also “confused.” Both girls were taken to a hospital. On Daisy’s body, a doctor found small vaginal tears emblematic of someone who has just had sex. The 13-year-old, who remembered the night’s events, told investigators she was forced to have sex, despite saying “no” over and over again.
Eyewitnesses who spoke with the Star, including Daisy’s 13-year-old friend, recall seeing Daisy being carried — crying — by some of the older boys out of the house into a car.
It didn’t take long for police to round up Barnett and other partiers for questioning. Barnett, a 17-year-old defensive end for the Maryville High School football team, admitted to having sex with Daisy but said it was consensual. Jordan Zech, a teammate and standout wrestler for Maryville, admitted to recording some of the encounter on another friend’s iPhone.
Within days, both were arrested in the case. Barnett was facing a felony sexual assault charge and one count of endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor. Zech was also charged, for sexual exploitation of a minor.
But like Steubenville before it, the town of Maryville revolted against the facts in the case.
Days after the incident became public knowledge, students at the high school began attacking Daisy and her family. On social media, fellow Maryville students began threatening Daisy, tweeting that she would “get whats comin.” Daisy’s older brother Charlie, who was himself an athlete for Maryville, was booed by his own classmates during a wrestling meet. Her mother, a veterinarian, was fired from her job two weeks after the incident without so much as an explanation, only later learning that her boss feared that her presence “was putting stress” on her other employees.
Meanwhile, members of the community rallied behind Barnett and the other perpetrators. In March, just over two months after the alleged rape took place, the most serious charges of sexual assault and sexual exploitation of a minor were dropped without an explanation.
Daisy’s family moved away to avoid the threats and harassment they faced since her story first came to light. But the trouble didn’t end. Six months ago, their old house burned down mysteriously.
If the story sounds at all familiar, it’s because it almost mirrors the case in Steubenville, Ohio. Like Steubenville, the perpetrators were members of the high school’s immensely successful football team. Like Steubenville, the town of Maryville rallied behind the alleged rapists and ostracized the victim. And like Steubenville, the events in Maryville are quickly becoming a national story.
In some ways, though, the Maryville case is actually worse. Barnett, aside from being a celebrated athlete, also happens to be the grandson of a prominent Missouri state senator. Less than a week before the charges against Barnett and Zech were dropped, Daisy’s mother got a phone call from a friend who warned that ” favors were being called in and that the charges would be dropped.”
The Nodaway County prosecutor Robert Rice, who was responsible for the case against Barnett and Zech, also has political ties to Rex Barnett, the grandfather of Matt Barnett. When the mother of the victim sought an explanation from Rice as to why he dropped the charges against both boys, he ignored her phone calls. The Star finally tracked down Rice months later and asked the same question, and — in his office, where a picture of Rex Barnett hangs — he told the paper simply that it was due to a lack of evidence. He went on to dismiss the events of that night as the act of “incorrigible teenagers.”
The video that Zech admitted to filming on an iPhone has never surfaced, not even to police. And Missouri state law dictates that in cases where the charges are dropped, all of the records pertaining to the case — interviews with eyewitnesses, tests done on bedsheets, the results of rape kits — are sealed.
Even if Maryville didn’t learn anything from the Steubenville case, the media has an opportunity to show that they have. As rape cases have emerged in the national spotlight, news outlets from ABC News to Yahoo have been quick to portray the accused rapists as the real victims, denied of promising futures, or an opportunity to play in a few high school football games.
UPDATE
The Raw Story reported on Monday that Anonymous, the hackivist organization that involved itself in the Steubenville rape case, has launched #OpMaryville, an effort to hold the alleged perpetrators — and those responsible for their prosecution — accountable. After Steubenville came to light, a similar group of Anonymous operatives threatened to publish personal information about the football players at the center of the rape investigation unless they offered a public apology. In a letter posted online, the group stated its demand for an investigation into why the charges were dropped and what — if any — role the suspect’s political connections played in the handling of the case.
******
Readers: As if a girl doesn’t have to go through enough already when she is raped. Then she is threatened and harassed by her community in the worst kind of victim-blaming…and then her house gets burned down. And the perpetrators who were from a successful high school football team once again got the support of the community, and the charges were dropped. How sickening is this?
Once again, young girls are victims of horrific actions and nothing is being done. The boys go away with nothing more than a slap on the wrist and the REAL victim, the young girl, has to live with these memories for the rest of her life, dealing with feelings and emotions, and who knows what else, that will affect how she is going to be and act in this world. The girl has been scarred for life.
And the media who victimizes the perps are just as sickening. Who cares if the boy is denied a promising future. He shouldn’t have done what he did! But when nothing happens, more boys will keep pulling out their little dicks, rape young girls and get away with it…and all will be said is “incorrigible teenagers.” Just sickening. Something really has to be done. And much of it has to come from the parents.
I’ve got more to say here but I will end there and open it up to all of you – your turn. Thoughts? Blog me.
Howie: :) Please thank Carr for me.
Peace out.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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November 3rd, 2013 at 1:08 pm
Howie, I’m afraid that you have brought out the sicker element of this blog. The fucked up are writing in in droves. Don’t you motherfuckers know that this is Sunday. The fucking sabbath for god’s sake.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:10 pm
I just love a good poem. Thanks whoever you are. It is so sweet to open the blog and see someone pouring their hearts out in poetic prose.
I have no talent in that department. But I would adore a man who waxed poetically to me.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:13 pm
Thank Carr for me too Howie. I wake up early to post because we have only one computer between the 11 of us in this shit hole. What a corrupt prison system. How many dicks does a person have to suck to get first dibs on this piece of shit computer. And then discover the cite can’t be accessed.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:16 pm
My question is what is with parents that allow a 13 year old to party alone? We should be issuing licenses to be parents.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:23 pm
Men don’t care what their boys do and some mother are just as bad. My brother is 17 and he has been raping girls since he was 13. I ought to know because I was one of them. Dad always says that a boy shouldn’t have his future jeopardized because of a little pussy.
That’s why I get up early every morning for the past 3 years to pee in his coffee before he goes to work. I’m 16 and Lloyd is 17. Mom has heard the girls cry that he corners in his room and rapes. He’s 17 and mom lets him date 12, 13 and 14 year old girls.
He brings them home gets them drunk on beer and speed and rapes them. When I told her about what he did to me she said he was just being curious and to keep it in the family. I told her then she should fuck him.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:27 pm
Michelle when I was 16 my teacher and her husband had me as often as they wanted me. My mother used to take me over their house for tutoring. I am now 28 finishing medical school. I wanted to be a psychiatrist so I could held those unfortunates like myself.
But lately, all I want to do is get a gun and go by their and kill the bastards. They are still friends with my parents.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Maybe its time for the father or relatives of the victim to take the law into their own hands.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:35 pm
With extortionists/domestic terrorists Republicanus/Teabaggers holding the nation hostage to get what they want, is it any wonder that groups like the Maryville highschool students, and indeed the town officials, use the same type of tactics with impunity?
Although I have to say that in the Maryville case, it would appear that the majority of the town are resorting to these tactics rather than a minority. However it is a minority that are using political influence. As Bertrand Russell said: “Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom.”
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:36 pm
This has been occurring since I was in HS. I recall going to a party which was all the football team (which was not my crowd) drinking kegs of beer and acting the fool. I didn’t drink beer but took a glass from someone as it was New Years Eve.
The next thing I remember was waking up on the floor with my pants around my knees. IT WAS HORRIBLE as I was far too embarrassed to ever mention it until this very second. At least someone had the decency to put a throw partially on top of me.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:37 pm
This reads like a really bad novel – it just seems like ever since W, we’ve all been going to hell on a sled… when the people running the country have no morals or ethics, it apparently gets contagious. Imagine how it would be if Romney had won the election…
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:38 pm
I didn’t drink in high school but, once went with a guy in college to a Frat party. There was a grape punch I almost drank, he stopped me. The “punch” was mixed with Ever Clear. I that is how some high school kids get drunk without knowing why.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:39 pm
Why am I not surprised? Then again folks, karma’s a bitch and no one escapes. So Mr. Elite enjoy your notoriety in this life because in the next one you may not be as privileged as you are today.
I know that’s no consolation to the victims. Even when we had parties we never allowed any minors. They would never have been invited and we were known for turning them away and kicking them out if found on the premises.
We had a code which is more than I can say for the rapists; the townspeople; the arsonists or the Senator.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Fuck it. If the bitches come to the party, I say let’s party. I bring Everclear, for punches and other drinks. Needles for a little injection here or there. I’m getting me some pussy and I will tap that ass to bitch.
The rule is if you come so will I.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:45 pm
Why do parents allow the adolescent daughters to go to those type of parties. They know the horror stories. If my son rapes one of their unsupervised sluts, “ill be damned if I will allow his future to be harmed because of it.
These tramps for mothers should know that adolescent boys want a little pussy any way they can get it. So keep your little slut at home bitch or don’t bitch when she gets the dick she went out to get.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Rape has been around much longer than human writing. I can honestly say that out of every 10 women I have known 9 have been either raped or sexually molested in some way. Most will not discuss it until they are older and finally have a sense of self.
This article like the situation in Stubenville are the reasons why most young girls, women or men will never report what has happened to them. We know that about half of all unreported rapes happen to both young boys and men, but society makes a report a public humiliation.
Funny thing about that, if one is accosted by a mugger and gives their purse or wallet we applaud them as doing whatever is necessary to walk away from the crime, still alive. Not so for victims of rape.
November 3rd, 2013 at 1:47 pm
This was discussed by the defense attorney on FOX and this is what he said:
Following the news that a Missouri county prosecutor had asked for a special prosecutor to review the charge that a 14-year-old girl was raped by an older high school student in 2012, Fox News host Shepard Smith turned to DiBenedetto for a counterpoint.
“There’s no denying that from the surface it appears to be some sort of cover-up,” the defense attorney said. “But when you look at the finer details, there are telltale signs of this girl actually lying. She is leaving her home at 1 a.m. in the morning and nobody forced her to drink. And what happens? She gets caught by her mom, she’s embarrassed and the easy way out here is, ‘Mom, someone took advantage of me.’”
“But what did she expect to happen at 1 a.m. in the morning after sneaking out?” he asked. “I’m not saying — assuming that these facts are accurate and this did happen — I’m not saying she deserved to be raped, but knowing the facts as we do here including what the prosecutor has set forth, this case is going nowhere and it’s going nowhere quick.”
*****
Actually what he is saying is that she did deserve to be raped. Kids do silly things, they should not be hurt for being young and curious.
November 3rd, 2013 at 2:20 pm
My advice keep your inexperienced pussys at home if you don’t want them stuffed with dick. When they get old enough to be more discrete and after you have had several mother daughter talks with them about boys and what they expect from slutty girls, then you can put them on birth control and send them out to get fucked.
November 3rd, 2013 at 2:22 pm
In most cases the mothers of these boys are the worst. Those mothers who have grown up in those backwater shit holes know what females have to face. Yet, when they are in a position to stand up they DON’T.
November 3rd, 2013 at 2:26 pm
Fight Colds the Way Performers Do
Here’s how singers and actors stay well…
When you catch a cold, the sneezing, runny nose, sore throat and coughing will most likely make you feel miserable for a week or so, yet you probably manage to go about your business.
But what if you were an opera singer or a Broadway actor and started sniffling a few days before opening night? Or a politician or a preacher? For these so-called “voice professionals” (individuals whose jobs require the use of their voices), a cold wreaks havoc on their ability to work.
They can take cortisone (an anti-inflammatory steroid) to quickly relieve laryngitis, but congestion and other symptoms don’t give up so easily.
As it turns out, there are a number of effective, unique therapies that voice pros use to prevent and treat colds and related illnesses…
COLDS
The average American catches two to four colds a year. Avoiding the common cold involves well-known precautions such as getting enough rest, drinking plenty of fluids, eating a nutritious diet and frequent hand-washing. But these don’t always work.
For voice pros, if a cold or related illness does develop, they must deal with it before it gets bad enough to affect their ability to work.
Their secrets…
Slippery elm tea. Derived from the inner bark of the slippery elm tree, this traditional remedy eases coughs and sore throat pain. The bark contains mucilage, a substance that becomes slick and gel-like when mixed with water. It’s a highly effective remedy for coating and soothing the throat.
To make this tea:
Pour two cups of boiling water over about two tablespoons of powdered bark. Steep for five minutes and drink. Do this several times a day.
Or try slippery elm lozenges.
Lots of black pepper.
It’s an expectorant that quickly thins mucus to reduce congestion. Add generous amounts to your meals whenever possible until you’ve gotten over your stuffy nose.
Fruit smoothies.
These tasty drinks will replenish lost fluids, and the antioxidants may even help you recover from a cold more quickly.
What to do:
Once or twice a day, blend fruits—such as pineapple, blueberries and/or bananas—with a cup or two of fruit juice and some ice. Do not add anything else—the key is to get a potent shot of antioxidants and a lot of liquid. (If you have diabetes, be sure to check with your doctor before using this remedy, since fruit contains high amounts of natural sugar.)
Zinc.
Used within 24 hours after symptoms start, zinc lozenges can shorten the duration of a cold by at least a day. Use the lozenges until the cold is gone, but don’t take more than four lozenges a day.
Vitamin C.
Throughout cold season, take 500 mg of vitamin C twice a day to prevent colds…or 1,000 mg twice a day to recover from a cold more quickly. (If you get diarrhea from this dose, reduce the amount you take accordingly.)
LARYNGITIS
Most colds clear up in a week or so, but they’re sometimes followed by laryngitis, inflammation of the larynx (voice box) that can last for several weeks.
In addition to resting your voice as much as possible, try this…
Steam with eucalyptus oil.
Few remedies are better than steam and eucalyptus, a powerful decongestant, for quick relief of laryngitis.
What to do:
After boiling a couple of cups of water in a saucepan, turn off the heat and add a few drops of eucalyptus oil (available at health-food stores). Lean over the pan with a towel draped over your head to trap the steam. Being careful not to burn yourself, breathe the steam for a few minutes, two to three times a day.
SORE THROAT
A sore throat is usually due to a viral infection. If the pain is not severe—and the soreness starts to go away within a few days—you probably won’t need medical treatment. If the pain doesn’t go away, or it seems to be getting worse, see your doctor to check for strep throat.
For a simple sore throat…
Gargle. Use a salt–baking soda solution. The salt draws fluids from the tissues and reduces swelling and pain. Baking soda makes the gargle more soothing.
What to do: Add about one-half teaspoon each of salt and baking soda to one cup of warm water…and gargle for 30 to 60 seconds.
Important:
Do not gargle with commercial antiseptic mouthwash. Even though it temporarily reduces bacteria in the mouth, it may damage mucous membranes in the throat and increase the risk for infection.
A SURPRISING CAUSE OF HOARSENESS
If you’re hoarse, but it’s not due to a cold or overuse of your voice (as is often the case with singers, politicians, preachers and sports fans), there may be another cause—and it’s often overlooked.
Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) is a condition in which stomach acid backs up into the larynx or throat (pharynx). It’s similar to what happens with heartburn—but without the typical “burn” in the chest. What to do…
Follow heartburn-prevention strategies.
The same steps that you follow to prevent heartburn—eating smaller meals…avoiding greasy, fatty foods…not eating within a few hours of going to bed…and raising the head of the bed a few inches—will also help prevent LPR.
Neutralize stomach acid.
Alginate is a compound that neutralizes acid and helps prevent it from surging out of the stomach. It is an active ingredient in heartburn products such as Gaviscon.
Try DGL.
Taken in pill or powder form before meals when you’re feeling hoarse, deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) helps prevent stomach acid from damaging the larynx. Drugs such as Prilosec have a similar effect, but they increase osteoporosis risk. DGL is a safer remedy.
Source: Len Horovitz, MD, an internist, a pulmonary specialist and director of Carnegie Medical PC, a private practice in New York City. New York Magazine has included him among “The Best Doctors in New York” for both pulmonary and internal medicine.
He is a contributor to the medical anthology The Singer’s Guide to Complete Health (Oxford University).
November 3rd, 2013 at 2:29 pm
KrazyJay
213 Fans
Wow … he really is showing his true colors. In an attempt to sound as if he comes from a more romantic era of time, he makes references to dueling – with total disregard to the fact that he would be challenging a woman to a duel. I’m sure Rachel would take his wimpy rear end up on the offer – but, for someone who calls for a “return to the past” – it hasn’t occurred to him how cavalier such a remark really is.
The “big thinker” is really lazy when it comes to what comes out of his mouth.
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9 MINUTES AGO
LeTA0
118 Fans
There you are wrong. When male “conservatives” call for a return to the past they mean when OTWs were basically slaves, and white women were legally chattel.
Of course when female “conservatives” call for a return to the past, it is because they are just ignorant to what that means.
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