When Is Rape Not Much Of A Crime Really?
by sarabeth at 6:00 am on July 29th, 2007 in MediaWhen you compare it to dog-fighting. When the expert legal opinion being rendered is that of a CNN sports journalist. All that immersion in the macho sports culture, it clearly does things to a man’s values. (I’m being extremely charitable here, and assuming that Larry Smith had any to start with.)
SMITH: Yes, well, that’s — he’s been in a lot of trouble lately, when you think about all the other incidents, and this is just the worst one of all. Keep in mind, too, that while Kobe Bryant is a situation we can sort of compare this to, this really is much worse. Not only can you argue that the crimes are much worse in terms of, you know, killing dogs and that kind of thing, but as an NFL starting quarterback, you are the most visible face in that city. I’ve said all along, in fact, you know, if you go through and, you know, very quickly name 10 mayors of major cities in the country…
GRACE: Larry Smith, did I just hear you say…
SMITH: … you could have a harder time doing that…
GRACE: … mistreatment of…
SMITH: … than naming 10 NFL starting quarterbacks.
GRACE: Did I just hear Larry Smith, CNN sports correspondent and anchor, state that crimes on a dog are much worse than crimes on a woman? Did I hear that?
When Nancy Grace calls you out for making outrageous statements, you know you really stepped in it.
Of course, Smith apologized immediately. Or so he thinks, I think.
SMITH: I’m sorry. You — I’m saying they could be. I’m not arguing for which is worse, which one is worse. I`m just saying that in terms of his visibility is much worse. His visibility is much worse than what Kobe Bryant’s is. Kobe Bryant is a superstar in the NBA, but at the same time, he plays in Los Angeles, which is a city full of stars. Michael Vick is the most visible person in the city of Atlanta, maybe ever in the history of Atlanta sports.
Of course, to keep things in perspective, Vick’s alleged crime could have been worse than either rape or dog-fighting. He could have been charged with raping a dog. Doesn’t that trump even murder, or something?
jamiebeth wrote:
don’t you think this statement was based on not believing that kobe actually raped the woman?
Posted 29 Jul 2007 at 6:53 am ¶
sarabeth wrote:
If so, he should have responded very differently when Grace asked him: “Did I just hear Larry Smith, CNN sports correspondent and anchor, state that crimes on a dog are much worse than crimes on a woman?”
Posted 29 Jul 2007 at 9:30 am ¶
JimC wrote:
You are not going to believe me, but I grew up two houses down from Larry Smith’s uncle’s house. He and his sister often stayed there and I played wiffle(sp?) ball with them….
Posted 29 Jul 2007 at 11:59 am ¶
jamiebeth wrote:
sorry, your point?
Posted 29 Jul 2007 at 9:02 pm ¶
jamiebeth wrote:
(matt’s busy, so i thought i’d pick up the slack.)
Posted 29 Jul 2007 at 9:02 pm ¶
JimC wrote:
No point, just thought it was weird my childhood friend became a news story but after reading this I searched online, and apparently he’s made the pooh pooh list of feminist websites…I accept his explanation because I remember what he was like and where he came from.
Posted 29 Jul 2007 at 11:17 pm ¶
matt wrote:
which clearly trumps anything bad he might ever do in his life.
obviously not enough of a hiatus for you.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 6:20 am ¶
JimC wrote:
Who said that? I’m saying that from my personal experience and relationship I had with Larry, his sister, and his mother growing up, I cannot accept the characterization that is being floated around. So, if he says that he didn’t mean to imply that one crime was worse than the other, then I believe him. I don’t want to get into any details about his personal life growing up but Larry is a kind, good man and his explanation is good enough.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 6:34 am ¶
jamiebeth wrote:
>>”his explanation is good enough”
for you.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 6:38 am ¶
matt wrote:
you did.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 6:45 am ¶
sarabeth wrote:
i don’t think he really understood #7.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 6:49 am ¶
JimC wrote:
Yeah, because I know him, not from internet articles, not from transcripts, but real life flesh and blood know him and Larry is NOT this hateful or thoughtless person that he’s being made out to be…for one thing, I don’t think his sister would let him get away with it, from what I remember…
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 6:51 am ¶
sarabeth wrote:
and a kind, good man would have responded very differently to Grace’s challenge (i don’t think he really understood #2 either).
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 6:52 am ¶
JimC wrote:
Forget it, I’m clearly wrong and the transcript of a show clearly takes precedent over character. No one ever makes mistakes in what they are saying so if it is in a transcript, it is gospel. For the sake of everything that is good and just in this world, give some slack occasionally…not everything is as it appears in all cases….just forget it. I’m tired of putting up with the hate and I am done….
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 7:04 am ¶
Matthew Tobey wrote:
Quick, call 911! We need a whaaaaaaaaaaaambulance.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 7:14 am ¶
sarabeth wrote:
“hate”?
i don’t think he understands the meaning of hate either.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 7:17 am ¶
tom wrote:
obviously, now that the Duke lacrosse rape trial went the way it did, it is constantly going to be brought up any time there is an allegation of rape. especially when youre looking at a high profile person who is accused of rape (remember, the charges against Kobe were dropped) it makes any accusation that is made with the possibility of monetary award very very suspect. not that these cases are indicative of any other cases dealing with rapes, but it does cast doubt in these incidents. which makes the dropped charges against Kobe much different to a crime like this where there is plenty of physical evidence and a federal investigation involved, everyone *knows* that something went down.
im not trying to make excuses for any perception of rape being less of a crime than killing dogs, but the perception of whether or not a crime was even committed in these cases is distinctly different.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 9:13 am ¶
sarabeth wrote:
maybe, maybe not.
but the fact remains that Larry Smith did not say this in explanation of his statement.
so i’m really not sure it has any relevance to the current situation (except as a hypothetical)
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 9:27 am ¶
sarabeth wrote:
moreover, if you go back and read his original statement, there’s not one word, one single hint, to suggest that “this really is much worse” than the Kobe Bryant situation because Kobe may not have been guilty, or because the charges were dismissed.
in fact, he does very much seem to be comparing the alleged crimes.
Posted 30 Jul 2007 at 9:32 am ¶