Good for her. Also instead of talking about great shit like not prioritizing one victim in particular, she let the many speak who wanted to, which is honestly part of the healing process for many survivors. To be able to face their rapist and tell him he's a fuckass who no longer controls the narrative. But nah let's just keep on some other stupid ass shit.
This is the last thing I’ll post, but just know that not everyone who was bothered by this are bad faith actors here
Pretty sure she's content with being able to keep dude in prison till he dies given his offenses but lets just ignore all the context.
over a guy who raped 150+ people?
reallllllllllly?
i don't even think people know what they want anymore. you want empathetic law enforcement but the moment a judge decides she wants to give every rape victim a chance to speak out against the person who ruined their lives and tells a guy that he'll die in jail like he should, its a problem?
the fuck dude lmao
reallllllllllly?
i don't even think people know what they want anymore. you want empathetic law enforcement but the moment a judge decides she wants to give every rape victim a chance to speak out against the person who ruined their lives and tells a guy that he'll die in jail like he should, its a problem?
the fuck dude lmao
I wish people spent more time being vocal about how they are bothered by Nassar's actions than the judge telling the truth, but maybe that's just me.
And like, are you bothered by the comments because you think that a) the trial was unfair and b) his sentencing was too strict?
Because that's the only way you can feel bothered by this, in the belief that Nassar got an unfair trial and unfair sentencing.
Because that's the only way you can feel bothered by this, in the belief that Nassar got an unfair trial and unfair sentencing.
I'm just side eyeing the priorities that show up in this thread. Like when faced with the enormity of what is a society that consistently shelters predators, we're having a discussion on a judge and her actions towards one of the worst rapists to come out in some time. Instead of "how can we keep this from happening" it's "pls be less insulting to a 150+ victim child rapist and more beep boop pls." What the fucking hell.
I’ve repeatedly stated that I don’t find any of this unfair to Nassar. It’s simply to point out that the judge ripping up his shitty letter is what’s going to be the lasting memory for a lot of people who haven’t followed the the story as closely as you or I have.
How many people clicking like on that video knows MSU, as of yesterday, was still looking to bill his last victim for her “visit”?
How many people clicking like on that video knows MSU, as of yesterday, was still looking to bill his last victim for her “visit”?
Like what is productive about this? Not that every discussion needs it but this is a thread about sexual assault and it's pervasive damaging effects. "People talking a bunch about the judge, let's do it here too." What are you trying to accomplish Hasphats? What's the goal here?
By HasphatsAnts Go To PostI’ve repeatedly stated that I don’t find any of this unfair to Nassar. It’s simply to point out that the judge ripping up his shitty letter is what’s going to be the lasting memory for a lot of people who haven’t followed the the story as closely as you or I have.Social media focuses on visuals and soundbytes rather than whole testimonies. Quelle surprise.
How many people clicking like on that video knows MSU, as of yesterday, was still looking to bill his last victim for her “visit”?
By HasphatsAnts Go To PostI’ve repeatedly stated that I don’t find any of this unfair to Nassar. It’s simply to point out that the judge ripping up his shitty letter is what’s going to be the lasting memory for a lot of people who haven’t followed the the story as closely as you or I have.What do you mean "followed closely"? He raped 150 children. What nuance is missed here?
How many people clicking like on that video knows MSU, as of yesterday, was still looking to bill his last victim for her “visit”?
If that's the lasting image for completely oblivious folk that woke up on January 24th, 2018 and are only are now hearing about about Larry Nassar, that's their problem, not yours or the judges. Why waste time on them?
By reilo Go To PostWhat do you mean "followed closely"? He raped 150 children. What nuance is missed here?The institutional rot at MSU that led to his abuse of children?
By RATHasReturned Go To PostIf that's the lasting image for completely oblivious folk that woke up on January 24th, 2018 and are only are now hearing about about Larry Nassar, that's their problem, not yours or the judges. Why waste time on them?I don’t think the media has done a good job of covering this story. Deadspin has done the best job of this but how many people reads Deadspin?
By HasphatsAnts Go To PostThe institutional rot at MSU that led to his abuse of children?Okay, and what does that have to do with the judge's comments? They also need to rot in hell for letting this abuse go on, but how is that invalidated by what the judge said?
This whole conversation could have just been avoided if you criticized the shallow and soundbytish nature of the media rather than made it the fault of the judge. Not only are people just wrong about her issuing comments towards Nassar, it's completely irrelevant and tangential to anything and everything else that went on.
By reilo Go To PostOkay, and what does that have to do with the judge's comments? They also need to rot in hell for letting this abuse go on, but how is that invalidated by what the judge said?Because I don't believe the news consuming public has the mental bandwidth to process these stories with appropriate nuance and gravity.
LIke, hell yeah, it feels good to tell this cretin to rot. But if WaPo/NYT has a picture of the judge ripping up the letter leading their front pages tomorrow, I feel like something is amiss here.
You know, this,
“There has to be a massive investigation as to why there was inaction, why there was silence,” Judge Aquilina said. “Justice requires more than what I can do on this bench.”is the most salient part of what she said today. But that's gonna be buried in the avalanche of "You'll never guess what this judge said to this terrible person" facebook shares.
Maybe I'm wrong about this and this energizes a movement to bring more people to justice. In which case, I'd be happy to be wrong. That's all.
By HasphatsAnts Go To PostBecause I don't believe the news consuming public has the mental bandwidth to process these stories with appropriate nuance and gravity.This story doesn't need any nuance, jesus man
By reilo Go To PostThis story doesn't need any nuance, jesus manOkay fine, nuance isn't the right word here, but there has to be a conversation about what we did wrong in the Penn State case and ensure that failure doesn't happen again.
The collective amnesia and general letting shit keep happening is actually why the judge made several crucial decisions like letting as many victims speak as they did. I'm still confused how the media being perpetually about the soundbyte and shallow in general is at all her fault.
Here's the full e-mail I received on Saturday that I mentioned days ago for those interested:
Dear MSU community member:
With several events related to the terrible crimes committed by former MSU physician Larry Nassar in the news, I want to describe what we are doing to address the issues arising from this matter and, more importantly, the steps we are taking to support his victims, create the safest campus environment possible, and do our utmost to prevent something such as this from ever happening again.
Today, the Board of Trustees wrote to Michigan State Attorney General Bill Schuette asking him to undertake a review of the events surrounding the Nassar matter. As the Board said, "We are making this request because we believe such a review is needed to answer questions that persist concerning MSU's handling of the Nassar situation."
The testimony of Nassar's victims this week made many of us, including me, listen to the survivors and the community in a different way. It is clear to the Board and me that a review by the Attorney General's Office can provide the answers people need. I hope this review will help the survivors and the entire MSU community heal and move forward.
Board Chair Brian Breslin and I watched the livestream of the first day of the victim impact statements, and Trustee Melanie Foster and I attended the afternoon session at court yesterday. It was heartbreaking to hear victims talk about how Nassar abused them and their trust. As I have said, I am truly sorry for the abuse Nassar's victims suffered, the pain it caused, and the pain it continues to cause. And I am sorry that a physician who called himself a Spartan so utterly betrayed everyone's trust and everything for which the university stands. The Board has joined me in expressing these sentiments, and I can assure you the Board and I are united in our commitment to help the survivors move forward with their lives.
Toward this end, the Board last month authorized creation of a $10-million fund to help survivors access counseling and mental health services, and last week we announced additional details of this initiative. The Healing Assistance Fund will be administered by Commonwealth Mediation and Conciliation, Inc., a Boston firm with extensive experience coordinating such services. MSU student-athletes and patients seen by Nassar at an MSU health clinic who were abused by him, as well as the parents of these victims, will be able to use the fund. Survivors and their parents also will be able to obtain reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses incurred for such services before the creation of the fund. Simply put, our goal is to support survivors by making sure they get the counseling or mental health help they need, with minimal worry about cost. We have also retained the Minnesota Coalition Against Sexual Assault, which will provide referral services for Nassar's victims who do not yet have counselors and need to locate providers near them.
Our focus on survivors is necessary and appropriate, both now and in the future. But we also have taken a hard look at ourselves to learn from what happened. Since the fall of 2016, we have engaged external experts to comprehensively review various programs and recommend changes to strengthen our policies, procedures, and systems, including an examination of patient care and safety in our health clinics, our Title IX program, and how medical services are provided to student-athletes and others. In short, we have systematically reviewed and sought to improve every part of MSU's operations that were in any way connected to Nassar and his work, with the clear purpose of achieving the highest standards to protect students, athletes, and patients. Additional details are available on the MSU "Our Commitment" website: https://msu.edu/ourcommitment/.
I believe we have achieved much on this front over the last year and a half, although I also understand introducing new procedures does not change what happened to Nassar's victims or the pain they feel. I am deeply committed to the pursuit of best practices, with external input and transparency about the status of our progress. You can be confident that we will continue to take additional steps to improve our systems.
Apart from describing the work we are doing on behalf of survivors, I also want to update you on the significant developments taking place in the Nassar criminal and civil cases. Nassar has pleaded guilty in three criminal proceedings - federal child pornography charges, sexual assault cases in Ingham County, and sexual assault cases in Eaton County. He has been given the equivalent of a life sentence of 60 years for the pornography charges, the first of what I hope will be several lengthy prison sentences. This month, he will be sentenced separately in Ingham and Eaton counties. As I mentioned above, his victims are first being given the chance to make impact statements in court. This is happening now in Ingham County, where the proceedings are expected to run several days. The Eaton County court proceedings are scheduled for January 31. MSU and the MSU Police Department have worked and will continue to work with any law enforcement investigation looking into criminal matters involving Nassar. In particular, I want to thank the MSU Police and specifically the detectives in the Special Victims Unit, who spent countless hours helping bring Nassar to justice, as well as the FBI, the U.S. Attorney, and the Michigan Attorney General's Office.
While the criminal cases are nearing conclusion, the civil litigation against MSU, involving multiple cases filed on behalf of victims, has begun to move forward. Last Friday, the university's lawyers filed motions to dismiss plaintiffs' claims based on a number of arguments. Given some of the criticism leveled at MSU, I hope you will keep a few important points in mind.
First, MSU is entitled to, and its insurers require, that we will mount an appropriate defense of these cases. This means MSU's lawyers are making arguments in defense of the claims of civil liability. There is nothing extraordinary about such legal efforts - they are typical at this stage of civil litigation. Given Nassar's horrendous acts, these arguments can seem disrespectful to the victims. Please know that the defenses raised on MSU's behalf are in no way a reflection of our view of the survivors, for whom we have the utmost respect and sympathy, but rather represent, as the Board has said, our desire "to protect MSU's educational and research missions."
Second, depending on the court's rulings on the initial legal arguments, the parties may enter into a period of "discovery," in which each side will be able to review relevant documents and depose relevant witnesses to determine what happened and when. The entire pre-trial process can be time consuming, but it is often the standard means by which complex cases like this are decided on legal grounds or brought forward to trial.
So, as the litigation progresses in the months ahead, you will likely continue to hear a variety of allegations and accusations against the university. I ask for your patience as well as your understanding that MSU cannot litigate the cases in the media and that many public assertions may go unchallenged unless or until they are addressed in open court.
The Board hired external legal counsel to assist MSU in responding to the Nassar allegations and specifically instructed them that if they find any evidence during their ongoing engagement that anyone at MSU other than Nassar knew of Nassar's criminal behavior and did anything to conceal or facilitate it, then that evidence of criminal conduct will be reported immediately to appropriate law enforcement authorities and the Board will be informed.
In a recent letter to the Michigan State Attorney General, MSU's external counsel, including former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, underscored those clear instructions from the Board and stated that, ". . . the evidence will show that no MSU official believed that Nassar committed sexual abuse prior to newspaper reports in the summer of 2016."
The FBI and MSU Police Department also conducted a joint investigation earlier this year into whether any university employee engaged in criminal conduct relating to Nassar's actions; there were no charges filed. I have complete faith in the legal process and in the professionalism and dedication of local, state, and federal law enforcement.
We understand and respect the desire for information and details arising from the Nassar matter, which now spans 16 months, and we are committed to continuing to share whatever information we can with the MSU community and the public.
Sincerely,
Lou Anna K. Simon, PhD
President
By HasphatsAnts Go To PostThat's not a resignation letter.This is:
Now that he's officially going to prison and that's settled it's time for people to disavow any personal responsibility and or lie it at others feet. The best us people on the outside can do is keep the pressure on and demand answers. This shit will keep happening as long as enablers see no repercussions for their selfish decisions that led to ever more girls being violated under their watch.
“Putting MSU first” is what got them in this mess. She’s fucking clueless.
And this was who we put in charge for the NCAA post-mortem on Penn State? No fucking wonder
And this was who we put in charge for the NCAA post-mortem on Penn State? No fucking wonder
By Random Ass Username Go To PostNow that he's officially going to prison and that's settled it's time for people to disavow any personal responsibility and or lie it at others feet. The best us people on the outside can do is keep the pressure on and demand answers. This shit will keep happening as long as enablers see no repercussions for their selfish decisions that led to ever more girls being violated under their watch.Well, all the lawsuits that MSU are facing should help keep the pressure on.
By HasphatsAnts Go To PostFar be it from me to say otherwise, and if he did this in Missouri and they gave him the chair, I wouldn't even bat an eye. But for a judge to express her wish to go beyond what the law allows, on the bench no less, feels… off.Nah fuck that I wish it was some way for him to go thru what he put each and everyone one of those girls thru. 140 years is too kind.
Good thread from a legal perspective of why the judge was A OK for those interested. Mathew retweeted it today after his lashing lol
By Fenderputty Go To PostGreat stuff
Good thread from a legal perspective of why the judge was A OK for those interested. Mathew retweeted it today after his lashing lol
Oscar-winning actor Casey Affleck has pulled out of this year's Academy Awards, his publicist has confirmed.
By tradition, Affleck - who won Best Actor for Manchester By The Sea in 2017 - would have been expected to present the best actress award this year.
Probably for the best, even if he is innocent.
By tradition, Affleck - who won Best Actor for Manchester By The Sea in 2017 - would have been expected to present the best actress award this year.
Probably for the best, even if he is innocent.
Lou Anna Simon's resignation from MSU comes with lifetime of perks
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/01/25/president-simon-resignation-msu-nassar/1064398001/
— Can immediately return as faculty member, with an automatic 12-month paid leave of absence for "research"
— Salary during her leave will be 750k, same as when she was president
— Salary in second year after return will remain at 750k, then drop to 562k after that (still more than any other faculty member at MSU makes, by 130k)
— Lifetime free football tickets to the Spartan Club suites
— Lifetime free women's basketball tickets
— Lifetime men's basketball tickets (at cost) in her preferred section
— Lifetime parking passes for on-campus and sporting events
https://www.freep.com/story/news/local/michigan/2018/01/25/president-simon-resignation-msu-nassar/1064398001/
— Can immediately return as faculty member, with an automatic 12-month paid leave of absence for "research"
— Salary during her leave will be 750k, same as when she was president
— Salary in second year after return will remain at 750k, then drop to 562k after that (still more than any other faculty member at MSU makes, by 130k)
— Lifetime free football tickets to the Spartan Club suites
— Lifetime free women's basketball tickets
— Lifetime men's basketball tickets (at cost) in her preferred section
— Lifetime parking passes for on-campus and sporting events
http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/22214566/pattern-denial-inaction-information-suppression-michigan-state-goes-larry-nassar-case-espn
MSU got a Baylor problem on their hands. Izzo and Dantonio aint safe
MSU got a Baylor problem on their hands. Izzo and Dantonio aint safe
I'm genuinely of the opinion once an institution harbors and protects people who sexually assault others, especially children, it should just be obliterated. And if it's truly necessary to have build it back from the ground up with entirely different people. Other than the sexual assaults...
This
This
As part of a 2014 reporting effort spanning 10 universities, ESPN requested copies of all police reports involving football and basketball players from campus and local police departments over six seasons. In Michigan State's case, the university supplied the reports but marked out the players' names -- something East Lansing police did not do. ESPN ultimately sued MSU for the release of material, and Michigan courts ruled that the school had violated the state's open records laws, awarded ESPN the unredacted records, and told MSU to pay ESPN's attorneys' fees. When ESPN submitted a subsequent records request last year, MSU took the unusual step of proactively suing ESPN to defend its withholding of the documents. A judge, in dismissing the lawsuit, wrote that a public body filing suit against a requestor could create a "chilling effect" and dissuade people from requesting records in the first place.Is a good reason to just torch that fucking place.
Fucking college sports. I wonder how many others universities are covering up shit. Seems like all of them are bound to be hiding something.
By Nelo Ice Go To PostFucking college sports. I wonder how many others universities are covering up shit. Seems like all of them are bound to be hiding something.It's anywhere there is a power structure and a group to protect.
Somewhat relatedly, Rachael Denhollander wrote this: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/26/opinion/sunday/larry-nassar-rachael-denhollander.html
[...]
But on Aug. 29, 2016, when I filed the first police complaint against Larry Nassar for sexually abusing me when I was a 15-year-old girl and chose to release a very public story detailing what Larry had done, it felt like a shot in the dark. I came as prepared as possible: I brought medical journals showing what real pelvic floor technique looks like; my medical records showing Nassar had never mentioned using techniques; other records from a nurse practitioner documenting my disclosure of abuse in 2004; my journals from that time; and a letter from a neighboring district attorney vouching for my character. I worried that any less meant I would not be believed — a concern I later learned was merited.
My education as an attorney prepared me for the process and presentation. But absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the pain of being the first to go public with my accusations in The Indianapolis Star.
I lost my church. I lost my closest friends as a result of advocating for survivors who had been victimized by similar institutional failures in my own community.
I lost every shred of privacy.
When a new friend googled my name or added me as a friend on Facebook, the most intimate details of my life became available long before we had even exchanged phone numbers. I avoided the grocery stores on some days, to make sure my children didn’t see my face on the newspaper or magazine. I was asked questions about things no one should know when I least wanted to talk.
And the effort it took to move this case forward — especially as some called me an “ambulance chaser” just “looking for a payday” — often felt crushing.
Yet all of it served as a reminder: These were the very cultural dynamics that had allowed Larry Nassar to remain in power.
[...]
Research shows that every pedophile is also reported an average of at least seven times before adults take the reports of abuse seriously and act on them. In many ways, the sexual assault scandal that was 30 years in the making was only a symptom of a much deeper cultural problem — the unwillingness to speak the truth against one’s own community.
The result of putting reputation and popularity ahead of girls and young women? The vile stories you heard in that courtroom this week, all of which could have been prevented.
[...]
Predators rely on community protectionism to silence victims and keep them in power. Far too often, our commitment to our political party, our religious group, our sport, our college or a prominent member of our community, causes us to choose to disbelieve or to turn away from the victim. Far too often, it feels easier and safer to see only what we want to see. Fear of jeopardizing some overarching political, religious, financial or other ideology — or even just losing friends or status — leads to willful ignorance of what is right in front of our own eyes, in the shape and form of innocent and vulnerable children.
[...]
It truly is not just a sports thing.
Nope. Especially not when you got churches and families covering for monsters. It goes all the way down to the nuclear family unit and the desire to avoid confrontation and stay in denial about some shit. It's why I don't take kindly to a lot of the narratives or typical talk about how victims should be and do. That's also how predators and abusers stay doing fucked up stuff. Society has normalized victims as lying or not doing enough to protect themselves, plus one forgets we are built on a foundation of exploiting people and treating them as a means to an end, our history is women and children being nothing more than property of the nearest guy/male relative to do with what he pleases. You don't really unshackle yourself from bullshit like that by never directly confronting it and allowing some institutions like some religions/cults, to continue to preach that obedience mess and brainwash people.
By Kibner Go To PostIt's anywhere there is a power structure and a group to protect.O damn need to read through this article. NYT sent me a push notification for it too. Its no wonder victims are afraid to speak out god damn.
Somewhat relatedly, Rachael Denhollander wrote this: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/26/opinion/sunday/larry-nassar-rachael-denhollander.html
It truly is not just a sports thing.