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BainsBane

(53,031 posts)
Wed Mar 5, 2014, 11:45 PM Mar 2014

Again we are told that women are liars

Yet again a man in the public limelight is charged with a crime against a woman, and it is she who proclaimed the liar and even the abuser. A video looped over and over again to highlight her shoving him is the smoking gun that, we are told, proves the man is not only entirely innocent, but that the woman is guilty of assault. Yet the police report names the wife as the victim and complainant.

I don't pretend to know the facts of this case. I don't know if Alan Grayson is guilty of what his wife alleges. What I know is that she has filed charges and police are investigating the incident. Yet once again--like with Woody Allen, Julian Assange, and James Winston, the woman and complainant is declared a liar, vindictive, and untrustworthy. Same story. Same bat channel. Only the names change.

The lesson I have learned is that my life and those of women like me are valued far less by those who claim to be my "allies" than the men who are charged with beating and raping us.

15 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Tx4obama

(36,974 posts)
1. The 18 year old daughter was there and she said the father did not push the mother.
Wed Mar 5, 2014, 11:51 PM
Mar 2014

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

 

bravenak

(34,648 posts)
2. That daughter was arrested for assaulting her mother in November.
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 12:06 AM
Mar 2014

She could be trying to help her own legal case.

JustAnotherGen

(31,811 posts)
7. I didn't know that . . .
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 09:15 AM
Mar 2014

I'm holding back on this one from having 'hung around' the family law community online and face to face for so many years.

In a high profile divorce with large assets - it rarely is not messy. I'm going to hang back and give them their privacy. They were married a long time - it's going to take a long time to divorce - and I think highly of both individuals.

I wish them both peace - and hope they can proceed without anymore pushing and shoving matches. I don't think either one is an abusive person - but something happened there and we may never know precisely what it is.

hlthe2b

(102,225 posts)
3. My first reaction to this reporting was... gasp
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 12:16 AM
Mar 2014

My second, was to back waaaaay off on making any judgements, drawing any conclusions, or even offering any opinions and to let the facts come out.

You have a point that the media is quick to rush to judgement and is all too ready to make a negative assumption of the woman. We have seen that over and over again, for decades. That said, I still intend to back waaaaay off on the whole incident/issue until there is actual evidence upon which to base it.

That this is a Dem politico who has been fairly left of center on a lot of issues, has been an outspoken thorn in the side of the Rethugs, and even takes the time to post here now and again, admittedly has had me hoping this to be BS...

I can't pretend to know, but I surely don't want the press or anyone else deciding for me without evidence. Until then, I am firmly withholding judgement in any direction.

JoeyT

(6,785 posts)
4. That was pretty much my reaction too.
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 12:36 AM
Mar 2014

Unlike Allen, Grayson doesn't have a history of being a creep, so we don't really have anything to base a judgement on.

 

geek tragedy

(68,868 posts)
5. Partisanship can make people stupid.
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 01:46 AM
Mar 2014

The wife's complaint included an admission she kneed him in the groin, so some caution about jumping to conclusions is indeed warranted.

JI7

(89,247 posts)
6. grayson just may be innocent, but i have seen enough of the pr done with lawyers and shit
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 06:36 AM
Mar 2014

to not fall for it so easily. a lot of it reminded me of george zimmerman's lawyers and defenders and how they attacked trayvon.

that video which is just a few seconds and taken by someone who works for him. and and his lawyer is supposed to be proof.

but we have to dismiss the bruises on her ?

they get so defensive that they don't even think it's ok to criticize him for things like his defense of seaworld.

 

seabeyond

(110,159 posts)
8. the first thread i read the story. three of the first post had the wife as a bad mother, lolita =
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 09:27 AM
Mar 2014

Last edited Thu Mar 6, 2014, 10:49 AM - Edit history (1)

whore?, liar.

first three out of four posts. i stopped reading the replies.

this was before the video.

now posters are up in arms, now that there is this video, that i could not see clearly, too short, and the beginning not there.

i sit in about the same opinion as i did before the video. i do not know what happened.

but, i do know we have posters claiming the same ole duers owe du and grayson an apology for attacking them and claiming grayson guilty. not that they can point any of us out on that thread attacking others and stating grayson guilty. and they claim that video means she is GUILTY and grayson innocent from less than conclusive evidence. now, they are doing exactly what they claim the usual suspects did. without any recognition what hypocrites it makes them.

before the video, they had her the evil woman and grayson innocent, with no info.

after the video they have her the evil woman, grayson innocent and all us condemned, though none of us said a damn thing

ya.... brilliant.

ismnotwasm

(41,976 posts)
10. My feeling-- which doesn't count really
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 10:23 AM
Mar 2014

Is that he's guilty.

My opinion, is to wait for evidence before forming an actual opinion

BainsBane

(53,031 posts)
11. I know anything is possible in this particular case
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 10:25 AM
Mar 2014

but I grow frustrated that the story is always the same. It's always the woman who is vilified and assumed to be the liar. Not only that, people are insisting she be arrested for spousal abuse, yet no one seems willing to report the incident to police. Grayson himself hasn't.

ismnotwasm

(41,976 posts)
14. Oh I totally agree
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 03:31 PM
Mar 2014

Which why I tried to be careful how I phrased it. He's a dem, so she going to be excoriated on Dem boards. Not cool

sufrommich

(22,871 posts)
12. I'm not comfortable proclaiming Grayson
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 10:52 AM
Mar 2014

guilty either and I think waiting for facts is probably best. That being said,I wonder if perhaps this whole family reacts physically when angered,the reports about his daughter actually pulling the cord out of the wall so her mom couldn't call 911 sounds like someone violently out of control.It's entirely possible that Dad,Mom and at least one of the kids may have problems controlling anger.

BainsBane

(53,031 posts)
15. Divorce can bring the worst out in people.
Thu Mar 6, 2014, 03:44 PM
Mar 2014

And my hunch--just a hunch--is that this conflict is divorce related rather than part of a long-term problem, principally because I haven't heard Lolita claim he has hurt her in the past. But ultimately it's for the police and court system to decide, not us. What bothers me is we always seem to see the same pattern of disbelieving women in virtually every case that is made public, but particularly when the man is a Democrat or liberal. Of course, we can probably assume Lolita is also a Democrat, but that does her no good in eyes of many.

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