USAFA Sexual Assualts - A Cadet Responds

USAFA AOG | 03/14/03 | Matt - USAFA Cadet

[americafirst]

I have spoken with many Grads about these allegations and while I can understand isolated sexual assualts happening there, I just can't believe the numbers that are being reported. But no way do I want to write them off as the allegations of drunk women who were ambiguous about their consent and who changed their minds the day after. But do I believe there is a culture of abuse at the Academy - no - yet some of the comments I read from the Commandant of Cadets are awfully weaselly. Send in the OSI and get get to the bottom of this.

[sd-joe]

Women should not be in the military. It causes too many unnecessary problems.

[Jim Noble]

>>But no way do I want to write them off as the allegations of drunk women who were ambiguous about their consent and who changed their minds the day after<<

Why not?

If 6/7 cases involved alcohol, would you not think that was the most probable thing?

[gaspar]

As the late philosopher Charlie Macarthy said, "Get the broads out of the Academy."

[winstonchurchill]

Women should not be in the military. It causes too many unnecessary problems.

You are, of course, wholly correct. But for reasons far beyond utilitarianism. It is wrong because we degrade our society and culture by mistreating our women and putting them (in the current phrase) in harm's way.

But various "crises" like this one also suffer from our true definitional crisis. Sure, true 'sexual assault' is indefensible, but much of which passes for 'sexual assault' to our feminazi-dominated society is really consensual sex.

We recently had a 'court' here in CA determine that a female could consenually begin a sexual act with a male and, at any time prior to its quite natural end, change her 'mind' and the consensual act was thereupon transmuted retrospectively into 'sexual assault'.

So, we can't simply sign on to the prevailing shorthand. Difficult as it is, due to the degradation of our language, we should begin our conversations with "Of course, the initiation of sexual contact between unmarried persons by menas of physical force is always wrong...."

[americafirst]

What, that alcohol was responsible? Contributing factor yes, but I have been falling down, stupid drunk and have never given away responsibility for my behavior. If that was so, drunk driving wouldn't be a crime, and to assume that these women were just changed their minds after they sobered up seems a little convenient. That being said, I don't know what to think here. I'm sure the media is getting many of the facts wrong and misrepresenting others, personal agendas are involved and the numbers just don't pass the credibility test.

[NoControllingLegalAuthority]

We recently had a 'court' here in CA determine that a female could consenually begin a sexual act with a male and, at any time prior to its quite natural end, change her 'mind' and the consensual act was thereupon transmuted retrospectively into 'sexual assault'.

I have a friend who just got out of prison after serving ten years for "rape" that began and ended on a "date" as mutually agreeable sex with both parties heavily under the influence of alcohol.

A doctor testified that there was no evidence the woman had even been penetrated.

This woman sent a man to prison for years because she had second thoughts afterwards. He was certainly guilty of very bad judgment but had never previously broken the law in his life.

Putting young women in the military in close quarters with young men is a monumental mistake. A blind man could see it. It's a recipe for disaster and destructive of morale and discipline. This modern feminism has been very destructive of our country's ability to defend itself.

[Drango]

because the bottom line is the same- these were not good cadets.

AHHHHHH...here it starts again. The invidious slander. Those cadets who dare allege rape, will be smeared by others.

[gumboyaya]

The unintended consequenses of the liberal world order.

[americafirst]

Ummm - not my quote. I never said this.

[americafirst]

Sorry - now I see your context. Yeah, this statement by the Cadet bothered me too when I read it.

[sinkspur]

I have spoken with many Grads about these allegations and while I can understand isolated sexual assualts happening there, I just can't believe the numbers that are being reported.

Neither could Catholics in the pews believe that priests were abusing young people and being allowed to continue in the ministry.

Any tightly-knit organization fosters silence.

No doubt there's a balanced view required here, and there may be some date rape involved.

But, like the young boys who first claimed abuse and who were ridiculed by the Catholic bishops, you shouldn't doubt for one minute that these women were ignored by the Air Force brass.

Self-protection of the institution is the first priority.

[sd-joe]

I totally agree with you.

But to be picky, when you say: "Of course, the initiation of sexual contact between unmarried persons by menas of physical force is always wrong....", are you implying that initiation of sexual contact between *married* persons by means of physical force is OK?

Probably not. Thus the difficulties of communicating in any language. Thus we must say: "the initiation of sexual contact by means of physical force is always wrong".

But wait, is the initiation of non-sexual contact by means of physical force OK?

No, not really. Does this bring us then to: "the use of physical force in any contact is always wrong"?

Well, I am starting to agree with this, but then what about self defense, and the concept of a just war. I agree with those principles also.

[americafirst]

Being a Catholic and a USAFA grad, I think you make a good point here.

[sd-joe]

"As the late philosopher Charlie Macarthy said, "Get the broads out of the Academy.""

You can get the broads out of the Academy, but can you get the Academy out of the broads. :).

[William Terrell]

AHHHHHH...here it starts again. The invidious slander. Those cadets who dare allege rape, will be smeared by others.

But, unfortunately, due to the increase of fraud used to further a woman's own ends or emotional pique, in an era when radical feminists have encouraged the lowest possible bar, it's safe and even reasonable to presume fraud.

It's all about power plays now. I have to think that the chicks in the academy are feminists, if not radical feminists, by the very fact they're there. Possibly, your first reaction, even tho what I consider right, is wrong within this new framework.

[Atlas Sneezed]

"because the bottom line is the same- these were not good cadets."

"AHHHHHH...here it starts again. The invidious slander. Those cadets who dare allege rape, will be smeared by others"

The writer bases the "not good" judgement on actual recorded past behavior, not the accusations made, or even their culpability leading up to the events in questions.

I'd be interested in knowing the proportion of cadets who have such probationary status at any time.

[KriegerGeist]

"Women should not be in the military. It causes too many unnecessary problems."

The same goes for those women aboard ship for many months with men. Didn't they nickname one of them (at least) "The Loveboat" because of all the pregnancies when it came back from sea duty? This, in my opinion disrupts not only those aboard ship, but families back at home whose husbands and wives are away for months on ships with other's husbands and wives...

Now, as for this AF cadet thing, this is a "military academy"! Q: What is the purpose of the military? A: to kill people and break things (the enemy's that is) when necessary. Do these girls/women not receive self-defense training? If they are training to be "fighting military personnel" should the not learn how easy it is to disarm an opponent in these cases first? A good knee to the groin would or two fingers to my eyes would quickly cause any male to lose interest in "getting some". Sometimes these kinds of things sound strange to me. We see these women kicking men's clymers all the time on TV and in movies after taking martial arts classes. Is real life so different? They have classes all over the country that teach women how to not "become the victim" and how to disarm the biggest, stingiest man in all kinds of ways....Is this all "make believe"?

[cynicom]

Firstly, to much verbage, which usually amounts to trying to cover garbage with an umbrella, yet it smells to high heaven.

For starters, this young man believes what he has been told to believe about ethics, honor etc etc. That fact is quite apparent. The fact that all of that is totally meaningless and a pointless charade and facade will come to him later when reality sets in.

No school or organization will ever make any individual into something he is not, simply by rite of passage thru some prescribed regimen.

What you are comes from within, not applied with sugar coated words from without.

[ghostrider]

I was raised as an "Air Force Brat." I joined and spent many years in the Air Force. I agree that the rules and regulations tend to work to the advantage of those connected to the upper brass, but no differently than elsewhere in our society - especially when one considers the O. J. Simpson or Patty Hurst situations. I never saw or heard of a group of Officers covering up blatant crimes against individuals. I do not believe that groups of Officers are covering up blatantly criminal activity at the Air Force Academy. However, I have seen too many situations of media abuse to not believe that the media has an ulterior motive - especially those that were mentioned. I have always associated those sources with the Soviet Media, Pravda and Isvestia, which always pushed a well organized propaganda agenda.