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| RIP Tyler Clementi |
See, a hate crime doesn't always involve a bat or a beer bottle or steel-toed shoes or fists. Sometimes a camera and the internet are the weapons.
Charges against Molly Wei weren't presented to the grand jury, and it isn't clear if charges will ever be filed against here, or whether she helped prosecutors in the case against Ravi. Molly Wei's attorney declined to comment.
Dharun Ravi posted a message on his now-closed Twitter account on September 19 that read: "Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay."
Two days later, he again Tweeted: "Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes it's happening again."
The indictment against Dharun Ravi states that the sexual encounter was viewed by others, and accuses Dharun Ravi of targeting Tyler Clementi and invading his privacy, knowing Clementi would be intimidated because of his sexual orientation.
The indictment also suggests Dharun Ravi tried to cover up his actions; he allegedly deleted his Twitter post in which he let his followers know about the second encounter, and replaced it with a false Tweet. Dharun Ravi is also accused of deleting text messages sent and received by witnesses, and giving false information to police.
Almost worse than all this, is that Tyler Clementi had apparently complained to the university about his roommate, and Rutgers officials have said they did all they could.
After that second video, Tyler Clementi left a note on his Facebook page: "Jumping off the gw bridge sorry." Clementi was a promising violinist--and out to his parents. He took his own life during his first weeks of college.
So you see, it isn't fists and boots and bottles, it's words, it's actions, it's Twitter. It's hate.
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Cyber-bullying is so new and so foreign to me, I have trouble grasping it. This post helped me to that end.
ReplyDeleteI've been cyber bullied and it was by someone who lived far away so I couldn't physically do something about it.
ReplyDeleteRavi should burn in hell for this.
Bob, it is times like these that I wish I believed hell existed.
ReplyDeleteWhile it's terribly sad that Tyler took his life, I think we need to be careful about the notion of 'cause'. Did A cause B? In no direct sense. So in an indirect sense, then? This is where it gets difficult. If, say, Tyler were a depressive, or otherwise of fragile mental health, or just 'sensitive', that might, or would, reasonably be said to be a contributing 'cause'. Indeed, is it reasonable to suggest that causing B severe embarrassment, and distress is tantamount to 'causing' A's death. I don't think so. Causation, in the mental health context, is notoriously contentious; never mind the philosophical.
ReplyDeleteI find the concept of hate crime difficult. It seems to me that a crime's a crime whether the perceived motivation's 'hate' or, say, ignorance or self-gratification.
Ravi should probably be punished - but I think there's a distinct lack of perspective because this is seen as 'anti-gay crime'. I loathe political correctnes. And, yes, I'm gay...
Dharun Ravi AND Molly Wei took deliberate action to induce character harm to Tyler Clementi! Let's face those facts. These BASTARDS deserve everything they get in resulting judgement.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of TWISTED mindset thinks you can violate someone's privacy to that degree and not think it's going to have an effect?
Regardless of the mechanism here, these kids deserve nothing less than maximum jail time.