I'm going to break this stuff up into two separate entries.
But...
You've got to watch this first.
And then read this...
Ithacan Blog About it
Ok...now I can talk about it.
There are two reasons this whole thing offends me.
1. The news coverage attached to it. Dear Fox 61...you are channel 61 for goodness sake...why do you have a newscast at all?! No one does news coverage past channel 21! Even if you have American Idol...you've lost the ratings war. You are NEVER going to be the number one station in your market. No one can find you between Spike and HGTV.
But that's not all. They have to go and suck at their jobs. Have these people never seen the news before? They could really learn something. Here are my lessons for you Fox 61 and Eric Zager...pay attention.
1. Headroom -- that means, when interviewing someone...leave an inch or two above their head on the screen.
2. Reading Quotes -- actually read what's on the screen why don't you?! "Benefits" does NOT equal "Beautifies"
3. Lady Walking down the hall --Where the hell is she supposed to be? Did you shoot this package in a prison? Why are all the walls white everywhere? Wow....she turned a corner, I'm going to go to her when I'm sexually assaulted. C'mon. Show her at a computer, show her consulting someone or sorting her brochures.
4. Interview Over-the-Reporter's Shoulder shot-- what the hell? Mr. Reporter, excuse me... Mr. Eric Zager...your tripod is too low. There are a few things wrong with this shot. Namely, you are too big in it, your tripod is set too low. Two, the editor is too small in the frame, it belittles him. Granted...he should be belittled, but it's not your place to put visual judgement on him.
5. Another things about this interview...get him to take out his gum. He's smacking it too much.
6. And lastly...cut out the "ummmmmm....uhhhhhs" geez whiz
Special.
Now the 2nd reason this offends me.
Dear Mr. John Petroski and Mr. Mark Rowan...you disgust me.
Have you ever seen Law and Order: Special Victim's Unit? Have you ever known anyone who was raped? Do you have any idea about what that means? Have you noticed that in parts of the world there are people, currently...as I write this, that are using Rape as a weapon of war and fear??
I feel that if you understood these things you wouldn't have chosen such a topic to be "satirical" about. And your piece, I read it, it wasn't all that satirical.
Not that I'm an expert, but I looked up what it's supposed to be...
satire |ˈsaˌtīr| noun
the use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues. See note at wit .
• a play, novel, film, or other work that uses satire : a stinging satire on American politics.
• a genre of literature characterized by the use of satire.
• (in Latin literature) a literary miscellany, esp. a poem ridiculing prevalent vices or follies.
The thing is...for some people in this world I think what you wrote was a true opinion. For some twisted, sick people in this world, that's ok. That's not a necessarily ridiculous thought or really even an exaggeration of anything, that's how some people think. They think that rape is ok. It's ok, this girl's ugly anyways.
That is where your piece lacks serious consideration on your part, as a writer and as an editor.
I think the thing that makes satire, satire, is the absolute ridiculousness of it. Your thoughts on that page, really, aren't that ridiculous. Period. Likening yourself to Jonathan Swift is absolute ludacris (not the rapper, the adjective). The difference between you and Swift is that Swift's "Modest Proposal" to the Irish was completely ironic. No one in their right minds, as far as I know, was actually eating their own babies or selling them as stew. Whereas, rape happens, the attitude you portrayed in your article I know all too well as a female college student. As the news story from Fox 61 (God Help them) stated 1 in 5 college females are raped in their college career. While I may not be one of them, I know a great deal more than 5 other women.
That is where your article cuts deep.
If anything, you only made fun of women who are raped and further objectified and cut further into psychological and emotional wounds that may never fully heal. Post-tramatic Stress Disorder is on the rise in this country, not only because of soldiers coming back from war, but because of hatred, sex crimes, and horrific events I can't even begin to describe. You'd do well to not add to the misery this world can bring.
I suggest that you, yourself, Mr. Petroski, visit a therapist and talk to them about your own issues on this subject. Or visit a support group for those that have been raped, and see for yourself.
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