Football team rapes – Vanderbilt’s Brandon Vanderburg rape trial features team sex crimes for sport

The devil is in the details. In the Vanderbilt University rape case, it’s important to be alert for simple, yet crucial details, some listed below.  However, any reporting; written, audio, or televised; involving one of the worst sports-gang rapes in American history that doesn’t include a single reference to our rape culture, (a cultural taproot from elementary school): is reporting that is deliberately and fatally, flawed.

The short version?  Readers should pay particular attention to what is reported as well as what isn’t after the trial, including subsequent “think pieces” beyond who was not charged and why, and who remains on the team…and why.

Also, after the trial, a longer piece.  With Tweets like this from a friend of Brandon Vandenburg,

Drunk is the goal

bears some parental thought.  Particularly since Vandenburg’s mother believes, and wrote Brandon didn’t have much experience with alcohol.

Alcohol can’t be used as a defense of course.  Sure attorneys would want to blame alcohol; but that’s a lazy defense given prosecutors were aware that back in California, resided the remains of Vandenburg’s reputation.  In high school at Xavier Prep, Coach Darrell Lewis benched Vandenburg for the season after his display of a bad attitude after just four games. But Vanderbilt rolled the dice on Vandenburg’s potential, after Vandenburg cleaned up his act, temporarily, rather than the reality of Vandenburg.  Ultimately, Brandon Vandenburg’s bad attitude meant Vandenburg suited up for not one Vanderbilt game before making Vanderbilt nationally known in ways colleges would prefer, not.

While Vanderbilt University’s keenest desire would be return to the business of football; and Vanderbilt alums are likewise keen not to be compared in any way to the NFL;  (which may be why Coach Franklin blew out of town as soon as the political winds shifted) no fear. Roger Goodoldboy is proving up to the challenge of foxes guarding the henhouse, as was demonstrated prior to the lackluster, report.  Again, what isn’t covered is equally important as what is.  Was Coach Franklin ever deposed?  How is it anyone could think 15 minutes on SKYPE was sufficient?  [Cliff’s Notes:  As the “Schools Section” demonstrates, school administrators have been protecting the criminal students who target women, for decades.  Thus, it’s a given the practice would continue in high school, college, and business.  The more important question,  why parents allowed the practice of protecting criminal to be their history, will be addressed later. Right now the reality is:  business.  More particularly, the business of protecting a school franchise.]

Thus, attending to the business of addressing rape, just might include the hiring of, shills. Towit:  Beth Shepard, who opines, “This case seems like a joke” and “I feel bad for the jurors but even worst (sic) for the boys who are getting dragged into.”

Is Beth Shepard paid for her Facebook posts?

While Beth has been very chatty,

Does Beth Shepard receive compensation for her FB posts?

at some point, the question that must be asked, is:  Is Beth Shepard real?

Is Beth Shepard real?

Now, just when people start feeling like they want a shower;  good news.

Change never happens without social pressure – and social pressure is happening

1.  When college rape victims like Erica Kinsman, who detailed Florida State official reaction to her rape claim leveled at Jameis Winston, star quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles is featured in the college rape documentary, The Hunting Ground, Kinsman was clear about what is important.  Business.  Also stated in the film:

“Less than 4 percent of people on campus are student athletes, yet they commit 19 percent of schools’ sexual assaults”

See the Hunting Ground trailer, here.

That Tallahassee Police didn’t investigate Kinsman’s claim for ten months is both problematic, but typical.  However, cops committing sex crimes is something else that only recently began getting media exposure.

When American culture particularly in the South, includes being somewhat proud of football as a religion, sports gang rape is problematic.   Erica Kinsmen and others demonstrated this.

2.  As women are deciding their way of addressing rape is to choose to speak out and up.  Humiliation due to criminal acts committed on them, is finally becoming a “bygone era.”

3.  Shout out to social media for assisting women to first discover, then addressing those schools, and school administrators who opted to allow the attempted degradation of women to continue, while busily attempting to mitigate sex crimes.  (Hope someone has researched whether Vanderbilt University hired extra for PR teams, and at what price.)

The makings of a monster

Often the making of a misogynistic monster is first revealed by their online social interactions.  Because every picture tells a story, those with a discerning eye pick up whenever irony enters the frame.  Especially sports boys who revel in not growing up.   Note Brandon Vandenburg’s initial Twitter profile.  You may have missed it, but it was the one before Brandon became famous as a campus rapist, and turned to religion post-arrest.

In Brandon’s first Twitter profile, Vandenbbilt honor student Brandon Vandenburg wrote #IAMSECOND  first.

Second?  That would be Brandon’s #GODFIRST

Also, consider the picture.  Football centered, and girls on the sidelines.  Not academics.

Also not mentioned?  Boys who spend a little too much time getting all bro screenshots….

Miles Finley – so over-the-top, bro

including flirty texts to other guys.

Bro texting is still about sex

Sports bros.  Sports rape.  But Sports bros results in tweets like this, from another in the sports bro world of Brandon Vandenburg.

Ultimately, be it misogyny or a total disdain for fifty percent of the population; this is our national problem.  See a brief history of military misogyny here and here.

Tomorrow.  More on the parents, since.