http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/39524970
This article is one big debate about whether or not two college students performed a hate crime or not. The story starts off talking about two roommates that attend Rutgers University in New Jersey. One night the one roommate asked the other roommate for the room alone for a couple of hours. He happily complied and left the room. Before he left though, he had set up a web cam to capture any activity in the room. To his surprise his web cam came back with some significant footage. The footage involved his roommate with two other males. All the article said was that it was an "encounter" between the young men. Later that week the one roommate along with a female broadcasted the footage over the internet. Three days later the roommate that was in the video committed suicide by jumping off the George Washington bridge. In essence the lawyers on each side are trying to decide whether or not this case is subject to prosecution of a hate crime. Both the male and female are both facing up to five years in prison. They are being charged with the invasion of privacy. In relation to the article we read there are several unique characteristics that hold true to this internet article. One that is obvious is the ideal victim. Social norms are in contradiction with the values the one roommate holds. Being gay in a society that is not overly accepting is quite difficult to manage. I believe this is one of the main reasons this article recieved so much attention. Also, being publicly broadcasted over the internet helps mass numbers of people watch the actual video. The article talks about the parents trying to enforce action, and to find ways this will never happen again to any other student. Enabling a CJ policy to change the future is their main goal. In my opinion I wouldnt qualify this article as entertainment. It is obvious that this article will receive mass amounts of attention for its uniqueness. If something receives a lot of attention in the media does it qualify as entertainment?
I agree that this is an extremely unique case due to somebody committing suicide because of the actions of others. Plus the fact that this was against someone who was also gay complicates the case that much more. I am not sure even where I myself stand on this. On the one hand the two who posted the video clearly destroyed the other guys life to the point that he believed his only way out was suicide. Yet then again I am sure that the two who posted the video thought it was funny and as a joke, and never expected a death to come from their actions.
ReplyDeleteThis case is really unique, but this relates to the article that I just put up about teens and a hate crime. I find this case far more interesting with mine just because I feel like we can all relate in a way that we know how kids in college think, so we could imagine what sort of damage this could do this guy's life after the video is put out. I think this is far more than just a joke. It may have seemed that way, but these roommates obviously were not friends if they put something like this all over the internet. I think it is a hate crime.
ReplyDeleteOf course, there's always more to the story than some websites include. Apparently, the roommate who put up the video had complained before in public tweets about his roommate making out with a guy. So, this lends credibility to the idea that posting the video was malicious. It will be interesting to see what happens with this case..
ReplyDeleteI think this case is horrible and the people that posted the video should be prosecuted. For the very least, they should see repercussions for invasion of privacy. I'll give the kids the benefit of the doubt, and maybe they just wanted to make sure their room was safe when they were gone, but they crossed the line the minute they posted the video online. I agree with Dr. Tammy that complaining about the rooommate's homosexuality on twitter lends credibility to malicious intent. Also, the kids should feel like crap for contributing to his rooommates suicide.
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