Dharun Ravi’s May 20 indictment for peeping on Tyler Clementi gave court watchers with three reasons to lean in close:
- Why does Dharun Ravi possess a total lack of fashion sense (check out his ginormous, McDonald’s clown tie)?
- What was his Asperger-like fascination with a tiny piece of paper as he walked into the court room?
- And why did his lawyers (presumably) scramble to attempt to erase the fifteen count indictment of Dharun Ravi on Scrib?
We’ll get to the scrap of paper in just a minute. For now, two questions are easily answered:
The tie: there’s no accounting for bad fashion from recently expelled Rutgers students.
Scribd scrubbing: public relations 101. The fifteen counts were almost immediately scrubbed on Scribd (though Dharun’s lawyers, apparently, being elderly have never heard about or aren’t familiar with cache. It was re-posted, and you can view the indictment here).
How about we take this to the next level?
Our newsletter is like a refreshing cocktail (or mocktail) of LGBTQ+ entertainment and pop culture, served up with a side of eye-candy.
With fifteen counts that range from invasion of privacy to bias intimidation, we’re particularly interested in count 3, invasion of privacy:
“The Grand Jurors of the State of New Jersey, for the County of Middlesex, upon their oaths, present that, DHARUN RAVI, on or about September 19, 2010, in the Township of Piscataway, in the County of Middlesex, aforesaid, and within the jurisdiction of this Court, knowing that he was not licensed or privileged to do so, disclosed a photograph, film, videotape, recording or other reproduction of the image of T.C. and/or M.B. whose intimate parts were exposed or who were engaged in an act of sexual penetration or sexual contact without the consent of T.C. and/or M.B.; contrary to the provisions of N.J.S.A. 2C:14-9(c), and against the peace of this State, the Government and dignity of the same. COUNT 4 BIAS INTIMIDATION 2ND DEGREE”
Take a moment to read between the lines (if you haven’t, I will): contrary to what Dharun Ravi’s lawyers have been good at hiding – and M.S.M. is too lazy or (cough) embarrassed to report, the indictment suggests that Dharun Ravi and his friend might’ve taken pictures of Tyler having sex (with “M.B.” whoever that is.)
But it’s the tiny slip of paper that demands the most attention and I think there are two possible answers: Dharun Ravi looking at his valet parking ticket, or some hot girl just handed him her phone number. Hey, it worked for Lyle & Erik Mendendez, the Beverly Hills Brothers & Sociopaths who murdered their parents in cold blood.
In January 1997 Lyle married longtime pen pal, Anna Eriksson (a “model”) but it ended when Anna claimed Lyle “cheated” on her by writing to another woman (Rebecca Sneed, presumbably, his second wife.) Erik bagged Tammi Ruth Saccomen at the Folsom State Prison’s waiting room. The wedding cake was, Tammi said, “A twinkie.” A true union of the spirit (conjugal visits aren’t allowed), Tammi’s daughter calls Erik “Earth Dad.”
So, Dharun, there’s hope! Even if you get ten years, you can still get married – in or out of the joint.
Bobert Paulson
A prison rape joke? Really? REALLY!?
I don’t care what the guy did.
TMikel
I suspect that he will find a husband in prison – whether he wants one or not. Is it just that they are so young that they never seem to think ahead to the consequences of their actions?
Cam
I’m still a bit ambivilant that this guy is having the book thrown at him, and yet Molly Wei, the girl who’s computer was used to spy on Tyler twice is getting off with basically nothing.
Nat
Queerty writers were rightfully castigated for incoherent prison rape speculation, enough so that they had to throw in an addendum about how horrible it is.
So what’s the followup step? More prison rape speculation!
ithunk
You guys should stay off of reporting on serious matters, because your level of journalism leaves much to be desired.
Do you really have to mock his tie? or mock people with Aspergers, or divert attention and paragraphs to some piece of paper he’s holding? A whole paragraph on Mendendez brothers that makes no sense or relation to this article?
Here’s a bit of advice: go read towleroad. Thats the kind of grown-up serious gay blog that covers topics correctly. I’m not saying queerty’s juvenile blogging has no place, but stick to topics of fashion or faggotry that dont delve into serious subjects about life, politics, gay-rights, etc.
Suffice to say, You’re off my RSS reader as of right now.
kendall
They probably just cut & pasted the language of the statute into the indictment. “Sexual contact” could include a lot of behavior that is not actual sex.
Tallskin
Wow, queerty has another sweaty palmed, moist and panting exploration of prison rape
How about giving us a few pics of said act occurring to a prisoner for your next item on prison rape, eh guys?
I am grateful this blog doesn’t come from Iran. Can you imagine how moist queerty’s underwear would be with stonings, hangings, floggings, amputations and juicy judicial-acid-in-the-eyes punishments intended to blind miscreants?
And of course Iranian prisons are far more savage even than US ones. From there queerty could report on some heavy duty floggings (Oh the titillation) Oh, and lashings and lashings of rape and torture. Not to mention the gang rape of teenage boys by prison guards as a means of punishment.
Cor, queerty staff must be quite breathless and hard at the thought.
I know I’m not.
VinciSmetana
No accounting for professionalism? I’ve just started reading Queerty, but the headline for this post is not persuading me to continue.
McMike
Wow, 75% of the comments are people complaining about Queerty’s style of journalism.
Is ANYONE paying attention at Queerty? When you have 75% of the comments about the journalist, and NOT about the actual news item, then it might clue you in you’re in danger of driving 75% of your customers away for good.
Fitz
Jesus, go rent a fucking bondage porn flick and jerk off in the corner, if you think prison rape is such a light matter. What’s he reading? I don’t know… maybe a note from his parents saying “you fucked up, but we love you”? Maybe a prayer? Maybe some speaking points from his lawyer?
Red Meat
What’s wrong with wanting him to get raped? He exposed gay sex, it’s only fitting he gets some 🙂
Kyle
QUEERTY,
Please cool down the nonstop bitchiness. It’s not funny. This isn’t even a news article, it’s just a piece of shit taking jabs at someone who’s going to jail for 10 years. What Ravi did was terrible, but it’s obvious he wasn’t trying to drive Clementi to suicide. Have none of you ever done something wrong that had consequences you could have never imagined? He deserves to pay for his cruel recklessness, but a 10 year sentence seems too unforgiving to me, and do we really need to pile on more hatred with “articles” such as these?
Mark
Queerty, please go away again. And stay away forever. Really. Go. The. Fuck. Away.
Shannon1981
LOVE THE SNARK! Shut it up McMike. Stop plugging other blogs on here. How tacky.
Annony123
I love the snark too! wtf is going on here? first they miss Queerty because of their bitchy ways and now they think they’re being harsh? They must be new here….
Annony123
@Shannon1981:
I don’t know how they stumble to this site…
TMikel
Gentlemen – a young talented gay male was driven to suicide by what this man and woman did. Have none of you ever experienced that hatred that the straight world shows to the LGBT community? Have you never wondered why Ravi and Wei did not try this with a straight fellow student? Are you so righteous that you can now throw the first stone? This is a gay blog with an admitted gay agenda. I for one am glad Queerty is back. The solution is simple – don’t access the blog if you don’t like the content and don’t make up statistics to try to justify YOUR dislike. Prison rape is NOT a light matter but neither is the hatred these two exhibited toward a fellow human being. Is ten years too long for the cost of a human life? Try to show some maturity and thought before you blast away.
MB1987
This is absolutely horrific. You guys might have a wonderful layout, and the San Francisco focus is a breath of fresh air over the NYC-centric past…but goddamn. There is nothing redeeming about this article.
Cam
@TMikel:
THANK YOU TMike,
I look at the comments on here and think. Wow, this guy drove a gay student to suicide with his hatred. Remember the comments on his twitter were “Watch the little faggot get fucked”
And yet all the comments are hand wringing pearl clutching laments about the headline.
How sad that people have already forgotten the hatred that this guy was selling. But then again, Perhaps being as snarky and bitchy as they accuse this blog of being is a more comfortable thing than to actually think about why this person is on trial.
Tony
I find the Aspi comparision very offensive as someone who is an Aspi and I think you should apologize
Kyle
@TMikel:
I’ve definitely experienced hatred based upon my sexuality, as I’m sure we all have, but ruining Ravi and kicking him while he’s down IS NOT GOING TO STOP THIS HATRED. He should be punished and everyone should be made aware of his wrongdoing and its grave consequences, but the way Queerty and some others talk about him is lacking in compassion and rationality. He was being a real asshole when he recorded that video, but have none of you ever been an asshole? Maybe not to this significant of a degree, but you all have. You’re acting like he killed Clementi in cold blood, and THIS IS NOT THE CASE. His horrible actions no doubt contributed to Clementi’s suicide, but things are never black and white and I’m sure there’s more to to the story than someone acting as if Ravi pushed Clementi himself would think.
As I said before, Ravi should be punished, but I think this blog could be doing better things with its time than gloating about the hellish and rape-filled future of this 19-year-old boy. Doing so won’t do ANYTHING to help our community or bring back the life lost in large part by this fool’s actions. This eye-for-an-eye, “I DON’T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE, LET THE UNFASHIONABLE FREAK ANTICHRIST ROT AND GET RAPED IN JAIL FOR ALL ETERNITY!” mindset is overly simplistic and dangerous. It’s the same mindset experienced by those who think we should burn in hellfire for eternity, so I don’t think questioning a display of it here on Queerty is at all lacking in maturity as you imply.
P.S. @Cam: You really think the reason some of us are criticizing this blog’s bitchiness is our discomfort with thinking about why Ravi is on trail? That claim sounds interesting but in reality makes little sense… I think all of us have thought about and know why he is; he invaded someone’s privacy and exploited him in an act of cruelty and prejudice. Thinking about this doesn’t make me uncomfortable, it makes me mad: mad at Ravi and mad at the homophobic society in which we live that FOSTERED Ravi’s desire to play a prank on Clementi. However, I feel this anger is better used when channeled into education and prevention. What does make me uncomfortable is the realization that there are some within our own community that spew venom in the same way that vengeful, bloodthirsty God-fearing bible thumpers do.
divkid
admittedly i have the comprehension skills of a poleaxed hamster, but i’ve searched yon article and can find no reference to prison rape, let alone an off-colour one.
people this is hysteria. this is how salem happened. some of you need to stop being so heated up…maybe just knock one out to relieve the tension arising from your prison sex fantasies… now relaaax
fwiw that guy’s face puts me in mind of an emu or ostrich. google, tell me i’m wrong.
Cam
@Kyle: said..
“I’ve definitely experienced hatred based upon my sexuality, as I’m sure we all have, but ruining Ravi and kicking him while he’s down IS NOT GOING TO STOP THIS HATRED.”
and
You’re acting like he killed Clementi in cold blood, and THIS IS NOT THE CASE.
___________________________________________________
This isn’t about stopping the hatred. This is about your defending people mocking somebody who tweeted out “Come watch the little faggot get fucked” Not in Cold blood? Is there anything warm and fuzzy about his comment? Sounds pretty cold blooded to me. Then he publiclly broadcast his closeted gay roomate having sex leading to the kid killing himself.
Kicking him while he’s down? You have to be kidding me.
Shannon1981
@Annony123: IKR? This isn’t exactly the type of site the average person just stumbles upon. If you don’t like bitchy snark, leave the blog. Simple. There are plenty of other gay blogs out there that don’t write this way. It isn’t for everyone, and they know it. Go to Towleroad or Joe.My.God if you don’t like Queerty.
@divkid: Even if there were something off color/offensive here, isn’t that kind of the point of this website?
TMikel
Good Sirs – It is not that long ago in our country’s history that African Americans could be lynched by whites with total impunity. It is very recent in our history that Matthew Shepherd was left to die in the freezing cold – would you have HIS persecutors treated with kid gloves? The point of Queerty is to both entertain AND to provide information, which it does. Why all this sympathy for Ravi [and by the way, I find the term “Aspi” for someone with Aspergers, even if one refers to oneself with that abbreviation just as offensive as terms such as faggot and queer – people are often their own worst oppressors]? This young man deliberately planned this attack, not once, but twice. I have not yet read a single report on him, though there may be such, that shows he feels any true understanding or remorse for what he did. One of our own is dead! We do know that after this attack, Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge. Have you ever seen that bridge? I live not far from it and it is not as if you can just walk out on and and step off into the Hudson. It would take being in a great deal of emotional pain to kill oneself that way. When you apologize for someone like Ravi, you place youselves in the same group as Clementi’s oppressors. QUEERTY – I am very glad you are back up and running – I missed you.
Shannon1981
@TMikel: *GIANT STANDING O*
Thank you. Tyler is dead, and I could care less what happens to this douchebag who outed him, humiliated him, and pushed him over the edge. People need to realize the reality of this situation and of the gay plight in America. I recently lost a friend, who, and I quote said, “so what if people laugh at homos.” Then tried to play the reverse discrimination card, and when that didn’t work talked about how she “has gay friends.” Don’t you all get it? We are being persecuted all over the place, on small and large scales alike, and those of you who come to a GAY BLOG and dare to criticize the writers and commenters for stringing these bastards up ought to be ashamed of yourselves.
delurker
So queerty can speculate as to prison for this guy like its a good thing, but in the case of two gay porn stars who made swiss cheese out of another gay man, it’s a bad thing?
I never expect consistency from the queertard editors but it would be nice.
Cam
@TMikel: ::::Clapping Hands::::
deurker
@TMikel: “and by the way, I find the term “Aspi” for someone with Aspergers, even if one refers to oneself with that abbreviation just as offensive as terms such as faggot and queer – people are often their own worst oppressors]?”
ya lost me here. if a person with Aspergers isn’t offended by the term, why are you? you sound very patronizing here.
Cam
@deurker: said…
“ya lost me here. if a person with Aspergers isn’t offended by the term, why are you? you sound very patronizing here.”
_____________________________
Well it could be along the lines that if some gay person tells their friend that the term “Faggot” doesn’t offend them…they still shouldn’t run around using it on others.
rodca
I’m not a fan of Q-snark not because I’m offended by snark but because Q-snark usually is not usually very good. However, in this case, I fail to see why those critical of this article jump immediately to rape??? Re-read the last two paragraphs. I thought they were referring to the wierd “prison love” relationships like that of Lyle Mendendez (without conjugal visits, no less). I have read many stories over the years about these strange prison pen pals ending up getting married. Maybe my reading comprehension is failing me? I dunno.
deurker
@Cam: if you’re actually gay, then yah, i get the point about “faggot.” but the poster doesn’t have aspergers (i think), then it’s not really his place to be offended.
like if i heard two black dudes call each other ni**a, i don’t think it’s my place to tell them how offended i am at their use of the word, or how they shouldn’t use the “language of their oppressors.”
i think i would come off as a condescending prick!
Cam
@deurker: said…
“i think i would come off as a condescending prick!”
___________________
Well see, thats your problem, nowadays, too many people do NOT seem to mind being condescending pricks. 🙂
divkid
@Shannon1981:
god, yes, you’ve right, this creeping insidious censoriousness is starting to make me censor my own thoughts.
some people automatically jump for the offence button, because they take a pleasure in so doing. this is counterproductive as it devalues the real the harms we face.
being offended is for the most part — unless backed up by a penalties or violence or threat thereof — not actual HARM; and sometimes it can have a positive force: there is utility in testing the boundaries of your own ideas and the rigour of complacent consensuses by means of the rough and tumble of blunt speaking. competing ideas are tested to destruction in a life or death struggle. it’s evolution baby.
this less than genteel approach generates passion both positive and negative; but what it doesn’t generate are the ubiquitous simplistic platitudes, theatrical brow beating, and pious tutt tutting over the terrible things that befall us. i have no use for a sanctimonious group hug liberal circle jerk.
i’d much rather queerty occasionally cross over the line (imposed by whom?) than play safe and predictable. as has been said this is not just another “straight” lgbt news blog; that you can find elsewhere. no, it’s raison d’être, its “added value” is it’s house style or tone, which people either love, or love to hate. but at least they’re not indifferent — that would be the real offence.
TMikel
Deurker and Cam, using slang, such as, “queer,” and “faggot,” and other demeaning terms – Dago, Spic, the “N” word, serve to dehumanize those such terms are applied to. The same is true of such terms used for those suffering various afflictions. It used to be completely acceptable to call those with Down Syndrome, “retards,” or even “‘tards.” If you cannot understand that, then the lack of sensitivity is yours. I could call myself a faggot and I would still be using a term of oppression. For the record, I do NOT patronize others and you can hardly claim that I do based on comment made on a public blog. If my intelligence offends you – and i can see how it would – that is again YOUR problem.
Cam
@TMikel:
I actually was defending your comment, not sure why you are now attacking me for that.
TMikel
Cam, my sincere apologies. I have reread your postings and now see them in a different way.
deurker
@TMikel: you’re having a little trouble keeping up. so, i’ll try to explain it again, slowly.
if two black people are bantering and call each other ni**a, what’s it to you? if a person with aspergers calls himself and “aspie” what’s it to you? if a gay person refers to himself as queer, so what? (this site’s name is QUEERty. does that offend you???)
if they are not offended by those words, why should be offended for them or tell them they should be? that’s not your place.
Shannon1981
@divkid: Wise words, my man, wise words. I hope the new Queerty writers continue to ignore the people who bitch over the snark.
McMike
@Shannon1981: Yeah, but just not nearly as tacky as wishing someone would get raped.
Grow up.
Shannon1981
@McMike: Oh take a seat you tired, bitchy queen. You’re telling me to grow up? Grown ups browse on past sites they dislike, rather than throwing tantrums.
Logan
@divkid: I agree that there’s a place for pushing the boundaries if it’s in an actually funny and sharp way, but this blog is neither funny nor sharp. And what’s this bullshit about you trying to intellectually rationalize a case for being outright offensive? It doesn’t cause actual HARM, you say, and is just “evolution baby?” Well then would you support, say, someone throwing around the word faggot in an utterly disparaging and hateful (to gays) way as long as they were testing the “rigour of complacent consensuses?” Such offensiveness is not harmful in the sense of being directly, physically harmful but it can have definite negative effects if used recklessly. Plus, offensive speech CAN be trite, so I don’t think it necessarily destroys “ubiquitous simplistic platitudes.”
YA’LL ARE SOME STUPID BITCHES
divkid
@Logan:
first off i should have said “it’s a darwinian struggle…” not “evolution…”. my bad.
no, i’m not positively advocating offensive speech; the world would be a much better place were people to refrain from giving unnecessary offence. that’s simple good manners. i’m advocating non-censorship. the utility in allowing offensive speech in a forum such as this, would be to see all of the hatred and idiocy — even among are own — flushed into the open where it can go head to head with arguments based in reason and fact. once we’ve lured out the craaazy we can destroy it.
apparently i have more faith than you do in reasonableness winning the day.
to answer your question: i wouldn’t give a shit at all about hate words like faggot being flung around…or even care if my boss thinks i’m an evil pervert …. that is, if we were presently accorded the same rights, protections and privileges of other citizens under the law, and civil society etc. in that scenario “faggot” would have no power behind it….it’s the real-world power behind words which does the damage. but currently that word arguably DOES carry a malign power, a dehumanising force; and harm, not least of which being the actual violence that so often accompanies it.
you concede that words per se do not amount to physical harm. so we are in agreement. you go on to imply that there are psychological effects just as damaging. i agree — but famously, no one has the power to make you feel inferior without YOUR CONSENT.
the antidote to this psychological warfare is not by blanching and clutching ones pearls in the face of BAD WORDS OR IDEAS, nor is it consoling hugs in a protected environment; but rather by immersion in that ugly cruel reality that is the REAL WORLD where offensiveness’ writ holds sway. the sheer cuntary of the haters keeps us battle-ready, and may serve to help us sharpen our own arguments better than any mutually affirming liberal mantra.
fwiw i’m as politically correct as they come. but i think we’re grown up enough to tolerate a space where people can express what they’re REALLY thinking; not what they ought to say; nor what i’d prefer that they say. then we’d know where we stand. and how much more needs to be done.
finally, thanks for dignifying my comment with a response. i wouldn’t have. re-reading it now it’s embarrassingly pompous and overwrought. much like this is. ….oh, and die bitch. painfully. (no offence ;-P)
Amber Dawes
There’s no denying Ravi was fascinated by and hostile to Tyler’s personal life. You can’t deny it. He set up the whole webcam and a whole lot of gossip to shame Tyler. It’s as plain as day. I would love to know all the innuendo and smart remarks Ravi inflicted on his roommate and behind his back.
Ravi needed a good old-fashioned ass-kicking. He may yet get it.
http://kissingup2.blogspot.com/#!/2012/03/to-tyler-clementi-with-love.html
I t pains me to know these brown people (Ravi, Wei etc) were so far gone on the bullying. They couldn’t seem to remember when it was them being singled out, teased and ostracized for being different.
New f**ing Jersey.