back to article Anonymous and pals gather in support of girl at centre of rape case

The hacking group Anonymous led a real world protest last night in support of a young woman at the centre of a rape case that was re-opened just three days ago after the online activists ran a campaign publicising its dismissal. Hundreds of people gathered in Maryville town square to demand "justice for Daisy Coleman", who …

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  1. Cliff Cheetham

    Given the serious nature of the story and the potential abuse suffered by the victims, I definitely think the grammer in the article is what we shouid focus on - lol

    loving the grammer nerds.... a very English way of trolling :-)

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      You can't be loving it: love is a stative verb, so doesn't conjugate to "I am loving". You can only love the grammar nerds.

      Yes, I am English. :)

      1. Guus Leeuw

        AC vs McD

        in other news: an anonymous coward sued McD for discrimination based on the incorrect use of the stative verb "to love" in McD everlasting "I'm loving it" multimedia marketing campaign.

        Now what?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: AC vs McD

          @Guus Leeuw - 09:45

          I don't see how McDonald's misuse of stative verbs would count discrimination.

          However, as I said, I'm English, so I wouldn't sue them anyway. I merely tut internally at them. :)

      2. ratfox

        Interesting

        But isn't "sit" a stative verb? It is quite common to say "Are you sitting down?" What about "look", which is supposedly a stative verb, and the sentence "looking good today"?

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: Interesting

          Sit isn't a stative verb. It's active.

          Look isn't stative in the context that you give. It's active.

          Stative verbs take place in the moment or refer to a state that one is in; active ones continue, or refer to something that one is actively doing.

          Technically, McDonald's "lovin' it" campaign could argue that because they love their burgers throughout the whole of when they eat them, then during that period they are "loving" them. The phrase is as dirty as their product to me though.

        2. Michael Wojcik Silver badge

          Re: Interesting

          But isn't "sit" a stative verb?

          It's irrelevant. There's no reason why you can't conjugate these supposedly stative1 verbs in the progressive in English. The syntax of the language permits it, it's not particularly awkward, and the usage is common. More importantly, it makes semantic sense and expresses at least two useful distinctions: emphasis ("I'm particularly fond of X" or "it's important that you not be standing") and engagement ("at this moment I am particularly conscious of this state").

          Making a shibboleth out of stative verbs in the progressive is the same sort of crass elevation that gave us the "split infinitive" bugbear. Anyone who inveighs against this sort of thing is unlikely to have anything useful to say on the subjects of English usage and style.

          But this thread is loaded with false pedantry and vulgar prescriptivism ("proper grammar"? please!).

          1Even describing English verbs as "stative" is suspect - it's ascribing a grammatical attribute which is not firmly established in the structure of the language, either semantically or (in particular) syntactically. It's like declaring that the phrase "were it so" has the copula in the subjunctive; there's so little syntactic evidence of a subjunctive mood in English that the construction could equally well be considered simply idiomatic.

          1. davyclam
            Thumb Up

            Re: Interesting

            Wow !

            Can I quote you?

    2. breakfast Silver badge

      Although I quite enjoyed Frasier I wouldn't say I'm a Grammer nerd.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I can't say I approve of anything anonymous does, but I'm definitely making an exception for this (and other cases like this) where they're using their 'presence' to push for due process. Well done you anons.

    1. That Awful Puppy

      Anonymous, despite their less-than-stellar reputation, are rather caring people. They just tend to like the lulz a bit too much.

      1. Fibbles

        "Anonymous, despite their less-than-stellar reputation, are rather caring people. They just tend to like the lulz a bit too much."

        Or they're a disparate group of people who do things independently of one another. I've no doubt that amongst these supportive Anons there are others who are trolling the comments sections of various outlets reporting on this story.

        Though I will admit Anonymous when viewed in general does seem to have mellowed a bit in recent years. 2004-08 Anonymous would probably be hounding that poor and her family right now hoping for some sort of emotional outburst or even suicide. They used to do a lot of sick shit 'for teh lulz'.

  3. albaleo

    "love is a stative verb"

    I'm not sure we can say that English grammar has the concept of stative verbs. The distinction between stative and dynamic verbs is just a matter of semantics and logic. They conjugate in the same way. This is probably why we have verbs that can have both a stative and dynamic sense. For example, "I have a plate." and "I'm having a plate of chips."

    "I'm loving the discussion." seems more economic than "I'm enjoying the discussion so much that I have stained my underpants." McDonalds apparently came to the same conclusion.

    1. NogginTheNog
      WTF?

      What a strange concept of pleasure you must have

      I can honestly say I've never enjoyed anything sufficiently to soil my underwear.

      1. Sweep

        Re: What a strange concept of pleasure you must have

        You do realise you're missing out, don't you?

      2. Ted Treen
        Coat

        @NogginTheNog

        Come again?

      3. hplasm
        Happy

        Re: What a strange concept of pleasure you must have

        "I can honestly say I've never enjoyed anything sufficiently to soil my underwear."

        Then you have never had a decent curry.

    2. The First Dave
      Mushroom

      @albaleo

      "I'm having a plate of chips." should probably read "I'm eating a plate of chips."

      I would need more context around "I have a plate." to correct that for you as well.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

    3. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Dude, I'm knowing what you mean

      Post is required

    4. Midnight

      "People called Romanes, they go, the house?"

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Fixed it for ya.

    Anonymous launched a witchhunt following a grim article...

  5. Robert Grant

    Chivalry isn't dead

    Good to know that if a girl is sexually assaulted, someone will at least step up and film it.

  6. theblackhand

    A little more back ground

    Here's an interview with a lawyer defending the charges being dropped on Fox:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHl-DDDjFqE

    I'm uncertain at which point "a 13 year old sneaking out and drinking" becomes justification for not having to face trial or justice for having sex (consensually or otherwise) with a 13 year old and dumping her on her parents door step.

    Justice should at least be seen to be done or is the truth to ugly to show the public?

    1. Hud Dunlap
      Flame

      Re: A little more back ground (What no anti-fox protests?)

      Considering how many anti-fox people there are on this site I am surprised I don't see 100 down votes. A lot of us listen to fox because we are more likely to get information instead of bombast.

      The commentaries on the youtube link are definitely are definitely more intelligent than the comments about grammar that have been posted here. Not that they make any sense since the original post was deleted by a moderator.

      There was a similar case in Steuben Ohio that anonymous also got involved in. The local pop stations use nationally syndicated hosts for the morning shows. It was interesting how many teenage girls called in and supported the guys. There is an error in the story below. They were not convicted of Rape. They were found to be delinquent and sentenced to the youth facility.

      http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/18/us/teenagers-found-guilty-in-rape-in-steubenville-ohio.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

      1. Fogcat

        Re: A little more back ground (What no anti-fox protests?)

        "more likely to get information instead of bombast"

        ...... on Fox???????? Really? On Fox?!

      2. Androgynous Cupboard Silver badge

        Re: A little more back ground (What no anti-fox protests?)

        That's it people: irony, it's officially finished. It's over. Nothing can beat "A lot of us listen to fox because we are more likely to get information instead of bombast."

      3. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: A little more back ground (What no anti-fox protests?)

        You know that FOX News cannot be aired in the UK because it is total bullcrap

  7. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    No lulz were had

    We are anomalous

    We are region

    Forgive and forget

    Expecto patronum (Harry Potter reference, hehe I'm such a nerd)

  8. lunatik96

    The subject was rape NOT grammar

    No wonder the US gets a black eye in education and social issues.

    This is referencing a sexual assault of a 14 year old and the first 10 posts argue grammar?

    In other articles I read, one of the boys is a relative of the prosecutor, judge or policeman, don't remember just this minute. While the youths are juveniles, the action is very serious. Do they deserve incarceration? If guilty YES, but maybe over the summer in a wilderness program, not prison. And lots of community service, plus register as a juvy sex offender that would be expunged upon graduating High School. This will send a clear message to others that may think getting a 13 yr old drunk and taking advantage while passed out is OK. If the boys were 18, they could spend years in prison. The family of the boys should also be made to pay for any counseling the girl requires and pain and suffering.

    Personally, I don't understand how anyone would WANT sex with someone that is not awake.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The subject was rape NOT grammar

      There is a phrase that everyone need to know.

      enthusiastic consent

      The idea of enthusiastic consent is quite simple. In a nutshell, it advocates for enthusiastic agreement to sexual activity, rather than passive agreement..

      Follow this and you can't ever go wrong. A drunk girl cannot give enthusiastic consent, therefore don't do it.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: The subject was rape NOT grammar

        "A drunk girl cannot give enthusiastic consent"

        Then the young lady who was rubbing herself against me at that party wasn't drunk? Could have fooled me.

        Alchohol can lower inhibitions resulting in MORE enthusiasm, up to a point. Past that point they're also past being merely 'drunk', and into 'oblivious'.

        Sobre consent is best.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Anonymous Coward

          Re: The subject was rape NOT grammar

          If she was still sober enough to decide then I am happy for you.

          But think about this. If it was your daughter what would you have a guy do.

          1. Robert Grant

            Re: The subject was rape NOT grammar

            If it was your daughter what would you have a guy do.

            That's easy - marry her first :) No more skating anywhere near rape because no-one has any lines drawn.

            I know this is a pretty old-fashioned concept, and if you mention marriage then the first thing that pops into people's heads is probably either, "boring" or "husbands abusing their wives" due to the constant circulation of those assertions in popular culture, and they are dangers, but at least if you grow up, fall in love and get married then you're less likely to be raped by some random guy while passed out at another party.*

            This sort of article makes me dread ever having a daughter. If I ever do I hope she's a geek and doesn't get a boyfriend for a long time :)

            * one for the "I can't take things at face value and must read every negative thing I've ever heard about your subject into what you're saying because I'm not good at comprehension" crowd: no, of course she didn't deserve what happened; it's probably totally the guy's fault etc etc. Normal stuff. This isn't about people getting crazy drunk at parties and deserving anything; to me it's more like walking through a bad neighbourhood: you should be able to, but it's not wise.

            I'm starting to feel there's more wisdom baked into the ideas around marriage than we give it credit for, and when we argue against marriage, we don't even consider the positives it can bring. Dunno.

      2. Bill Gould

        Re: The subject was rape NOT grammar

        I've always considered sex, like all good things, to be opt-in.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: The subject was rape NOT grammar

      "Personally, I don't understand how anyone would WANT sex with someone that is not awake."

      Jimmy Saville would have been creaming his pants - 13yo and unconcious - he could imagine he was in the morgue.

      "In a forest, does a falling tree make a sound if no one is there to hear it - now then now then now then"

    3. Nuke

      @lunatik95 - Re: The subject was rape NOT grammar

      lunatik95 wrote :- "This is referencing a sexual assault of a 14 year old and the first 10 posts argue grammar?"

      My thought exactly. Yet apparently the grammar shit started with a comment that the moderator deleted, so we cannot even understand what the shit was about. The moderator might has well have deleted all of it. It wasted my time scrolling down to where the real discussion started

      Perhaps we need a permanent "Off Topic" area into which such stuff can be moved, then the Americans can't complain about infringing their nth (whatever it is) amendment (but they would anyway).

      As for the case, the girls were stupid, but the perps should be banged up, preferably with their equipment cut off.

      1. Francis Boyle Silver badge

        Re: @lunatik95 - The subject was rape NOT grammar

        One of the pleasures of this site is the entertaining and informative byways that discussions here often wander down but I can't help thinking that, in this case, there is a certain amount of, no doubt unconscious, derailing is going on. This is an utterly horrible case, and I can understand people wanting to look away, but maybe the best way to do that would be to keep quiet and leave the thread to people who are prepared to treat the subject with the seriousness it deserves.

  9. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    For a moment I thought...

    ...it was about some girl in Sweden and a guy camped out in the Ecuador embassy.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: For a moment I thought...

      "For a moment I thought...

      ...it was about some girl in Sweden and a guy camped out in the Ecuador embassy."

      Not where but, WHEN are you living? The last thing I thought of was Asange.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: For a moment I thought...

        Well, it is concerning his old buddies and there is a film about him coming out.

  10. Stevie

    Bah!

    Personally, I reckon once a moderator pulls a posting, the replies to that posting should be either collapsed or deleted too as the original context for the wit is left and gone away (not that proper use of grammar arguments have much entertainment in them to start with) rendering the whole the veriest gibberish.

    1. This post has been deleted by its author

  11. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    "It has been established that Coleman and her friend Paige*, 13, sneaked out of Coleman's house on 7 January 2012 and went to a party, where they drank to the point of blacking out"

    Very responsible!

    NO she didn't ask to be raped, but she is DEFINATELY has some responsibility.

    Typical teen, doesn't listen till the worst happens.

    1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

      That's just crap. She is not responsible.

      This just isn't supposed to happen, no matter if you passed out drunk or just fell asleep or fainted or whatever.

      Noone should have to consider the possibility of being raped (or robbed or murdered) as a factor in deciding whether or not to have another drink at a party in any community that aspires to call itself "civilised".

  12. Henry Wertz 1 Gold badge

    "Considering how many anti-fox people there are on this site I am surprised I don't see 100 down votes. A lot of us listen to fox because we are more likely to get information instead of bombast."

    No you aren't. I've seen Fox's "news" coverage - - I'd say like 75% is news, about 15% is so distorted as to be unrecognizable compared to actual events, and about 10% is as near as I can tell straight-up fabricated. This is no reliable news source. (Don't think this is politically motivated, I'm a libertarian and so think republicans and democrats are both a joke.)

    Anyway... good on Anonymous. This seems to be a clear case of local families deciding they would just sweep this under the rug rather than having a trial. At the very least, there should have been a charge for dumping her out on the lawn with no winter clothes, passed out, in subfreezing weather. It sounds like this whole town has problems to me, and I hope Anonymous take it apart piece by piece.

  13. skeptical i
    Meh

    "The kind of place where down-home values still reigned"

    So in hindsight this was a warning and not a sales pitch? Noted.

    Someday, after the perps have been given another pass out of yet another dodgy situation, they are going to try their schtick on a woman who has the means and ability to make them pay horribly for their mistake and I wouldn't mind hearing how that turns out.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Don't defend her...

    ...or him. They both need a good whooping. Yes, now please hate me for thinking that children might need some guidance and instruction - sometimes not verbal.

    1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

      Re: Don't defend her...

      You are confused. She has not got her pinafore crumpled and smeared with strawberry juice - she got raped.

      Whether or not she was drunk is irrelevant. The piece of shit who took advantage of her situation is the only one to blame and if you don't understand that, you belong on the sex offender register together with him.

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