In what I think is an incredible show of united support for a woman who claims to have had her privacy violated, readers of the blog “Riverfront Times” left nearly 150 comments on two separate articles to blast the publication for doing what readers amounted to condoning sexual assault. (In cases like this, I’m used to seeing, instead, “Dood! You’re so funny!” and “the chick asked for it! F*** her!”)
Writer Chad Garrison nominated “Jane Doe,” a woman who recently lost a lawsuit against “Girls Gone Wild” producers for violating her privacy, as a possible “ass-clown” of the week in the first article, “Ass Clown of the Week: An Ax, a Watermelon, a Dirty Teacher, and a Naughty Video.” (“A naughty video” refers to the “Girls Gone Wild” video showing Jane Doe having her top pulled down to reveal her breasts.)
As I write this blog entry, 101 comments follow Garrison’s piece, the majority of them questioning his decision to label Doe an “ass-clown” for losing the lawsuit.
In response to those comments, managing editor Sarah Fenske issued an “apology” on Garrison’s behalf. Accompanying her apology is a photograph of Garrison, his face painted in clown makeup. From her apology:
So, yes, we can all agree that Chad screwed up. Even Chad agrees that he screwed up: It was mistake to include Jane Doe on the list of choices for this week’s Ass-Clown poll. It was an even bigger mistake not to include the jury.
In light of that, we have now amended this week’s poll to include a new nominee for Ass-Clown of the Week: Chad Garrison.
It’s worth nothing that Chad has won this dubious honor once before. (It was, in fact, the Daily RFT’s inaugural Ass-Clown poll, back in April 2009.) I have every confidence he’ll win it again.
Readers weren’t any more satisfied with her apology than they were with Garrison’s original article. Comments range from accusing Fenske of simply trying to bring the website more attention
If this is all he gets … getting voted Ass Clown of the Week (for the second time, apparently)? That’s essentially the same thing as high fiving him and saying, “Thanks for the hits, bro!” I think this deserves a real, honest, serious apology.
to Fenske herself condoning the behavior of “Girls Gone Wild” producers
Anyone who could laugh this off can’t be too empathetic toward women in general and to this woman in particular. I wonder if you’d be laughing it if was your sister? Or your mom? Or your wife? Or any woman you loved? (Assuming you actually do love a woman.)
to Doe’s lawsuit accused “Girls Gone Wild” of violating her privacy by filming, and then selling, video of someone yanking down her top to expose her breasts without her consent.
Why blame any of the girls on the tapes for being “stupid” instead of the sexual predators who exploit their inebriation? Thanks for perpetuating rape culture, assclown.
to calling for Garrison to be fired
Fire the assclown already.
Don Imus lost his radio job for calling the Rutgers women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hos” and so should Chad Garrison follow in his footsteps to the unemployment line.
Doe was 20 years old when she was filmed dancing, and then having her top pulled down, at Laclede’s Landing. A jury’s 90-minute deliberation determined Doe’s consent wasn’t required for the release of a video showing her exposed breasts, even though, according to an article in the St. Louis online publication STLToday.com, her lawyer Stephen Evans argued “she could could be heard in original footage saying “no” when asked to show her breasts shortly before another woman suddenly pulled Doe’s top down.”
Jury foreman Patrick O’Brien explained Doe had “in effect consented by being in the bar and dancing for the photographer,” according to STLToday.
Ahh. Just think of where “implied consent” can lead. We’re now one step closer to legally sanctioned sexual assault through victim blaming.
(Thanks to Jezebel to originally pointing me to both articles. If anyone reading this is going to click the links to RFT, I hope you’ll also share your clicks with a more worthy publication.)
KT 
[…] and commentators across the web are finding it hard to believe that a woman saying “no” is also non-verbally granting consent… especially when Jane Doe wasn’t the one who pulled down her own […]