8 Year Old Blamed for Being Raped??!!

1. 88

   RooBeeposted 15 years ago

   Okay, I've taken plenty of philosophy and anthropology classes but I've come to believe that cultural relativism sounds nice but in many cases it is hogwash.
   Example:
   A Liberian family living in the US has now reportedly disowned their 8 year old daughter for bringing shame to her family by having the nerve to be gang raped by four "family friends."
   In such an instance, is "cultural relativism" not just jargon to sugar-coat and justify (or at least justify ignoring) brainwashing, rape, and a whole host of other nasty things?
   Poor, poor little girl. I just wish I could hug her.

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      Davinagirl3posted 15 years agoin reply to this

      This is like a nightmare.  It is ridiculous when this type of sexism can be justified as "cultural".

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      Mrvoodooposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      I don't really understand the term 'cultural relativsm' but I would cut the throats of those four family 'friends' and beat the parents to within an inch of their lives.  I also hope that this girl is getting plenty of hugs, and that somehow in time, she'll grow strong enough to put that all behind her and blossom.

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      Ambitionposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Bad luck for girl that she born in such a so called pathetic liberian family. I cannot saw an inch of cultural move in this act.

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2. 70

   Ultimate Hubberposted 15 years ago

   This is so unbelivably pathetic. Still I am sure all Liberians are not like this. Its just a few sick people in every culture and society.

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      RooBeeposted 15 years agoin reply to this

      Of course I don't think that Liberian people are bad per se or any such nonsense (not thinking that was implied, just clarifying ). There was a man speaking on the news about the incident, who had emigrated to the states from Liberia in '93, helping to bridge the culture gap in the discussion of this incident. He had a great perspective, having grown up in that culture but also living here for several years. He mentioned that it was only VERY recently that rape was officially outlawed there. Scary! Children are indoctrinated with crap like this, so boys and girls grow into adults who continue the cycle. You can't really pinpoint one person or reason to blame but I hope that things are changing for the Liberian people.

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         Ultimate Hubberposted 15 years agoin reply to this

         Got your point. And I hope the man on tv was lieing about rape being outlawed very recently.

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         1. 88

            RooBeeposted 15 years agoin reply to this

            I wish he was lying, Ultimate!
            http://www.irinnews.org/country.aspx?Co … ionCode=WA
            In the "gender issues" section of this article it states that in Dec of '05, rape was officially outlawed by parliament.

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               Info Providerposted 15 years agoin reply to this

               O my god Stop the Madness These Kids are OUR Future!

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3. 0

   fierycjposted 15 years ago

   What's cultural about abandoning your kid when she needs you? Nothing.

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4. 67

   Mishaposted 15 years ago

   That's a tough question RooBee. While what happened is definitely not something I personally would approve of (providing the description is accurate - see a thread about drinking like a fish ), a lot of Western sex and kids related beliefs and practices look no less barbaric to me and IMO cause no less harm to people and society.
   
   Yes, I am a cultural relativist And moral, too

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5. 88

   RooBeeposted 15 years ago

   Thanks everyone, for your comments. Misha, I usually agree and tend to have a way more open mind about pretty much everything than most of the people in my life. This one, however, just made me think about being that little girl - and she probably believes that she did do something wrong!!! I hope you are right, Mr. Voodoo, and she can rise above it. Yeah, cj, it's not a cultural thing but a human thing and there are many groups who have got the people they hold power over believing nonsense that results in much human suffering. (Insert comment about how that sentence could also apply to the US gov't).

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