(Insert title here)
Lepustimidus said:
Well, since the onus is on the car jacker not to steal my car, why the hell should I lock my car door?
Steven Brust once pointed out that locks don't stop thieves, and instead are something akin to "Keep Out" signs.
Stating that sensible people should take precautions to protect themselves against bad people is not the same as attempting to justify the abberant behaviour of bad people.
So now you're comparing wolf-whistles and catcalls to carjacking and physical assault?
Construction workers and the like should have the decency not to go around jeering at women. But sadly, some don't. If you're a women, and you're so bothered by this, then it's probably a sensible thing not to dress like a slut and get their attention.
Here, one of my least-favorite American commentators makes the point very well:
Time now for Beat the Press. First up, FOX's Bill O'Reilly. On his radio show last week, O'Reilly discussed the rape and murder of eighteen year-old. Jennifer Moore. See if you can tell who he thinks is responsible for the killing of that New Jersey girl. Here he is:
"She was five-foot-two, a hundred and five pounds, wearing a miniskirt and a halter top with a bare midriff. Now, again: there you go. So every predator in the world is going to pick that up at two in the morning. She's walking by herself on the West Side Highway, and she gets picked up by a thug. Alright? Now she's out of her mind drunk ...."
So she's got a halter top with a bare midriff, and she's drunk, therefore she gets raped and murdered? As if that's natural? That's what happens when you've got a bare midriff and you're loaded? Not in my America, buddy. Pretty low standards; I mean, I don't know if O'Reilly's attempting to blame her for luring this guy in or what, but the fact is it's sick all the way around. You ought to be able to wear whatever you want on our streets and not get raped and murdered. (MSNBC via
YouTube)
It's a fairly obvious point. So obvious, in fact, that a guy who thinks giving refuge to fugitives from the government is the equivalent of being a Nazi can see it.
Look, I think it's stupid that I should need to keep a Club® on my car, but life goes on. It's not a big deal, and the circumstances under which it will have a negative effect in life and death situations are so remote that I'll worry about it when it happens.
However,
both men and women need to lock their homes, lock their cars, use a Club® or alarm to deter thieves. Okay, fine.
Yet it's women who, in order that men with no better decency or self respect should not be tempted into making fools of themselves and demeaning their fellow human beings, should limit the manner in which they dress?
A proposition: Next time you hear a guy complaining about homosexuals and how he doesn't want any fags hitting on him, just look him up and down appreciatively, shrug, and tell him that he probably shouldn't go around in whatever it is he's wearing.
Of course, that advice is coming from someone who can't seem to be able to give it away in a gay club. So maybe it's not what the guy is wearing. Instead of telling him to dress differently, remind him that he should stop acting like he's gay.
What? It should get a laugh. From someone else.
Of course, since walking down the street is enough for a woman to be asking for it, perhaps your next advice will be that they should just stay home. Wearing burqas.