Part One: the NYPD sends some female cops undercover on the subway and the resulting sting, aka "Operation Exposure", arrests 13 perps for forcible touching and public lewdess and one jerk for grand larceny. (Story please? He distracts with his dick while he grabs your wallet?) The 14 arrests were not the product of a month long sting- they were all caught during rush hour over a two day period. Best line from the NY Post story: "Subway gropers, beware - next time you cop a feel, you might be feeling a cop. "
Part Two: Gothamist covers the story and a bunch of anonymous pervs respond in the following fashion, "I believe women who are initially outraged being on the receiving end of that type of ‘treatment’ soon become extremely flattered, but of course they don’t show it since its socially unacceptable and it sorta makes them feel like a bunch of freaks." I think most of those posters are actually just being intentionally incendiary to get some attention, which reminds me why I hate the internet sometimes.
Incidents like this happen quite frequently in New York although possibly not as frequently as in other countries, if you believe the stories about Japan. Sheena wrote about her experience and I think we can all agree this is not "flattering", it is a sexual assault that is intended to make women feel uncomfortable, degraded and powerless. So, you know, if it happens to you don't be embarassed, shout out and feel free to avail yourself of the old standby kick to the nuts. Unless you do enjoy it. I will allow for that possibility.
The punchline is that this story comes just a few days after a Reader's Digest reports that New York is the most polite city in the world. Now, I think that New York does not deserve the bum rap it has for rudenes, but there is no way in hell that the Big Apple is the most polite city in the world. I have one word just off the top of my head: Chicago. People there were so nice, I wanted to punch them in the face. Reader's Digest performed their unscientific experiement in 36 cities in 35 countries; New York was the only US City "tested". As if the fact that the jokes in "Laughter is the Best Medicine" are considered funny wasn't proof enough, I think we have conclusively shown that Reader's Digest has lost all touch with reality.
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9 comments:
That is a great idea for a sting.
I just kinda shrugged off the NY is the most polite city in the world thing, but now that you mention it, are they fucking insane?
I can think of like twenty more polite cities just in the states, let alone in Europe. Plus the entirety of Canada, every city in Canada is more polite. I'm so mad I'm gonna go out be rude to some tourists right now.
I'll give Reader's Digest another shot when the "Alcohol is the Best Medicine" series kicks off.
Ok, I got one for the Seven Sisters crew. If I had access to a Star Trek Holadeck-type device, I would totally get on the "subway" and assualt the shit out of all the women - and possibly some men.
Does that make me evil? Or gay??
Discuss.
Muk, you know I hate to miss a chance to tell you what a misogynistic homo you are, but I lost you in the premise. I don't speak nerd.
Reader's Digest, go back to doing what you do best, making those sweetened condensed books.
Look, all I'm saying is that I would be doing some nasty stuff in the Holadeck AND I'M NOT ALONE!
I guess my question can be likened to playing Grand Theft Auto. Is it ok to wantonly kill people when it isn't real life, but a dangerously close simulacrum?
Aren't these the pressing moral hypotheticals that the Cupcake blog was set up to address??
Muk, I'm still not following. Perhaps you could use a baking analogy?
I know I'm going to sound like a whiny liberal here, but no, I don't support violent video games that simulate real life and glamorize organized crime and prostitution. I don't find that entertaining. I believe the propper level of video game violence is throwing turtle shells at monsters who shoot eggs out of their mouths. That's what we call old school. If it was good enough for Mario and Luigi, it's good enough for me.
And if you're trying to imply that masturbating on a subway is a victimless crime, I have to disagree.
Jeez no - I don't defend any of that subway lewdness/assault/etc in real life. And I have not fully formulated an opinion regarding violent video games, although I can say for certain that my daughter will not be playing anything like that in the house.
Maybe what I'm trying to say is that I miss Star Trek the Next Generation.
Here's a way to channel that energy.
I can only reference Star Trek in the context of the New York Times. That's how hip and urbane I am.
Shout-out for Chicago: I've lived here for three years and I still marvel at how polite people are. When I first moved to the city, I was actually taken aback by the number of strangers who offered to help me w/directions and the like when they saw me with a map. Now, when I go back to the East Coast, I notice that people there walk more with their heads down, avoid eye contact, etc. - and it seems so strange to me! It's weird, but I guess it's all in what you get used to.
Well, Zürich is definitely more polite than New York. Also cleaner. And more punctual.
I have to say, though, New Yorkers do stick together when the chips are down, so to speak, and I dig that.
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