Zoie parker

                                                                                Reflection

“The personality myth” podcast insists that prisoners can change and aren’t necessarily set in their old ways. In their case they are referring to people in prison who have committed crimes such as rape. They observe the behavior of one inmate up close, and all of them in group activities such as a play. One of the researchers watching this play describes it as “touching, needs to be everywhere” and “moving”. The observers argue that you should try to get past the feeling that someone who committed rape, is inherently screwed up. That a former rapist can with time change, and be a completely different person. Pushing the point that the human brain is not consistent and changes over time.

                Using their quote “the model of inmate that I see in my mind, a consistency that may or may not not exist”, I say you do not have to be consistent to snap and commit a heinous crime. Consistency is not important factor because committing crimes such as murder or rape, are about controlling yourself in the moment. One of the women describes the prisons play as touching, moving and says it needs to be everywhere. Now, I understand this is an opinion, but I do not understand why a choir of rapists and murderers is appealing in any way. Why commit something so disgusting and then be applauded in any way, for anything? Try putting up a “choir of singing and dancing rapists coming to a town near you!” billboard up and see how that goes down and get back to me.

They also say that the female who is initially working with the inmate, at first couldn’t get past her feeling that someone who committed rape, even though it was fifteen years ago, isn’t inherently screwed up. To this I scream, she doesn’t have to! She has every right to think that he is disgusting and shouldn’t have to be anywhere near a rapist. Yes, something is wrong with your brain if you want sex so bad that you can’t control yourself and take it forcefully, yes, something is inherently wrong with you. Of course people are going to have adverse reactions and see you as a vile rapist, you are not the victim.

The rapist then goes on to destroy his own argument that he has changed. He describes that one time he enacted and initiated an act of violence while in prison with another inmate. The reporter asks him “you physically hurt someone? And he replies “yes, he asked me to stop but I said that I was going to beat the stupid out of you”. I would understand if he was initiated but he wasn’t, and was also asked to stop proving that even if consistency was important, he hasn't changed. This is a cycle of seeing red and then guilty afterwards, he is not safe to let go and is still consistent as a danger.

The most prominent question that visits my mind though is why do we care? Why are we spending time learning about how rapists could have maybe change? Why aren’t we worrying about the victims or have a play of rape victims? Oh yeah, most of them never spoke out, have extreme public anxiety’s or are dead. This man committed a revolting crime and he doesn’t get to just say he’s magically a new person, and suddenly now you claim victim status for being locked up. That is not how it works. The poor girl you raped and millions of others alike, will never be the same.  Imagine this was a pedophile, would we still teach about this? No because that’s so disgusting and everyone would unanimously agree they deserve life in prison. Women are just as valuable and I refuse to be a rapist apologist.