Kasich to female college student: 'Don't go to parties where there's a lot of alcohol'

[47of74]

Source: CNN

Ohio Gov. John Kasich on Friday told a young female college student, who said she was worried about sexual harassment and violence, that she should avoid parties with a lot of alcohol.

Democrats pounced on the remark, saying Kasich was "blaming victims of sexual and domestic violence." But the Ohio governor rejected that idea, saying he was only warning to be careful in situations involving alcohol because "it obscures the ability of people to seek justice."

The young woman, a first-year student at St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York, had asked the Ohio governor at a town hall here how he would help her "feel safer and more secure regarding sexual violence, harassment and rape" as president.

"Well I would give you, I'd also give you one bit of advice. Don't go to parties where there's a lot of alcohol. OK? Don't do that," Kasich said as the audience applauded.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/15/politics/john-kasich-no-alcohol-parties/index.html

---

More tone deafness from the GOP.

[malthaussen]

1. I guess at Mr Kasich's college parties...

... everyone sat around singing hymns.

-- Mal

[ret5hd]

5. or molesting drunk women.

[malthaussen]

7. Oh, yeah, that would work too. n/t

[forest444]

71. And drinking near beer.

Or Tequiza (sweetened piss in a bottle).

[mike_c]

2. actually, I think that's pretty good advice...

...but probably not for the reason that Kasich offered it. I wish I could have some of the brain cells back that I killed in my misspent youth!

[NobodyHere]

4. Nobody uses all their brain cells anyways

You're good

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

8. I think alcohol kills the weak brain cells.

Darwin, and all that.

[greymouse]

72. I would give that advice to any kid regardless of gender.

It's not blaming the victim to say don't put yourself in dangerous situations. It's common sense advice.

[Gregorian]

3. Sometimes my mind wanders.

After I read this, I found myself daydreaming about what a lousy president I'd make, getting high in the Lincoln bedroom, and not being able to make decisions.

Maybe he's right. After all, this is what I'm listening to at the moment. I must be a degenerate.

[Liberalagogo]

6. And wear a burqa!

And when you're at home stay barefoot and make sammiches in the kitchen.
And let your father decide what you do with your body.
And when he sells you to the fellow he likes, you do EXACTLY as he says.
No back talk.

That's all there is to being a woman!

[47of74]

18. Yeah that's pretty much the GOP mindset about the women folk

[Igel]

37. That's like saying

if you're told to make sure to lock your doors and windows when you go on vacation it's like being told you have to hinre 24-hour/7 guards, put metal plates over your doors and weld them shut, and bar the windows.

At some point responsibility for safety is shared. When my mother foolishly got dressed up tourist style to see Leningrad and had already declared her $5000 in jewelry she had put on, I told her she had to carry it in her purse. Too tempting a target for thieves. Then when on the streets in Leningrad she pulled out the $800 she had converted to rubles out to show me how large a wad of cash, I told her to put it away--it was several month's salary.

This isn't saying that theft and mugging is okay and that if she were mugged it would have been entirely her fault. But it was saying that if she did something foolish and incautious she'd certainly share some responsibility. In this case, she was quite literally stupid enough not to realize. She'd heard how wonderful the Soviet Union was, and assumed that it had to be more prosperous than the US. She was trying to keep up with the Joneses, not realizing that the Joneses make $1,200/year on average, had an alcoholism problem, and while walking the streets at night was safe for a typical Russian it was because the typical Russian had nothing worth stealing.

Same for my parents' backyard pool--we had to have a fence put up because it was an attractive nuisance.

Same for rolling up windows and locking car doors during holiday shopping, and putting expensive or attractive things in the trunk when you're in the store. Imagine a jewelry store that had all the display cases open with no alarms and no doors. "Theft is illegal, how dare anybody steal anything." Yet most jewelry stores aren't Fort Knox. They take reasoned and reasonable precautions because they know that they share some responsibility for the safety of their wares. Their insurance company won't let them adopt the "all rights, no obligations" model that is so trendy and fashionable these days. "I have a right to be safe and have my stuff safe, but no obligation to do anything for my own safety or protect my stuff."

Heard a student talking a number of years ago. She'd lost her car. She'd driven to a party Saturday evening. She woke up Sunday morning in her own bed. Her car wasn't in the driveway or on her street. She couldn't find some of her clothes, either. Some friends helped her find her car a half mile away, and said she was plastered and left the party with some guy. Either she's a delicate flower that everybody has to protect and shelter because she's not responsible for her own safety and actions, or she's responsible for getting drunk and leaving the party with some guy nobody knew. Nobody said she was drugged by somebody else--she self-medicated herself in a way that reduced her inhibitions, make herself defenseless, and prevented memory formation.

Note that the reason that Salafist Muslims insist on a burqa and unaccompanied women having guardians with them is precisely because women are not to be held truly responsible for their own safety or actions. They are assumed to be weak, powerless, and prone to lust, and therefore in need of protection.

[Liberalagogo]

39. That's a lot of words

Last edited Sat Apr 16, 2016, 12:53 PM - Edit history (1)

just to defend women as property.

I suggest you bloviate elsewhere.

[Dont call me Shirley]

46. Igel, it's called self-restraint. The attackers have no self-restraint, no personal boundaries, no

sense of compassion for others. It is ALWAYS the ATACKER'S FAULT! ALWAYS! EVERY TIME!

[yardwork]

70. It's good advice for everybody. Directing the advice only at women is offensive.

[tabasco]

9. Good advice. Hang out with the stoners instead.

[Initech]

10. Why do they have to be so fucking creepy all the time?

It's almost like it's a requirement to join their club.

[yardwork]

69. That really sums it up. Well said.

[houston16revival]

11. Kasich really left that one hanging

What was he saying?

Alcohol causes violence, harassment, and rape?

Where is the National Alcohol Association on this one?

[maxsolomon]

13. alcohol abuse is correlated with those crimes on campus, is it not?

which is not to say it's causal.

if there is a NAA, its not touching this one with a 10 foot pole.

[yurbud]

26. NAA?

[maxsolomon]

28. National Alcohol Association

see the post I responded to

[Drahthaardogs]

32. Drunk people generally suck

they do stupid shit. And yes, some drunks are violent. I told my kids to never drink with anyone who would hold anything stupid they said or did against them.

[Ms. Yertle]

55. Not to mention

that young women who are blind drunk or passed out are in no position to resist an attack, or to help a friend who is in trouble. Alcohol consumption makes women vulnerable.

[Odin2005]

12. The "moderate", everyone!

[smirkymonkey]

14. She goes to my Alma Mater.

There is no such thing there as a party without a lot of alcohol. The place is in the middle of nowhere. What is she supposed to do for fun? Lock herself in her dorm room and knit? What an idiot he is!

[Jopin Klobe]

15. Kasich on Birth Control ...

... "Don't stick that in there." ...

[mrmpa]

16. Over dinner tonight with my younger brother..........

and my 86 year old mother, I told them of this statement by Kasich. My brother the father of 3 daughters, one still in college was pissed. My 86 year old mother the mother of one daughter (me) and the grandmother of 4 young women, was pissed.

[philosslayer]

35. What advice would you have given?

n/t

[mrmpa]

42. I gave this advice to all my nieces (4) and nephews(4)........

Don't drink anything anyone hands you.
If you're going to have sex, have safe sex.
And four of the 5 who attended schools in rural areas, "don't go walking in the woods during hunting season."

As I was a former University Police Officer, my advice is educate Police Officers, educate the "Greeks" and other groups. Financially Punish schools that don't do any of the above and that also want to "judicially handle the problem(s) internally, which doesn't allow justice for the victims.

This education needs to start in the high schools and middle schools, so that the idea of sexual assault is ingrained to be a wrong.

In my area there have been rapes in high schools that the administrations have tried to cover up.

It's not a panacea, but it's a beginning.

[Ms. Yertle]

56. It isn't only the drinks someone else hands a woman

It's consuming too much.

If I had a daughter I would advise her to never drink to the point where she is unable to defend herself. BTW, that's not victim-blaming; it's common sense.

[lark]

17. It's always the girls/woman's fault when she gets raped

according to Repugs. It's also a blessing if she gets pregnant, , at least according to the asshats.

[Igel]

38. Why does it have to be 100% one

or 100% the other, with nothing in between?

Why is morality and legality so thoroughly held to be completely coincident that there's no gap between them?

And if you're not on one side you must obligatorily be on the other side?

The extreme absolutism in thinking is scary. If I leave my car running, keys in it, a pile of cash on the front seat and the driver's door open while I go into the DMV for 30 minutes I shouldn't be surprised when I come out and find it stolen. Doesn't mean that the thief was justified and it was my fault. On the other hand, forgetting that people are people and not taking reasonable precautions like putting the cash in the trunk, taking the keys and locking the car aren't insane, either.

An absolutist on the jury for the thief's trial would have a horribly easy time in passing judgment in what would be a nasty case. I would have been irresponsible to the max. Still, the thief broke the law. An absolutist would say that either the thief who stole my car in that situation was no different from somebody who broke into a car, disabled the alarm system, and hotwired the thing; or that the thief was just doing what came natural, so it's all my fault. (I'm not an absolutist, and would expect that the court would find that the thief was guilty of theft, but that mitigating circumstances--the ease of the crime and temptation, and my utter irresponsibility and negligence--should lead to a reduced sentence or mere probation. Nuanced, that, and very old-fashioned--he commits a crime, but I bear some responsibility.)

When I studied abroad I was told to take reasonable precautions. Don't flash cash. Don't get myself in compromising positions. Keep my passport safe. Avoid getting drunk unless in good company. Don't wander into bad neighborhoods late at night and get lost. The crime rate was low, but still passports were stolen, wallets went missing, students were assaulted and the subject of violence. I'm male. I don't see why such precautions were unisex then (remember, rape isn't sex, it's just violence) but not now.

[lark]

44. The 2 don't compute, getting raped isn't like having cash stole that's left in plain sight.

A woman having a drink at a party isn't being negligent. Someone spiking her drink is a predator and it's nothing to do with her having a drink. She could have been drinking water and the roofie would still work. A woman wearing a short skirt isn't culpable for any attack that happens, just like the nun dressed in a full habit isn't culpable, it's not what someone wears it's the asshat that wants to prove his power over women.

Taking reasonable precautions is smart, but it isn't enough to protect young women. An acquaintances daughter was brutally raped by 6 guys on the FSU campus, walking back from the library. It was well lit, she was wearing jeans and a sweater and had a pile of books. She did zero wrong, just very sadly in the wrong place at the wrong time and now she can never have children and lives with pain from the awful assault. She was in the hospital in a coma for 7 days. That's what women live with and only a few men face this violent hatred and control.

Seems like you are blaming the victims, even when they did nothing wrong. For shame.

[Ms. Yertle]

57. How horrible,

for your acquaintance and his/her daughter. I had a friend in college who had a similar experience. Early evening, walking alone, a guy jumped out at her and raped her at knife point. She had always thought she was "rape-proof," for some reason, but when face-to-face with a knife, she submitted to save her life.

On the other hand, I knew a couple of women who got blind drunk and were raped by men they trusted while they were passed out. If they hadn't been drunk they could have defended themselves. That's not blaming the victims; it's stating a fact.

Men are always responsible for their actions--NO QUESTION--but women need to be able to protect themselves in all circumstances.

[lark]

61. I strongly believe in women carrying mace at all times.

I agree that women need to protect themselves and since men will always be stronger, need something that will take them down. I took a self defense class and it did help me get out of a situation that could have gone way bad. I also had friends around, probably wouldn't have gotten away without their presence. I was wishing the whole time that I had remembered to get the mace. I got lucky, got away from him and my friends swooped me into the club, fast. I never again went out at night without mace in my purse.

[olddad56]

19. just avoid drunks and Republicans

[47of74]

20. Yeah

Especially the ones who crow the loudest about family values.

[dbackjon]

21. My headline would have been

Kasich: Women that go to parties with alcohol want to be raped


Basically what he is saying.


Disgusting.

[YOHABLO]

22. Isn't that why people go to college? To consume as much alcohol as possible?

[Quantess]

40. Yes, absolutely.

I despise that stereotype. In my case, grad school was the longest 2 years without a drink, that I have experienced in my adult life.

[Yupster]

64. I didn't drink either

Being around drunks when you're not drunk is a pretty awful experience. I stayed far away from parties with heavy drinking.

Hope that doesn't make me property.

[DesertRat]

23. And Kasich is considered the moderate one

[47of74]

25. Yeah I noticed.

Like so many Republicans, he's only moderate when the cameras are on.

[smirkymonkey]

24. And this guy has daughters.

Dog help those poor girls.

[Ms. Yertle]

58. Yes,

he should tell them to go to frat parties, get stupid drunk, and not worry about it.

I would tell my daughters to always be alert in order to defend themselves and protect their friends. If that means limiting alcohol consumption, or staying away from frat houses, so be it.

[Kalidurga]

27. What he should have said is go to an all girls college

Never be alone with a man ever not even if you get married. Cut yourself off from all male members of your family even. Don't leave your house. Get a very high tech security system, a big dog and a big club. Even then you are probably taking a lot of risks.

[thereismore]

29. You know, he is partly right - alcohol increases the chance that an idiot will get ideas. Not ideas,

an idiot always has those ideas, but alcohol can certainly remove inhibitions between those ideas and actions.

[billhicks76]

30. Kasisch Used To Be Drunk On The Air

[Yo_Mama]

31. That's good advice.

The reality is that unless you post a security guard next to every four or five women, stuff happens when you go to parties and get drunk.

Self-defense classes and situational awareness can increase safety and confidence, but getting drunk undoes it all.

When drunk, one does not make good decisions.

[Skittles]

33. it is sound advice, but it is NOT a good answer to her question

because it IMMEDIATELY assigns blame to the victim

[Yo_Mama]

34. No, IT DOES NOT. Protecting oneself from a dangerous situation does not in any way

excuse the bad/criminal behavior of others who might exploit vulnerability.

When I used to travel all the time, when I stopped at a public rest area late at night I always used to scout it out before going into the ladies'.

In NO way would that excuse or mitigate the behavior of a predator who attacks women when they enter the rest room. The first, second and third rules of taking care of yourself are to be AWARE.

The advice that girl was given was useful. A lot of girls/young women get into situations they regret later when intoxicated.

[Skittles]

47. YES IT DOES

he in NO WAY addresses the behavior that such abuse is considered acceptable on unavoidable and the only way to stop it is for women to change THEIR behavior

*DONE HERE*

[Ms. Yertle]

59. No one,

and I mean, NO ONE, thinks rape is acceptable. It is always wrong, under any circumstances, and even Repugs would agree.

That said, it does happen, and nothing is going to 100% deter it. The best thing a woman can do is to take steps to protect themselves, and that means learning self-defense, limiting alcohol intake so that they are able to protect themselves, using a buddy system, and avoiding places where there will be predators.

[philosslayer]

36. so how would you have answered?

[smirkymonkey]

48. WTF?

Honestly. WTF.

[Quantess]

41. No, that's just an excuse.

I have been to wild, drunken parties and have never been sexually assaulted. The reason why is because the party-goers were respectful types who didn't use drunkenness as an excuse for poor behavior.

[Yupster]

65. "didn't use drunkenness as an excuse for poor behavior."

Wish I knew those people.

The drunks I know do lots of poor behavior.

[Quantess]

66. I didn't say nobody ever did anything creepy.

But it helps to choose your friends and acquaintances wisely.

[Third Doctor]

43. Damn

This is supposed to be the moderate one? The GOP is worse than I ever thought.

[Dont call me Shirley]

45. How about telling the boys to keep their pants zipped up and pulled up.

It's called self-restraint asshole, something of which Kasich and his rapist buddies need an education in, self-restraint!

[Ms. Yertle]

60. Yes! That will work!

[Dont call me Shirley]

62. The sex aggressors are given a green light and an applause sign. When they are shamed, shunned

humiliated, tried and convicted just as they do to their victims then it will work.

[Ms. Yertle]

63. Even if that would work

there is still a _first_ victim. If you don't want to be that 1st victim, take steps to protect yourself.

[Dont call me Shirley]

67. Becoming aware of surroundings is an important life lesson. But ALWAYS the BLAME is on the

attackER EVERYTIME ALWAYS EVERYTIME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[vkkv]

49. There would likley be a lot of "guys" there - and women don't want to meet guys at a fun, casual

party.. do they John... heck, women never really ever want to HAVE sex, now DO THEY JOHN??
Like YOUR WIFE!!!!

[ck4829]

50. So... no-go zones for women? That's the GOP solution?

[BeyondGeography]

51. And he's the "reasonable" one

[Funtatlaguy]

52. Parties are bad

Unless they are political parties where not only loads of alcohol is served but much time is spent discussing how they are going to "further rape and pillage" the middle class.

[Freddie]

54. And if she gets raped in Ohio

Kasich had a law passed that would forbid a counselor from even discussing abortion if the victim was further victimized by pregnancy.
Yeah, he's the moderate.

[qwlauren35]

68. Right answer for the wrong question.

If I had a teenaged daughter, that is the advice I would give her. But that's because I don't have the power to make the kinds of fundamental changes that are needed for women to feel safe around drunk men.

If Kasich won't own the fact that the culture needs to change, then I have to hope that a bunch of women defect to the Democratic candidate.

[lunatica]

73. That insight into Kasich's mind proves he thinks men aren't really at fault.

If someone asked him directly about that he would scramble that back in a jumbled rush of denial that this is what he really believes.

If she goes to parties where alcohol is served then she's to blame. Period. This type of statement is made by men (and women) who mean well, but essentially put all the responsibility on women, and never on men.

I can't wait to see when a women shoots a rapist and uses the 'stand your ground' laws.

DU will explode.