Hey, remember that Reed College student who somehow got national attention for being booted from a class discussion section because he wouldn’t shut up about rape? The guy that right-wing news outlets — including The National Review and the New York Post — heralded as a martyr to free speech, even though it was clear to anyone who looked into the story even a little bit that the guy in question was a bit … off?
Well, Katie Baker at Buzzfeed now reports that Mr. True, now an ex-Reed College student, “was arrested on Thursday by the Portland, Oregon police for alleged sex abuse, harassment, and disorderly conduct” after, er, behaving inappropriately at a girls’ rugby game.
As Baker explains,
According to an employee at Rugby Oregon, a youth rugby organization based in Portland, True was arrested for disrupting a high school girls’ rugby practice. He was restrained by a coach who called the police, the employee said.
I wonder if the New York Post will be writing an editorial this time, like they did last time, demanding Congressional hearings and declaring that, well, whatever it was he was doing at the rugby game was a bold act of self-expression.
@Paradoxical and caneraine
Extended empathy to you two. I’ve had a doctor tell me in a very blunt voice “don’t be silly, you don’t have those symptoms. Only old people with heart problems do.”
misty:
That would be creepy whatever the setting, but at a high school rugby practice? That means there were a bunch of girls there who could probably kick his arse (rugby is not a game for delicate snowflakes), plus an adult coach. Along with his earlier reported behaviour, this makes me wonder whether he feels invulnerable. If so, hopefully the legal system is going to disabuse him of that notion before he causes any more harm.
You might be on to something there. If it’s true, I just gotta wonder what gave him that belief. From day one I’ve known that actions have consequences.
@sunnysombrera
Considering he went to college, I’d say money. Maybe people him bailing him out of trouble all the time with little reprehension for his actions again and again and again.
Which is why I take issue with anti-self-diagnosers. Those asshats who insist you must have a medical professional diagnose you before you can say anything about your lived experiences being possibly caused by mental illness.
Not all of us can one, afford to go to the doctor, even with insurance. Two, accurately explain our symptoms to an extent that can be understood or properly comprehended. Three, not every doctor is going to take every patient seriously, even if they feel like they are. And four, misdiagnoses are a thing that happen quite regularly.
@Paradoxical Intention
5. People with social anxiety/phobia issues may be afraid to even approach a professional for a diagnosis. It’s kind of sucky when your symptoms are the very thing that keeps you from getting them diagnosed in the 1st place.
Agreed, Spindrift.
Please, no more on the mental health issue. We’ve had this discussion many times, and it’s not productive to continue it. I think most people here would like to move on.
Thank you David.
To ease the tension: I humbly offer a cat gif.
Reblogged this on Dreams of the Shining Horizon and commented:
What a shock. I wonder if this story becomes big national news.
Let me just add my voice to the chorus of folks who are absolutely shocked – shocked, I say! – that the kind of person who is creepy and entitled enough to think that multiple classroom disruptions to spew rape apologia to the detriment of everyone else in that class is something he has an absolute right to do with no consequences is also the type of person who harrasses teenage girls.
Also, apparently I <3 run-on sentences.
Also:
Policy of Madness:
Because, sadly, yes. I would bet money that this is happening somewhere in the manosphere as we speak.
Indubitably. Because some people are just shits. And full of it.
And what about HER right to play and practice unmolested, huh? Isn’t she someone with a right to express herself unimpeded, too? Nope, nope, nope. Just like his classmates had no right to take a basic arts course without him making it all about his penis. Even when the course calendar entry for the course says nothing whatsoever about discussion of rape and related issues. None of them had a right to learn what they came to learn, because it was all about him him HIM!
@Paradoxical Intention
Is that cat on drugs? I can’t stop laughing. 😀
At the risk of derailing again, I want to apologize to everyone for exploding upthread. I was seeing red and I should have stepped away from the computer and didn’t.
… but the insanity defense!
It’s cool, you’re cool, we’re cool.
For the record, POM, I thought you were very eloquent, and I found what you said very useful to think about.
Maggie, apparently the coaches made an effort to disabuse* him of any illusions of invulnerability. I’m going to admit that I’d be interested to know just what he was shouting while restrained; one player’s tweet indicates that, from his behavior, she thought he was a crack head. The idea that personal liberty = I can say and do whatever I want without consequences is a Very Bad Idea indeed.
This is also being covered over at Little Green Footballs.
*Pun very much intended.
@PoM:
I think I see a sheen on the human’s neck, which might be catnip spray. Kitties love the ‘nip 🙂
That cat is doing what my cat does if someone is wearing bengay. Apparently, she thinks the mint in bengay smells lime catnip. She gets aggressive.
Regarding our True belieber. Asshat is as asshat does. His whole spiel stunk of disingenuously interpreting events. I hope the high schooler is doing okay.
Second in the person above pointing out his abusive behavior as ABUSIVE. He’s basically saying/doing offensive things to upset people and then telling them that they were overreacting when they became angry and upset. Classic emotional abuse.
And I’m suspicious of the idea that his behavior was because he was out of control. He stated that he wanted to work in the limelight without going to college. I think there’s a good chance he’s the one manipulating MRAs/conservatives to get attention and get a following
Interview with True: http://reason.com/blog/2015/03/24/interview-reed-college-provocateur-expla
First time commenter: Shut up woody,
Just wanted to say how happy I am for the people who are taking issue with and arguing against ableism.
You do a wonderful job!
Don’t know if it’s been mentioned (comments are loading weird on my phone), but he apparently touched one girl’s hair and then grabbed a 17-year-old’s boob while remarking on her chest.
So he contributed to the sexual assault statistics he denies.