She made me do it!

Image courtesy of Feminist Law Professors.

This in response to the socio-path who killed three women in Pittsburgh. The feminist blogs that I read on a daily basis; Feminist Blogs, Feministing among others--- have been asserting that this constitutes a hate crime against women, and the press should label it thus.

I didn't see it this way when I first read about it. I saw it as yet another maladjusted nut job desirous of his fifteen minutes of fame---- and getting it any way he can. He used the media to ensure his legacy---through blogs, through videos, through the mass murder itself. He knew he would be mythologized by the media before the day was done.

And he was right.

It's a sure-fire way of gaining not only attention but notoriety as well. A place in the history books beside Al Capone, Adolph Hitler, The Boston Strangler, Ted Bundy, Charles Manson. But now I get why hate crime is an important label to affix to this tragedy. Because women are victims of hate crimes every minute of every day.

I always laugh whenever I read about a young woman, murdered by her boyfriend/lover/husband/baby-daddy--- not about her death, no. But it seems that these woman had always just taken out an order of protection. This is where I laugh. I say, Yeah, an order of un-protection. It seems to guarantee she'll be dead before the day is done.

The other night, a couple was arguing below my window. I heard her say, Stop. Get away from me. Stop. You're hurting me. I looked out the window. She was clearly trying to get away from him. But I hesitated, thought, what if its just a lover's quarrel? But then he grabbed her arm and twisted it back. I yelled out the window, "Let go of her arm or I'm calling the police."

They quickly walked away. Was that women really in danger? Is he going to beat her up--- maybe not that night, but some night in the future? And is it really a crime to slap your woman around when she's being disrespectful? I ask this ironically of course. It seems to be the prevailing attitude, still --- today.

So yes--- let's label these murders a hate crime. Let it shed some light on the socio-paths who only hate one woman; his wife, his girlfriend or his lover, the mother of his children.