redeeming illinois and the truth about college athletes...

the verdict is in on former illinois governor george ryan...guilty. the unthinkable has happened, a big-time player in quite possibly the most recognizable political machine (the illinois chicago-springfield "beltway") has gone down for corruption. it seems the feds really are serious about cleaning up dirty politicians...and let this be a warning to all of them, if they clean up chicago and downstate illinois, they can clean up anywhere...so you may want to see how you look in orange.

twelve regular folks from illinois got a chance to redeem their state and they stood up and said enough is enough, we are sick of machine politics that lost it's connection to the people long ago, we are sick of chicago and springfield being synonymous with corruption, and we will not stand for it anymore. there is something awe inspiring about this...that our system allows twelve regular joes and janes to stick it to the governor, that our system entrusts it's most important decisions to the people. remember that next time you get called for jury duty and come up with any excuse you can to get out of it...you're not only falling into the token american-take-your-most-important-rights-for-granted trap, but you are cheating yourself and your fellow citizen.

nightline did a bit on college athletes (namely male athletes) last night because two duke players were arrested on charges of rape. first they did a whole big segment on how the government claims only 30% of sexual assaults leave behind dna evidence...i know dna will not always be present, but the way they talk about it (that no evidence is evidence) is eerily similar to the "experts" they have in child sexual abuse cases where a normal examination (100% consistent with a lack of abuse) is consistent with sexual abuse. perhaps it is my bias...but the fact that the government can have an "expert" basically tell a jury that no evidence is proof is frightening.

they then went on to discuss how male athletes are out of control and think they can get away with anything...i almost pissed myself i was laughing so hard. granted i was not a football or basketball player...i didn't see much chosen one treatment in my neck of the woods. another statistic they pulled out was that while male athletes account for only 7% of the student population, they account for 30% of the sexual assaults on campus (IMPORTANT NOTE - when they say "sexual assualt", what they really mean is "allegations of sexual assault" as you will see in a minute, but then that doesn't make an exciting sensationalized story...so you don't get that point). then came my favorite, that the conviction rate for all others is over 50%, but for male athletes is around 35% (which they then added meant that athletes "walk" more...suggesting they were obviously guilty). this was to be an example of over-priveleged male athletes getting away with horrible behavior yet again...but if you look at the numbers it suggests exactly the opposite. a lower conviction rate suggests a much lower rate of actually guilty defendants...which would mean a much higher rate of false allegations. male athletes are easy targets...and please do not tell me i am calling women who were raped liars or suggesting male athletes lead hard lives...i am merely suggesting you take a look at it from the perspective no news organization will ever give you...the wrongfully accused defendant now branded as a rapist. it happens a lot more than you would like to think, and it ruins lives.

i can't live with my disappointment, so i'm gonna sleep with yours...