The media's gentle language regarding Dennis Hastert, who is a rapist.

[RadiationTherapy]

I am tired of Hastert being called "molester" and I won't hear his crimes called "abuse." Dennis Hastert is a rapist who raped underage students over whom he had official and institutional power.

Language matters. This is not the first time headlines about powerful, wealthy rapists are written in the gentlest - if still nauseating - terms. If you find yourself referring to him as a molester or abuser, I hope you may consider a more accurate term: rapist.

Dennis Hastert is a rapist. He raped underage boys over whom he had power.

[truebluegreen]

1. One little problem: he wasn't convicted of rape or molestation

because that is not what he was on trial for...because of the bullshit statute of limitations in this and similar cases.

[RadiationTherapy]

2. Thank you for clarifying.

I will edit.

[truebluegreen]

8. ...

[mopinko]

13. he admitted it at sentencing, tho.

and it was part of the sentencing decision.

[truebluegreen]

23. I know. But he wasn't on trial

and isn't being punished for molestation, etc.

[Rex]

14. Doesn't matter he admitted to rape in a courtroom.

He admitted to raping those young men, knowing full well the law cannot touch him over those crimes. However, he did admit to it as part of the sentencing.

So he doesn't have to be convicted, he admitted to the acts.

He is a self admitting rapist.

[truebluegreen]

24. I am not defending him or implying that he isn't guilty

of horrific crimes. I was responding to the original post which stated baldly that he was a convicted rapist and should be labeled as such in the media. That's it. Thanks for your input.

[mucifer]

28. The media could say that hastard is a self proclaimed child rapist.

That would be true. He isn't a convicted child rapist. He is a self proclaimed child rapist.

[truebluegreen]

32. I agree.

Telling the truth is a far better option than what they do...and also has the virtue of being harder to dismiss.

[Kip Humphrey]

3. He's a pedophile and should be labeled and treated as such.

[RadiationTherapy]

6. I would be fine with that as well from a communication standpoint.

Though, I understand there are pedophiles who have not committed rape; their urges remain un-acted upon.

Nonetheless, I agree with you.

[30Draw]

22. It was my understanding that his victims were post-pubescent, young teenage males.

Were they actually prepubescent? Pedophilia is explicitly related to adults or older adolescents who are attracted to prepubescent children.

[Buzz Clik]

4. "rapist" is far too gentle. He's a sexual predator of children.

[ViseGrip]

5. Where did the pervert get the payoff money?????? They never ask, do they?

[lostnfound]

11. From Turkey, according to Sybil Edmonds!! I can't believe they aren't questioning that!!

The media is ignoring that aspect completely.

[pressbox69]

9. Hastert the rapist

or make that rapist monster because it fits Hastert and his ilk.

[2naSalit]

10. The judge who sentenced him

did call him a serial rapist, I think. Used the term "serial" and that was pretty damning but I agree, he's getting too light a treatment considering the facts.

[Orrex]

12. But he's a man of faith or something. Isn't that nice?

[Rex]

15. 'Compassionate conservatism', just like Newt...they both were rotten to the core.

So now we know 'compassionate conservative' means betraying the trust of another.

[shadowmayor]

16. Speaker Hastert

He is a compassionate conservative, family values super Christian, lying, hypocrite who raped young boys. Does that about cover it? Oh and a pillar of society and a life-long servant to the public and the republic. The fact that his supporters have rallied to him and haven't shunned him is almost as remarkable as the press not really digging into this story. For the history books - the run of repuke speakers from Livingston - Gingrich - to Hastert is quite the display of morally depraved, criminal asshats.

[Initech]

18. Don't worry, he'll pull the GOP "pray for forgiveness" get out of jail free card.

And everything will be OK. Because his love of Gawd trumps all the evil shit he's ever done!

[Plucketeer]

21. ^^^THIS^^^

REFILTHLICAN SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPREHENSIBLES

[Initech]

17. And it's perfectly OK for him to use a bathroom in North Carolina.

[keithbvadu2]

19. Jared of Subway wishes he had run for Speaker of the House.

He would have gotten off with a lighter sentence.

I think that came from a late night tv host.

[BlancheSplanchnik]

20. Fucking pukes. And their wholly owned media cosmeticians.

Fuck them too.

[Jopin Klobe]

25. Hey, they call themselves "news organizations" ...

... so, it's rather very obvious that their definitions of things are extremely slipshod ...

... molest/rape ... news/propaganda ...

... democracy/oligarchy ...

[blm]

26. I posted pretty much the same thing, RadT.

Makes me sick how corpmedia is treading gingerly around this.

[Duppers]

27. Hell yes, Hastert is a Rapist! And what constitutes rape?

Doesn't he fit the legal definition?

See...
http://criminal-law.freeadvice.com/criminal-law/violent_crimes/sexual_offenses_rape.htm

[Blue Owl]

29. Just imagine the outrage had it been a former Democrat

n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

30. Remember when fox news was covering Mark Foley?

The put a (D) next to his name.

[malaise]

31. I will rec every single thread

on the longest serving ReTHUG in history - he is a convicted criminal who was trying to hide those rapes.