From the Jun 29, 1939 front page of the Eugene Register-Guard:
And looky here! Another old-timey journalism fossil named Dan Rottenberg, a writer and editor for several Philadelphia newspapers over the years.
In an editorial from just a few days ago, Rottenberg argues that men who doubt the credentials of female journalists are free to rape them. Or something. Here’s his scintillating analysis of what happened to Laura Logan, the journalist who was gang-raped in Egypt. It begins with a section entitled “Logan’s Cleavage.”
Steel yourself.
Smullens argues that women need to speak up and speak out when they’re victimized, as Lara Logan has done, and of course she is right. But having stumbled across a CBS publicity photo for Lara Logan (above), I can’t thinking that women also need to take sensible precautions before they’re victimized.
For example: Don’t trust your male friends. Don’t go to a man’s home at night unless you’re prepared to have sex with him. Don’t disrobe in front of a male masseur. If you take a job as a masseuse, don’t be shocked if your male customers think you’re a prostitute. And if you want to be taken seriously as a journalist, don’t pose for pictures that emphasize your cleavage.
Yes, yes, I know: Each of us wears many personas. A woman journalist like Lara Logan should be able to celebrate herself as both a journalist and a woman, even a sexy woman. But the operative word in that sentence—should—is the sticky point.
For the record the “photo” she “posed for” was just Logan wearing a dress. A normal-looking dress, the kind a lady might wear out to any social function. (Which is where it looks like the photo was taken.) Rottenberg makes it sound like she was posing for some nudie mag.
And here’s his announcement to women everywhere.
Earth to liberated women: When you display legs, thighs or cleavage, some liberated men will see it as a sign that you feel good about yourself and your sexuality. But most men will see it as a sign that you want to get laid. Forewarned is forearmed.
Jesus. There’s no fool like an old fool.
I think I prefer the journalism fossils of 1939 to the journalism fossils of 2011. Come to think of it, I prefer the rattlesnake from 1939, too.
You really shouldn’t openly mock Jean Godden.
She was writing about news back when FDR was a young man.
Go to this Ass Hats website & leave a comment: danrottenberg dot com, follow the link to the Broad Street Review.
The idea that seeing some leg or cleavage turns men into raping Mr. Hyde’s is incredibly fucking offensive to me as a man.
I’m responsible for my own actions, not the clothing decisions of the women I come into contact with. How is this hard to get?
Jeebuz, why doesn’t this old geezer just come right out and say what he must be thinking: “It may be unfortunate, but any human being born with female body parts is just asking to be raped, because us weak lil’ ole’ men simply can’t help ourselves!”
Sounds like Dan Rotterberg should move to Saudi Arabia. He’d fit right in there. Old POS.
DON’T TRUST MY FRIENDS?
I’m supposed to go through life terrified and suspicious of every man I come across, even ones I’ve known for years, because one day my skirt will drive them wild and they won’t be able to hold back from raping me.
Does he think that lowly of himself, his brothers, or sons, or nephews, or any other man he purportedly respects?
I think Mr. Rottenberg has been going to the wrong kind of masseuses. He seems pretty obsessed with the topic, actually. I’ve visited a masseuse before, and I am absolutely certain beyond any doubt that she would not only have been shocked if I acted as if I thought she was a prostitute, but would have had no compunction at all about having had me arrested.
@7,
If she’s been in the business a while, she probably wouldn’t be *shocked* (at least not according to this story). But she’d be well within her rights to be annoyed/angry/grossed out, blackball you as a client, and/or call the cops.
If this is true, shouldn’t men be supervised at all times (including internet use) & have a curfew in the interest of preventing crime?
As a former resident of the great city of Philadelphia, I can only say: holy fuck, Dan Rottencrotch is still alive?!
Goddamn this person is an idiot.
I am totally offended by this asshole, both as a sex positive man and as a male masseur.
I see naked people and half naked people all the time. I do not want to sleep with them and even if I did I know how to control myself. And when someone who I’m interested in tells me no, I back the fuck off.
Just because someone is naked or half naked or in a mini skirt does not mean they want to be screwed, groped or molested. (which obviously Laura Logan was not in while reporting from a volatile situation in a predominantly Muslim country).
I know of what I speak and I know a bit about what women go through. Several years ago a female friend and I were walking around Fremont naked after the Solstice Parade. Some man, probably in his fifties, walked over and cupped my testicles and said “nice package”, then he did the same to my friend and said “nice bush”. We were taken aback and pissed off but were so shocked that we didn’t say much. If it ever happens again I know that I would tell the person off and probably hurt their arm.
It’s simple:
No means no. Before touching someone intimately, ask. If someone tells you to stop touching them (even after they said it’s ok), then you stop touching them.
Goddamn some people are so stupid. This “journalist” should be punched in the face.
Ankle bones make me all rapey. Whoops, time for lunch, I think I will samsh the first women I see over the head with a stick and drag her back to my cave by her hair. Fucking douchenozzles, all men are not walking erections.
Isn’t slut walk coming up soon? My infant daughter will be wearing a diaper that says “I’m asking for it.”
Bitter old kook or Paglia fan? And where have these “liberated women” been rocketed off to that we’re calling them from Earth?
@5 EXACTLY! When women get treated like shit by guys with one eyebrow living 10,000 miles away it’s terrorism, but there are men who think the exact same way HERE.
@6 “Does he think that lowly of himself, his brothers, or sons, or nephews, or any other man he purportedly respects?”
Mostly himself, I think. I guess that Mr. Rottenberg must identify so much with the urge to rape that he cannot imagine that most men do not rape, do not have urges to rape, and would not consider rape as an appropriate way to obtain whatever human drama he claims the human animal so desperately needs.
Considering this, the article does serve as a good warning to women: never be in a room alone with Dan Rottenberg. He’s probably thinking about raping you and may, given the chance, act on it.
Geez, you mean female masseuses aren’t prostitutes? Someone should tell Al Gore.
read natalie’s comment @9, if you missed it.
@9 Yes!
I’m a bit confused about exactly when my rapey instincts are supposed to start. If a woman visits my home during the day, does the sunlight stop me feeling horny? Is it after dark I can’t be trusted, or is it after midnight?
More importantly, Brendan, don’t enter this old fool’s universe. It doesn’t matter what kinds of photos of this woman exist. If Logan had posed in Playboy (or whatever), that wouldn’t make any difference to her desire to be raped by a bunch of Egyptians. Just don’t even engage with those kinds of claims.
According to the good doctor, because Laura Logan showed off some cleavage at a party once, men in an entirely different continent many months (or years) later had the psychic ability to tune into her cleavage of the past and it inspired them to rape her.
Uh huh.
A lady can run around naked and it still wouldn’t make it ok to touch her, I’d criticize police if it looked like they copped a feel trying to arrest her. I get the kind of professional criticism of ‘don’t go throwing your boobs around if you want to be respected as a journalist (of which Logan I don’t believe is guilty of)’, but women shouldn’t feel obligated to remind men that location doesn’t imply sex just as much as their visible skin doesn’t imply sex. If the only goal in your life is to not get raped, don’t trust being alone with anyone who may think you’re attractive, but I have this feeling like your life isn’t going to be worth living after a while. When you live under that much stress and fear of everyone other parts of your life will suffer. I get the impression that most women know when a guy is showing signs of being a horny creep, and if they’re worried about him sticking his penis where it doesn’t belong they shouldn’t feel bad in both denying their request to be alone (DIRECTLY), or bringing up the topic in a constructive manner (because like most dogs it’s always why why why, yes of course no is enough, but I would greatly appreciate a heads up so I could be a better person, everyone’s different and establishing boundaries is important even if it’s nerve racking) and speaking some truth to power about how they feel. Granted, this burden should fall on the potential rapist to say, ‘ok, I’m being a little intense, ‘i’m going to go rub one out and take a cold show because I’m an irresponsible pig-headed slave to my biology and shouldn’t be around a vagina'” but the likelihood of a guy having big enough balls to say that is slim to none. If he tries to avoid the topic, continues to make awkward advances, those are good signs to say getthefuckawayfrommebeforeIhurtyou (aren’t you glad you’re still meeting in public spaces?). Not listening is the first danger sign, and while not some kind of excuse THAT’S the warning sign that should send you into defensive mode. I’m just as guilty as they next guy for staring too long at a pair of legs walking away, and while disrespectful the line is obviously drawn at that point. Any inference into what that walk meant, like there was some kind of spark, connection, soul exchange party going on, is a sign that a person should get checked into a mental institution.
Maybe we can do some PSA’s, or run some kind of halfway house that girls can lure guys into who are being overly aggressive. Like how you can give someone a rejection hotline if you don’t want them having your phone number. The inappropriately aggressive guy, apparently willing to do aaaaanything to get into her pants, shouldn’t have a problem going to a strange house where she promises to be. When the guy gets in you can Chris Hansen him, ask him why he thinks he’s here and what he’s going to do in the future to avoid being sent to these buildings. A wake up call could go a long way in preventing crime, it would also show how much the community looks out for each other. Much like when corporations want people greeted when they come in their store doors, to acknowledge that they exist to the employees in an effort to deter theft, this would be a strong signal to any would be rapist that we’ve warned you, we’ve tried to be civil about this, but we won’t hold back if you cross the line again. It’s about having options though, and of course the best option of all is to treat everyone with more respect than you give yourself, at least try. If all attempts fail, I guess that’s why we built jails.