Sam Smathers 4th

Morals? Since when are those something we have?

Sam Smathers 4^th period 

“Revenge porn’ should be a crime” by Danielle Keats Citron from CNN news describes the harm of posting an ex significant other’s naked photo on the Internet. Danielle uses an example to aid us in understanding her point. In this scenario a woman, “Jane” sends naked photos to her boyfriend, who after the breakup posts them to a website for naked photos of exes. “Jane” then receives calls and emails from men who saw her naked via this website in a harassing manner.

The author then goes on to explain the emotional effects that "revenge porn" has on a person such as withdrawing “from online engagement, shutting down their social media profiles and blogs to prevent strangers from finding them online. They cannot participate fully in our networked age.” Danielle also points out the fact that may employers look at the Internet as a kind of resume for hiring someone, and when they find naked photos of the applicant online they are much less likely to hire them.

In closing Danielle calls for all states to follow in New Jersey’s precedent and make disclosing nude photos without the naked person’s consent illegal. She goes on to say that this is an invasion of privacy and that “young people, think that shaming and terrorizing individuals is an acceptable practice”. Her grand finale reads something along the lines of treating the symptoms to cancer, but ignoring the mutated cells as a problem.

         I thought the article was ridiculous for many reasons, one being the lack of respect or acknowledgment for how the girl is asking for what she got. She sent the photos, and the thought that this young hormonal guy wouldn’t want to show them off. As sweet and naive as this may seem, she is not the victim, there is no victim. All I see is stupidity.  

With even a basic knowledge of human dynamics, one can correctly deduce that men have an innate desire to show possession and intimidate other guys by showing them the pretty girls they have dated. With this basic logic, sending naked photos would never be a good idea. Danielle asks for posting the photos to be illegal, instead of claiming for the photos themselves to be illegal. I honestly think if you are ignorant enough to send photos to a guy, or ignorant enough to send photos to a girl, than you deserve whatever you get.

Danielle acts like not being able to participate in the cyber space is a bad thing, like catching syphilis or something. Not being able to check tumblr would free up people a lot more time to actually talk to people and do human things. Technology is taking over our relationships and this is clearly shown through how Danielle thinks that the act of posting naked photos is an issue. She ignores the real problem, the Internet. Real relationships cannot be created via illuminated screens, face to face time is essential, if you have to send photos, you are not getting enough face-to-face time.

Danielle also groups all young people together in this stereotype of rambunctious hooligans that run around having sex and no morals. The fact that she thought that she could group all young people together in the first place, is just ridiculous. Teenagers are the most diverse beautiful group of people. We are as creative as the human race ever gets. Our lack of judgment allows us to live without thinking. We believe that we cannot die, because as long as we are remembered in the slight breeze of a hot summer day, we are truly invincible. Danielle tries to subjugate the only pure part of the human race by throwing the trash of bad judgment on us, and I cringe in disgust.

This article served the purpose of reminding me that the American government and press are composed of more than one opinion, and that is what makes this country a perfect stadium for change. Even if I find said opinions to be preposterous and downright wrong, living in the U.S.A has taught me to be intelligently critical, instead of blindly accepting.

This is the article I wrote my current event based off of:

 http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/29/opinion/citron-revenge-porn/index.html?hpt=us_mid