FB: Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[janesvilleflash]

By no means trying to make light of the situation, it could be worse.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20002939/

Also, in no way does one incident like this make anyone with a brain think poorly of SJU or their football program or school in general.

[ozzie679]

The chat on the St Cloud Times website was brutal today.  They even shut it down.  Probably because there was a minor involved.  I couldn't believe that some people were putting blame on the young girl.  One bad decision by a person can ruin lives.

[ozzie679]

Fins and Johnnie Esq-in reading Minnesota Statute section 609-it appears that this alleged offense would be a third degree assault-as the alleged perpetrator was not in a position of authority, correct?

It is Criminal Sexual Conduct in the 3rd degree, but position of authority isn't relevant in this situation, since her age alone imputes the position of authority (it would be relevant if she were 16).  But Minn. Stat. 609.344 does note that, if the alleged victim is between 13 and 16, there is the potential for an affirmative defense regarding his knowledge that she was over the age of 16.  That's going to be difficult, IMHO, since 1.) they were both from Pierz, 2.) other people at the party knew about her age and were openly discussing it. If he didn't know, was his ignorance reasonable?

This statute is admittedly a bit screwy.  But the above should provide a decent first examination.

Very good information!

[repete]

The chat on the St Cloud Times website was brutal today.  They even shut it down.  Probably because there was a minor involved.  I couldn't believe that some people were putting blame on the young girl.  One bad decision by a person can ruin lives.

It takes quite a bit for them to shut down those comments. They let all kinds of racial crap go on and on and on. If a black guy burps on Division St. some folks are calling out the Klan. Brutal. Stearns County comes off as a little bit of 'Bama, circa 1955.

[sjusection105]

Friday evening I attended a Johnnie/Bennie wedding & there was a lot of head scratching over the "situation".
Fins, Esq. & Zip have made some nice observations. This is truly a sad situation for all parties.

[ozzie679]

The chat on the St Cloud Times website was brutal today.  They even shut it down.  Probably because there was a minor involved.  I couldn't believe that some people were putting blame on the young girl.  One bad decision by a person can ruin lives.

It takes quite a bit for them to shut down those comments. They let all kinds of racial crap go on and on and on. If a black guy burps on Division St. some folks are calling out the Klan. Brutal. Stearns County comes off as a little bit of 'Bama, circa 1955.

On the other hand, it is difficult get impressions of a place, from people hiding behind the keyboard of a computer.  In the cyber-world, not much is what it seems.

[repete]

The chat on the St Cloud Times website was brutal today.  They even shut it down.  Probably because there was a minor involved.  I couldn't believe that some people were putting blame on the young girl.  One bad decision by a person can ruin lives.

It takes quite a bit for them to shut down those comments. They let all kinds of racial crap go on and on and on. If a black guy burps on Division St. some folks are calling out the Klan. Brutal. Stearns County comes off as a little bit of 'Bama, circa 1955.

On the other hand, it is difficult get impressions of a place, from people hiding behind the keyboard of a computer.  In the cyber-world, not much is what it seems.

Well, there are idiots everywhere, but my issue is with the Times itself.

Because I grew up in its readership area, I still read it regularly for news and sports. They don't police the site very well and the racial stuff I see there would get many folks banned for life from a reputable board.

And, ideally, a newspaper site ought to pay the most attention to this. These aren't a bunch of teens running a board out of their parents' basement. I know newspapers are struggling to embrace the 'Net and perhaps the Times thinks its comment areas ought to be a free-for-all. But to allow the idiots to take them over reflects badly on the paper and further undermines its ongoing attempts to remain credible and relevant.

While I've got my own opinions based on personal experiences, it -- rightly or wrongly -- reflects on the area.

[ozzie679]

The chat on the St Cloud Times website was brutal today.  They even shut it down.  Probably because there was a minor involved.  I couldn't believe that some people were putting blame on the young girl.  One bad decision by a person can ruin lives.

It takes quite a bit for them to shut down those comments. They let all kinds of racial crap go on and on and on. If a black guy burps on Division St. some folks are calling out the Klan. Brutal. Stearns County comes off as a little bit of 'Bama, circa 1955.

On the other hand, it is difficult get impressions of a place, from people hiding behind the keyboard of a computer.  In the cyber-world, not much is what it seems.

Well, there are idiots everywhere, but my issue is with the Times itself.

Because I grew up in its readership area, I still read it regularly for news and sports. They don't police the site very well and the racial stuff I see there would get many folks banned for life from a reputable board.

And, ideally, a newspaper site ought to pay the most attention to this. These aren't a bunch of teens running a board out of their parents' basement. I know newspapers are struggling to embrace the 'Net and perhaps the Times thinks its comment areas ought to be a free-for-all. But to allow the idiots to take them over reflects badly on the paper and further undermines its ongoing attempts to remain credible and relevant.

While I've got my own opinions based on personal experiences, it -- rightly or wrongly -- reflects on the area.

You certainly have a right to your opinion.  Especially when you grew up here.  When I moved to this area 17 years ago, I thought the same thing.  Sometimes I still do.  But as I got older and learned more about people from different areas and all aspects in life, I found that people were generally the same.

Anyway, the St Could Times stinks!  You are right, they need to monitor the site much better.  I advertise with the Times, so I know a little about what they are trying to do.  Newspaper is a dying medium.  It is getting to the point that I don't know where to throw advertising dollars!  The internet is where they make their money.  There will be a time VERY SOON where there will only be online editions.  You will also see one MPLS/SP paper.  Today they were giving the newspaper away for free at a station next to my store.

[Kilted Rat]

I guess part of me finds it really hard to pass judgement. I realize this will be an unpopular sentiment, but does anyone else find it to be an important distinction that the sex was (apparently) consensual?

You must be kidding, right? A 21-year-old man thought it was a good idea to have sex with a 14-year-old child. Luberts is like one of those knuckleheads Chris Hansen busts on Dateline NBC.

OxyBob

I usually defend other Johnnies to the death when there is even the slightest chance of innocence, but I have to side with OxyBob on this one. Luberts made his bed and now he's got to sleep in it.

Yes there is a distinction between rape and statutory rape and I would be even more upset if he forced her against her will (which he may have she may have been afraid to say no) especially if she indicated she was not interested, however he was still a 21 year old having sex with a 14 year old, this is just wrong, consensual or not.



BTW, +k to all the regular suspects and visitors as I'm planning on getting very drunk to celebrate turning a quarter-century old today!

[repete]

KR,
Congrats on the milestone. B-day K for you.

Ozzie,
To be clear, I wasn't calling Stearns Co. redneck or racist, my point was that when the Times lets the haters run amuck "it comes off" as far different place than it is.

By not policing it  they let hyperbole dominate the debate.

The season cannot come soon enough ....

[raiderguy]

Well Happy Birthday KR!!

A $.25 Century?

Let's see what was I doing when I was a $.25 Century old?

Probably sellin' beers to underage drinkers at a bar in Akron, Ohio. (Sarcasm alert!, sarcasm alert!) We may have served 'em young but at least they were old enough to drive.

I have the perfect gift for you along the lines of the last one I gave you. It will broaden your medical horizons again. Try any of those procedures in that med book yet? Bleeding with leeches? Closing wounds with a hot irons? Taking bullets out with a Bowie knife? All state of the art stuff when that  book was published.

It sounds like your opportunities for visits to Collegeville will be somewhat limited. I'll fill you in on how the season goes.....Raiders win another title LOL.  

One for the other thumb I always say!

[Pat Coleman]

You are right, they need to monitor the site much better.  I advertise with the Times, so I know a little about what they are trying to do.  Newspaper is a dying medium.  It is getting to the point that I don't know where to throw advertising dollars!  The internet is where they make their money.  There will be a time VERY SOON where there will only be online editions.  You will also see one MPLS/SP paper.  Today they were giving the newspaper away for free at a station next to my store.

If you want the site monitored more, your ad rates will go up.

Seriously -- you don't know what it's like. I'm sure the Times didn't add any staff to monitor comments.

[repete]

Seriously -- you don't know what it's like. I'm sure the Times didn't add any staff to monitor comments.

Certainly not with the accent on (gan)NETT. 

But the Times has had a hard-core group of troublesome posters for several years, an active community of haters that come up whenever their hot button issues arise. Basically if there's a crime or news story with an indication that the subject is non-white, the ethnic references ramp up and become part of the debate. It's never an issue with a German, Irish or Scandi surname.  Check out a few news briefs from time to time and the ethnic references show up.

All I'm saying is that sponsoring a discussion that often becomes a forum for unfettered hate is probably not the best new media strategy. If you can't do it right, don't do it.

[Knightstalker]

Happy birthday KR.  Lets see, 25 years ago what was KS doing?  KS thinks he was poking holes in the ocean doing a work up to get ready to go north to spy on commie land. 

[ozzie679]

You are right, they need to monitor the site much better.  I advertise with the Times, so I know a little about what they are trying to do.  Newspaper is a dying medium.  It is getting to the point that I don't know where to throw advertising dollars!  The internet is where they make their money.  There will be a time VERY SOON where there will only be online editions.  You will also see one MPLS/SP paper.  Today they were giving the newspaper away for free at a station next to my store.

If you want the site monitored more, your ad rates will go up.

Seriously -- you don't know what it's like. I'm sure the Times didn't add any staff to monitor comments.

It's not that the Time needs to add staff to monitor their web chat.   The point about monitoring, is that when the topic of race comes up, they let the chats run amok with terrible racial comments.  Two days ago somebody from the paper was monitoring Luberts story chat and then pulled the story off of the site.  Later in the day they put the story back up.