thedrifter
05-01-06, 12:48 PM
Let’s not prejudge those US Marines
First posted 00:47am (Mla time) May 02, 2006
By Ramon Tulfo
Inquirer
YESTERDAY, Labor Day, reminded us of the importance of labor in the economic life of a nation.
Labor and capital, composed of people or institutions that hire the services of workers, must complement each other in the economic development of a nation.
One cannot live without the other. Labor and capital are like the yin and yang, male and female principle.
That’s why when labor asks for a wage increase or additional benefits, it should consider the capability of capital or employers to afford the burden.
Many foreign investors that have set up offices and factories in the country have closed down and transferred elsewhere in Asia because of our highly militant labor force.
The fear of being hit by strikes and demands for higher wages every year has resulted in us losing out to our neighbors in attracting foreign capital.
Labor should not kill the goose the lays the golden eggs.
Let’s not be too emotional in handling and reporting the Subic rape case.
News reports and commentaries about the case seem to prejudge the accused American Marines. We should take into account that the accused still have to be tried in court.
For all we know, there was no rape, only consensual sex.
If we look at the other side of the picture, how could there have been rape when the supposed victim was wearing tight-fitting jeans at the time?
How could the jeans have been removed in a very tight spot such as the van where the rape was supposed to have been committed?
Try taking off tight-fitting jeans you’re wearing inside your car and you’ll know what I mean.
The pair of jeans that the victim wore at the time could only have been removed by force if there was rape. But there were no signs of force like bruises on the victim’s body. Meaning, she removed the jeans herself or was assisted in taking it off.
Here’s another fact worth taking note of: The victim was “dumped like a pig” on a sidewalk near the pier where the ship of the accused was docked. She had her pants off her but she was wearing her panties. A condom was found glued onto her pants, apparently still sticky.
So, the accused still took the time to put on a condom while he was forcing himself on the supposed victim? From where I stand, the man in a consensual sex encounter wears a condom not only for his own protection but for his partner as well.
Before the supposed rape, the alleged victim and an American later identified as Cpl. Keith Silkwood were engaged in “dirty dancing” at the Neptune Club inside the former Subic naval base. Both the alleged victim and Silwood appeared drunk.
From what I gathered, Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier, the team leader of three Marines—Corporals Daniel Smith and Dominic Duplantis and Silkwood—came to fetch them at the Neptune.
The group’s curfew was about up and the Marines had to hurry back to their ship. If they violated the curfew, they would not be granted a liberty pass to leave their ship when it docked in Okinawa, its next port of call.
The woman went with the Marines to the van that fetched them. She was not forced into the van, as reports indicated.
The alleged victim’s sister, who had another US serviceman for a boyfriend, tried to prevent her from going with the group; but she was adamant.
How could those Marines think of gang-raping the woman when they were so worried about getting back to their ship to beat the curfew?
At this point, let’s not prejudge the Marines in the manner of “us” Filipinos against “them” Americans lest we be accused of being xenophobic (haters of foreigners).
Ellie
First posted 00:47am (Mla time) May 02, 2006
By Ramon Tulfo
Inquirer
YESTERDAY, Labor Day, reminded us of the importance of labor in the economic life of a nation.
Labor and capital, composed of people or institutions that hire the services of workers, must complement each other in the economic development of a nation.
One cannot live without the other. Labor and capital are like the yin and yang, male and female principle.
That’s why when labor asks for a wage increase or additional benefits, it should consider the capability of capital or employers to afford the burden.
Many foreign investors that have set up offices and factories in the country have closed down and transferred elsewhere in Asia because of our highly militant labor force.
The fear of being hit by strikes and demands for higher wages every year has resulted in us losing out to our neighbors in attracting foreign capital.
Labor should not kill the goose the lays the golden eggs.
Let’s not be too emotional in handling and reporting the Subic rape case.
News reports and commentaries about the case seem to prejudge the accused American Marines. We should take into account that the accused still have to be tried in court.
For all we know, there was no rape, only consensual sex.
If we look at the other side of the picture, how could there have been rape when the supposed victim was wearing tight-fitting jeans at the time?
How could the jeans have been removed in a very tight spot such as the van where the rape was supposed to have been committed?
Try taking off tight-fitting jeans you’re wearing inside your car and you’ll know what I mean.
The pair of jeans that the victim wore at the time could only have been removed by force if there was rape. But there were no signs of force like bruises on the victim’s body. Meaning, she removed the jeans herself or was assisted in taking it off.
Here’s another fact worth taking note of: The victim was “dumped like a pig” on a sidewalk near the pier where the ship of the accused was docked. She had her pants off her but she was wearing her panties. A condom was found glued onto her pants, apparently still sticky.
So, the accused still took the time to put on a condom while he was forcing himself on the supposed victim? From where I stand, the man in a consensual sex encounter wears a condom not only for his own protection but for his partner as well.
Before the supposed rape, the alleged victim and an American later identified as Cpl. Keith Silkwood were engaged in “dirty dancing” at the Neptune Club inside the former Subic naval base. Both the alleged victim and Silwood appeared drunk.
From what I gathered, Staff Sgt. Chad Carpentier, the team leader of three Marines—Corporals Daniel Smith and Dominic Duplantis and Silkwood—came to fetch them at the Neptune.
The group’s curfew was about up and the Marines had to hurry back to their ship. If they violated the curfew, they would not be granted a liberty pass to leave their ship when it docked in Okinawa, its next port of call.
The woman went with the Marines to the van that fetched them. She was not forced into the van, as reports indicated.
The alleged victim’s sister, who had another US serviceman for a boyfriend, tried to prevent her from going with the group; but she was adamant.
How could those Marines think of gang-raping the woman when they were so worried about getting back to their ship to beat the curfew?
At this point, let’s not prejudge the Marines in the manner of “us” Filipinos against “them” Americans lest we be accused of being xenophobic (haters of foreigners).
Ellie