By Manila Ryce
Published Wednesday, April 18th, 2007, 6:19 am
Filed under: Videos: Political, Society/Culture: Sexuality, Society/Culture, Videos, US Politics

8 Responses to “The Daily Show – Gere in the Headlights”

1. True, but the reaction was almost comical, though. Gere may be a letch, but even the actress was embarassed by the whole affair.

   Ron
   04/18/07 at 6:00 pm
   
2. 

   It’s additionally absurd if you take into account that public kissing is illegal, yet burning effigies in the street seems to be highly tolerated. Personally, I prefer pinatas. You take out your rage and enjoy candy afterwards.

   Manila Ryce
   04/18/07 at 6:11 pm
   

3. You monster.

   kaziglubey
   04/18/07 at 6:54 pm
   

4. Bleh, images aren’t allowed to be posted.

   http://www.penny-arcade.com/images/2006/20060317.jpg

   I think that old man practically raping that woman was disturbing even for american audiences. I’m not sure why the Indians were pissed at the woman though.

   kaziglubey
   04/18/07 at 6:55 pm
   
5. 

   Because in Hinduism, much like in the many religions (3) we enjoy in the West, Women suck.

   PapaFigue
   04/18/07 at 8:37 pm
   
6. 

   Theologically speaking, in Buddhism and Christianity, men and women are equal. I think the “blame the victim” mentality is more a social construct than a religious one. Scapegoating those with less power seems to be prevalent in every culture regardless of religion.

   Manila Ryce
   04/18/07 at 9:15 pm
   

7. For a society who has been deeply damaged by colonialism can one think of a more offensive image of a white guy grabbing a daughter of India and forcing himself upon her? It is so symbolic. It is right in line with the image of the white colonist forcing himself upon a country and just taking whatever he wants.

   Richard Gere should pay the ultimate price for this.

   What bothers me however is those who would blame Shilpa Shetty for this.

   Too often women victims of rape in India are blamed for what happened like they wanted the rape to happen or it was their fault the rape happened even when the truth might be that the rapists brutalized them and they couldn’t stop the rape from happening.

   While of course Richard Gere didn’t actually rape Shilpa Shetty, I still see this whole “Blame the Woman Victim” dynamic in place. From what I saw from the video Shilpa Shetty did nothing to cause Richard Gere to act the way he did, and was in fact as shocked as everyone else was that he would act in such a disgraceful manner.

   We need to defend this daughter of India, not blame her for this white man’s assault upon her.

   Scott
   04/22/07 at 10:41 pm
   
8. 

   @Scott: Listen Scott, though I don’t argue nor debate the Role of European Imperialism in India’s history, I can’t accept Richard Gere as a symbol of that Imperialism, nor as a representative of the “White Race.” The guy’s a douchebag, plain and simple. It’s obvious to me that he was also most probably drunk.
   And while his actions, as stated by Jon Stewart, were quite a bit over the line, and would have indeed been attacked even here in the US, I must agree with Manila Ryce that the reaction has been, at the very least, equally extreme.

   What exactly is this “highest penalty” you speak of?

   See, here in America, Shetty could simply sue the pants off Gere, and she’d probably win.

   So while your call to the defense of this “daughter of India” is noble, it’s cheapened a bit by your subsequent racial overdramaticization.

   Remember, this isn’t a racial thing, it’s a drunken dumbass thing.

   PapaFigue
   04/23/07 at 6:10 pm
   

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