Holy Fuck reaction

While it will be easy to villify Nicole now, I still want to give her the benefit of the doubt. As having been a possible rape victim. I think it would be naive to take the recantation at face value and its uncritical assumption is dangerous, especially knowing how political manuevering in this country can so easily turn black into white, night into day. But as Barbs pointed out, the recantation now raises a question mark over future testimonies of rape victims which is disturbing. However, I think it has to be considered whether the recantation was done under duress, threats, out of resignation or voluntarily. I don't believe Nicole ever intended on being a poster child for rape victims or the rallying point for Philippine sovereignty and I think any judgment on her character would be hasty without closer scrutiny of the workings behind the recantation. I tend to think that Malcanang's hands are all over this. Secretary of Injustice Gonzales questions why Nicole just didn't go to Italy if she sincerely resented the U.S. I don't think the U.S. can issue a visa to Italy in return for Smith's release. If she was paid off, is she the only one whose motives we should doubt?

I think there are three possibilities. One, the rape happened and disillusioned with the possibility of real justice being meted out, Nicole took a deal (perhaps an expedited U.S. immigrant's visa) and recanted. Two, the rape didn't happen and Nicole is just one messed up girl. Or three, the rape happened but Nicole has been banished by Malacanang and the recantation is just the product of legal experts and spin doctors.

We're devolving into conspiracy theories here. I think I need to let this all sink in first. But it's sickening when the manipulation of justice and the trampling of a country's interests or a victim's rights are so blatantly played out. It becomes like a bad familiar play where the audience knows the lines and what will happen next... Everything can just be covered up with some carefully worded statements, ignored questions or by taking flight. But what does that say about us? Hopefully some of us are not too cynical or resigned to let it just blow over until the next performance and the next performance and the next...

Or perhaps I'm the naive one.