Why WaPo Changed Headline to Zerlina Maxwell’s Insane Rape Allegation Opinion Article
An opinion piece in the Washington Post brought on so much scorn on Twitter that they changed the headline in a matter of hours. Professional idiot and occasional Democratic strategist Zerlina Maxwell’s piece was entitled “No matter what Jackie said, we should automatically believe rape claims,” but after tons of Twitter mockery, the headline was changed from “automatically” to “generally.”
Hey @ZerlinaMaxwell. remember original headline on your crazy story? pic.twitter.com/z3aOtbIDMW
— Dan Gainor (@dangainor) December 6, 2014
Why did @ZerlinaMaxwell downgrade Belief Settings from "Automatic" to "Generally?" Is she a witch? pic.twitter.com/OhgNv7rak1
— Film Ladd (@FilmLadd) December 6, 2014
Here are some of the better tweets about the piece:
.@LilMissRightie Zerlina Maxwell is all about ignoring facts when it suits her: pic.twitter.com/yxCHuO4Mi5
— neontaster (@neontaster) December 6, 2014
I wonder what @ZerlinaMaxwell would say if a woman accused her of rape? Should we Automatically Believe™? @LilMissRightie @AdamBaldwin
— Film Ladd (@FilmLadd) December 6, 2014
As @ZerlinaMaxwell and others are demonstrating, Twitter provides a service: it allows you to find out which journalists believe in truth.
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) December 6, 2014
What if everybody started accusing @ZerlinaMaxwell of rape? By her logic, her Facebook will suffer, but she'll otherwise be fine.
— Dr. Kanko, Doctor (@kankokage) December 6, 2014
Using @ZerlinaMaxwell's logic, could someone please arrest Bill Clinton for rape. Thanks.
— Matthew (@Matthops82) December 6, 2014
Shorter @ZerlinaMaxwell : Who cares if a guy is falsely accused of rape bc the dude bro may lose a friend on Facebook. Meh. No biggie.
— lauren (@LilMissRightie) December 6, 2014
Hi @ZerlinaMaxwell just in case you're avoiding the comments in that piece of garbage you wrote today, Preview: Ppl think you are INSANE.
— lauren (@LilMissRightie) December 6, 2014
The @ZerlinaMaxwell is a lawyer? I want to know what cereal box she got her little degree from.
— SúperTaterLovah (@SuperAndrea) December 6, 2014
So you agree Bill Clinton raped Juanita Broadrick? MT @ZerlinaMaxwell We never question the discrepancies in the rapist's version of events
— Jalen~ sweet as pie (@GOPMommy) December 6, 2014
I think @ZerlinaMaxwell took this tweet seriously pic.twitter.com/H293pk2Go2
— TMZ Politics (@TMZ_Politics) December 6, 2014
.@ZerlinaMaxwell : Why did u change your article's headline from "automatically believe" to "generally believe"?
— AJ Delgado (@AJDelgado13) December 6, 2014
Oh good @ZerlinaMaxwell's editor changed the headline. Now just a general dismissal of presumption of innocence instead of an automatic one.
— Neal Dewing (@Neal_Dewing) December 6, 2014
Atticus Finch weeps. RT @dangainor: Hey @ZerlinaMaxwell. remember original headline on your crazy story? pic.twitter.com/90sjyWaajg
— John Nolte (@NolteNC) December 6, 2014
And this is no exaggeration, she is literally saying that someone accused of rape faces few consequences, so these claims should be accepted without scrutiny:
Many people (not least UVA administrators) will be tempted to see this as a reminder that officials, reporters, and the general public should hear both sides of the story and collect all the evidence before coming to a conclusion in rape cases. This is what we mean in America when we say someone is “innocent until proven guilty.” After all, look what happened to the Duke lacrosse players.
In important ways, this is wrong. We should believe, as a matter of default, what an accuser says. Ultimately, the costs of wrongly disbelieving a survivor far outweigh the costs of calling someone a rapist. Even if Jackie fabricated her account, UVA should have taken her word for it during the period while they endeavored to prove or disprove the accusation.
I wonder if she believes that all white women’s rape allegations against blacks should be automatically believed? And is this what “equality” means, that women will be believed over men?
Yeah that’s kinda stupid.