It’s pretty clear from Zach Calef’s column of Oct. 24 that he’s ignorant of what rape is all about. Rape is not about deception, it’s an expression of violence, Zach. Rape is someone forcing someone else to do something. The transgendered youth brutally murdered in California did not “strong-arm” anyone into having sex — the idea is ludicrous. What’s also ludicrous is Zach’s tawdry defense of the murderers of Gwen Araujo.

It is a sad day when someone like Zach Calef takes the side of murderers, and in so doing, reveals his own ignorance about rape. The murderers beat, then strung up, then bagged, and then buried a defenseless youth. If anyone forced anyone to do anything, it was them. Because of that, Zach, they deserve full punishment under the law.ÿ

Victor Raymond

Graduate Student

Sociology