Rape? Not likely... (Read 336 times)

[susala]

In another forum, discussing the Sami/EJ "grief angry sex" occurance (which I didn't watch), someone suggested that perhaps, because of all the anger and abuse that the sl would change direction and it would be viewed as another rape.

However, the spoilers suggest that EJ/Sami form an alliance, of sorts, to keep it a secret. This means Sami either sees herself, and blames herself, as being an equal participant. Or, the whole thing reeks of mutual blackmail (so what else is new?) Sami doesn't want Rafe, especially, to find out. EJ doesn't want Nicole, or the voting public, to know. Sami could blow EJ away if she claims she was raped, again, by EJ. I don't think his "you shot me" blackmail would even matter, would it?

Sick sick sick stuff. I want Nicole to figure it out. And, it would be cool if Susan Banks finds out and comes to publicly chastise and expose her son!!

[Tom Horton]

Well the first time around, Days very clearly filmed it as rape and called it that for a year before trying to back out of it and pretend it was something less vile, so does it really matter at this point if they try straddling the fence and leaving themselves an out when the ratings plummet. It comes down to the same point either way - Days thinks of rape as an acceptable precursor to romance (or in this case a precursor to escalating violence that they attempt to "justify" as "grief" - Days just gets more disgusting and insane in their continued attempts to ignore the rape issue). As a long time (and now former) Sami fan, I hate that this storyline destroyed any hope for the character but she's just a fictional character. It's the fact that Days is once again showing violence against women as not only acceptable but rewarded and welcomed that is the real issue at stake. Just like a restaurant that would knowingly feed their customers rancid meat, ignoring the potential dangers, Days needs to face stiff penalties for their actions. I'm not looking for a way out for them anymore. They need to face the consequences of their actions and in retrospect I'm starting to think that the reason that Days has sunk this low (and maybe the reason the entire soap genre is dying) is because as customers we've cut them way too much slack for way too long.

Our first instinct as viewers when Days does something monumentally stupid and offensive is to hope for the best, look for the silver lining, make excuses, and/or discuss ways they could fix it. How is it our problem to fix? Do any of us make one dime off of this show? Why do we feel like Days' survival rests on our shoulders instead of the ones making megafortunes off of it? Would any of us react this way to a dealership that sold you a lemon vehicle? No. Who among us would accept rude treatment from the retail clerk at a store we've shopped in since childhood? No one would say oh well, it's just retail and I don't want to make too many waves and risk their business closing. Not a chance - and the fact that it was a store we have fond memories of visiting with our grandmother who has now passed on would make us even more angry about the way we were treated. But one retail clerk having a bad day isn't in the same ball park as the offense Days has committed. This isn't an inadvertent snap remark that happened one time. Days intentionally plotted this out for the purpose of hurting and offending us. They made sure these scenes were rehearsed and they are promoting them in primetime (two things that haven't happened for years). They are spending lots of time and money to make sure that we're thoroughly disgusted and offended ... and it's not the first time they've done it. This amounts to a pattern of not only promoting abusive behavior toward women in general but abusive treatment from Days directed at us. Who would tolerate this from any other business? Days is not some holy, all-powerful, untouchable entity... "it's just a soap". I've grown so tired of the "it's just fiction"/"it's just a soap" excuses for this sickness, but there is some truth in those remarks. Days is just a soap and EJ/Sami are fictional ... so why do real life people feel such motivation to defend either one. We, the real life customers of Days, matter more than a fictional show and if we allow TPTB at that show to treat us this way and still support their business, then why would they ever have any motivation to stop.

[susala]

Like I said, I didn't watch, and I won't be watching the show anymore. My response is to comments I read in another thread on this board.

I agree wholeheartedly with your post, Kazz, and your other well expressed and articulate posts on this matter. I wish I could have stated it that well, and I tried to do that in my letter to the various powers that run this show. The content of DOOL has gone far beyond being insulting and demeaning to women; the content is now destructive to society in general and to the entire viewing audience and their life contacts as well. The glorification of violence against women hurts everyone. This program validates and excuses these horrific acts, and through romanticizing them makes them more acceptable WHEN THEY ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE. The role models being shown are horrific. People watching, children watching, even the children and characters on the show all learn from this message that this kind of violence is okay and is what people do everyday. And then the cycle of violence spreads and grows.

It is sick, irresponsible, damaging and disgusting. I suggest that the viewers take a stand (clearly the actors don't which I find terribly disheartening) and boycott DOOL. And boycott their sponsers too.

[Tom Horton]

Thanks Susala and if it sounded like I was preaching to their choir, it was unintended. Those thoughts have been swirling in my head since I took some time to peruse twitter responses to this story last night. Most of it was pretty predictable but a few things stood out that I didn't expect to see. Among them were tweets from the administrator at a different Days general audience fan site who I know has always taken a hard stand in defense of all things Days no matter how increasingly offensive the show sinks. I was surprised to see numerous tweets from that account to the writers telling them what a huge mistake the storyline is, that it is going to cost the show many viewers, that it is likely the end of the show, etc. (and yes I'm paraphrasing a bit but that was the gist of the messages).

One of the predictable proponents of this storyline responded by saying that "true supporters of Days" won't quit watching. What a self-serving, passive-aggressive load of crock! How is that something that anyone can judge. I feel the way I do about the matter and respect that others see it differently, c'est la vie, but it is pointless and unfair to blame viewers who are outraged by the message rather than the ones responsible for sending it (TPTB). I don't see anything supportive about excusing self-destructive behavior and don't consider myself (or anyone else) any less of a fan or supporter for calling Days out on their actions and advocating that they be allowed to experience the natural consequences of their behavior so they will learn from it. I'm not criticizing any other Days fan for their opinions or response, I'm only defending a fellow and respected member of the Days online community by saying that it is unfair and untrue to accuse someone who has watched the show since the beginning and defended it through everything else of not being a "true supporter" of Days simply because she is sickened by the message they insist on promoting and cares enough to warn them of the error of their decisions.

[jaysdelina]

While I don't necessarily disagree with you,and I do believe this shouldn't have aired at all,I can at least respect that they warned us that this wasn't in any way romantic,and it DEFINITELY was not shot that way.There's no way anyone can call this romance.Do I agree that Days is sending a bad message?Yes,but my response to that is turn off the tv and be done with it.Or hand viewership to another show in that time slot.I've done it before and am definitely considering doing it again.At least Darrell and Marlene were honest enough to say that this was NOT romantic.They told us shocking,they told us angry,but nowhere did they say romantic.Nowhere did they say loving.So it was not promoted that way.Dena would have spun it as romance.Dena would have told us it was about the underlying passion between the characters.She would have lied.Darrell and Marlene didn't.

[susala]

I really cannot have respect for a "warning" before scenes and storylines that should have never been conceived, written or filmed. The violent and demeaning storylines have been deliberate choices by the writers/producers/directors, etc. Actors. "Warnings" are just too little, too late as far as I'm concerned.

I stopped buying Rolling Stones albums (and I loved the music) when they put up a billboard of a battered woman, tied to a chair, for an album titled something like Black and Blue and Loving It. I actually forget, but it was awful. I haven't seen a Woody Allen movie since he married his daughter. But that's me. I'm pretty stubborn about certain things.

Glorifying rape and abuse goes too far for me. I don't accept any apology or warning regarding CHOICES that were made to pursue the storyline/s in question. They didn't have to do this. I suspect the potential for a financial reward for somebody led the decision making, or even the financial reward gained by someone if the show fails...even at the expense of all of the people employed by DOOL. I'm feeling pretty cynical about this whole thing.

[jaysdelina]

Right,they made the choice to air that garbage,and we make the choice whether or not to watch it.That's my point.We were warned it was coming.Whether we watched or not was our choice.I can't fault the writers for that.

[Tom Horton]

susala, going back to what you were saying in the first post about will they or won't they try for a change in the storyline direction... even if the potential exists and they choose to take it, they have put themselves into such a jam with the 3 months ahead filming schedule that it would take them at least another 4 months, probably closer to 6, before anything different would appear onscreen. A rewrite to undo it all together could be put together in that amount of time and would do more to salvage the fictional characters. The damage done by the message though is what I care about and there's just no way to unring that bell.

[susala]

Yes, viewers make the choice to watch. But writers make the choice to create the crap that the viewers choose, or not, to watch. Something else could have been written and produced...and then there would be no need for warnings at all.