ipl-logo

The Bisexual Purge By Paul Killebrew: Poem Analysis

1691 Words7 Pages

“There are ways to write this poem that could get me fired” (Killebrew 88). In his poem “The Bisexual Purge,” Paul Killebrew discusses his bisexual identity in relation to his work for the federal government combined with discussions of transgender rights. As an attorney, Killebrew acknowledges that the decisions made by the government he works for harm him as well as members of other communities. This position is like those of two other attorneys, V.L. Seek and Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia (Demme). As victims of the law, Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia (Demme) and V.L. Seek in her essay “Utmost Resistance” are shown as the best people to fight for changes in the system that has harmed them due to their knowledge of lawyers and the legal system …show more content…

While there are statutes in place to punish rapists, these statutes can revictimize survivors and jeopardize their chance for justice. Seek quotes State v. McClain which states, “There must be the utmost resistance by the woman by all means within her power” (178). The author includes this language as it illuminates the core of rape culture and victim blaming. Seek calls attention to the responsibility that society often places on women to avoid being raped. As a survivor herself, Seek knows that this kind of language is harmful, and that the aforementioned responsibility is offensive and detrimental to …show more content…

While Beckett’s position as a lawyer and knowledge of the law help him in his role, his passion for law is what propels him. While on the witness stand, Beckett states, “I love the law. I know the law. I excel at practicing it. It's the only thing I've ever wanted to do” (“Philadelphia”). He continues, “I think the thing I love the most, is that every once in a while, not that often, but occasionally...you get to be part of justice being done. It's really quite a thrill when that happens” (“Philadelphia”). Despite how the law has affected him personally, he still feels this way about it. He still believes in the practice. Beckett has experienced how the law can work very well in getting justice and how it can fail. This experience makes him the perfect person to engage in

Show More
Related
738 Words | 3 Pages

Rape myths are inaccurate believes that are widely held. They are able to provide people with a false sense of protection by undermining the severity of the action or even oppose that fact that its happened. “Rape myths underlie and fuel violence against women and inform the negative societal reactions to those who have been sexually assaulted.” (Du Mont & Parnis 102) When talking about the case of R v. Ewanchuk we can notice the use of rape myths in order to justify the act of sexual assault towards the young women. Mr. Justice McClung’s was the judge in this cases and had many myths of why this young women was assaulted.

Read More
1255 Words | 6 Pages

After spending nearly a year fighting over the devastating trial, another rape victim has their justice ripped from their grasp. In January of 2015, Brock Turner, a well-known Stanford swimmer committed an act of assault on an innocent victim who couldn’t recall what had happened. Two nearby bikers who witnessed Turner on top of the victim in an alleyway behind a dumpster, chased down and tackled the unforgiving man. Because of the victim’s intoxicated state, Turner’s attorneys used that to their advantage, claiming that only Brock could recollect the events that happened in that evening. The victim received no opportunity to express how the assault had mentally damaged her as his attorneys picked and prodded the victim through questions about

Read More
1265 Words | 6 Pages

Missoula: Rape and the Justice System in a College Town is a in-depth look at the issue of sexual assault on college campuses as told through the stories of students at the University of Montana in Missoula. Through the narratives, author Jon Krakauer ties in statistics and information creating an effective work that stands as emotionally compelling while remaining grounded and applying these stories to the greater problem of sexual assault. It tackles one of the biggest problems surrounding sexual assault in general, the treatment of the accused compared with the treatment of the accuser. Though Missoula focuses on the victims, it does provide much of the necessary background and possible motivations for the assaulters. These insights contribute

Read More
692 Words | 3 Pages

In his play, many of the characters let the trials continue, but Judge Danforth is the most blameworthy. In the play, his pride and stubbornness prove that Judge Danforth is the

Read More
1004 Words | 5 Pages

In colonial America, slaves faced higher rates of conviction for rape than whites did. In modern America, a woman’s place in society, economic status, and witnesses all affect whether a rapist is convicted. A man’s place in society may be even more important, as there are many politicians with accusations against them that would probably place many others in jail. There is also the consideration of the age of the victim when determining both reliability and punishment. In 1977 The United States Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty for the rape of an adult woman (often about age 12 or older) was a cruel and unusual punishment under the 8th Amendment.

Read More
534 Words | 3 Pages

Throughout the play the might have a small part but has a very large role in the play. He actually starts the play off by informing the judges of the situation “All right, let's move along gentleman”(Rose 6). He might not be the first person to speak because of the judge's “voice” but he is the first to actually start the story. The guard is almost like the catalyst of the story, when he brings them the first piece of evidence that disproves the pawnshop owners contribution to the story (Rose 22).

Read More
755 Words | 4 Pages

He is very prideful and likes to believe he is always fair which is evident when others who try to disprove his judgements are often arrested. Towards the end of the play he begins to realize that he is sending innocent people to their death when he says, “I will not (...) pardon [these when] twelve are already executed [for the same crime].” (129). But by then it was too late, because if he admitted that he made a mistake he would be sacrificing his reputation as a steadfast judge.

Read More
1286 Words | 6 Pages

Motel rooms hold hundreds of stories and secrets, whether good or bad, within their walls. James Dickey’s “Adultery” and W.D. Snodgrass’s “Leaving the Motel,” are two different poems about a couple leaving their own sinful secret behind in a motel. Although both poems deal with the theme of married men and women involved in sexual affairs, the couples have different relationships regarding how the man truly feels toward the woman. The points of view, relationship between the couples, symbols within the motel rooms, and the role of guilt in both poems completely contrast from each other. Both poems are dramatic monologues, meaning that the poems are written as a monologue spoken by a single character’s point of view.

Read More
773 Words | 4 Pages

Nils Christie’s view on modern law is that due to specialization, victims have lost the right to participate in their trials. Lawyers are becoming too involved in cases, taking conflicts away from parties and turning them into property. Christie states there there is less attention focused on the effects on the victim and more focus on the criminal’s background. Christie also states that getting a court to function is difficult while there are specialists present. According to Christie, parties become uneasy with handling their own social conflicts where they know there are professionals present who they believe can do a better job.

Read More
936 Words | 4 Pages

The two individuals in question were convicted of rape and several additional charges. The presiding judge rendered a verdict of incarceration and mandated the individuals to comply with the requirement of registering as sex offenders (Sweeney, 2020). The trial presented evidence of the profound consequences of sexual assault, highlighting the imperative importance of consent within interpersonal dynamics. The incident served as a poignant reminder of the profound impact that the consequences can have on the individuals and those responsible for the wrongdoing.

Read More
1033 Words | 5 Pages

All literature is written with a specific message that the writer is trying to convey. Inherit the Wind is a very complex play with several different themes, one of which is that one must look beyond the surface to seek the truth. Through the use of Drummond’s character, the rivalry between Drummond and Brady, and the contents of the trial itself, this play shows readers that things may not always be what they seem. Firstly, Drummond’s character may seem biased due to his position, but he is shown to be fair and open to all opinions.

Read More
571 Words | 3 Pages

This remarkable courthouse only hosted approximately seven trials in its first year and since then has dropped even lower (Dzur, 2013). The early 20th century was the last time a jury was considered the normal process for dealing with criminal cases, and now the plea deal is king (Dzur, 2013). Simple fact is, today juries hear only a very few cases across the nation (Dzur, 2013). High-ranking members working in the justice system fear that the competence of a jury today is declining with the scientific evidence that is now available (Dzur, 2013). The statistics seem to support this fear.

Read More
1068 Words | 5 Pages

“The oracles of law” as Holmes says it (Holmes, 2006), enables lawyers to predict the consequence, which is all that matters! But, what has to be taken into consideration is the fact that, judges do not decide a case in vacuum. They do not merely ‘apply’ the laws. They might take a technical or non- technical view of the case.

Read More
472 Words | 2 Pages

Even before studying the subject, I always had an interest in the law and enjoyed watching it being applied in the correct way. Before I was even old enough to study law as a subject, I attended mock trials as an extracurricular subject where we read through legal cases and each had a different legal role to play, which took me down the route of choosing Law for a GCSE. Since studying the subject, I became so passionate about it that I wanted to apply what I was learning in a practical way. Therefore, I joined the Staffordshire Police Cadets – this provided me with so many opportunities to further my knowledge about the law and to witness the way that it is applied first hand.

Read More
786 Words | 4 Pages

This summer, all over the United States it was difficult to turn on one’s television and not be subjected to the Stanford University case where a young man named Brock Turner sexually assaulted a young woman, with the mindset that what he was doing was okay, and that no consequences would come to him. Luckily according to CNN “‘About 25 yards away, two men, passers-by, had pinned down and restrained a young man who was later identified as Turner” (CNN). If not for those two bystanders, the damage done to the young victim would have been unimaginable. In the United States one out of every five women in college are victims of sexual assault. With sexual violence being so prevalent, the media attempts to make it okay to use for branding purposes,

Read More

More about The Bisexual Purge By Paul Killebrew: Poem Analysis

Related Topics

Open Document