Everyone remembers the tragic case of Tyler Clementi, the Rutgers student who killed himself in October 2010. He jumped from the George Washington bridge after his roommate, Dharun Ravi, set up a webcam to spy on Clementi while he was having a sexual encounter with another man. Ravi then sent links and text messages to friends, encouraging them to tune into the live stream from his webcam.

Today, Ravi was found guilty in his trial. He has now been convicted of hate crimes and tampering with evidence and witnesses. The jury ruled that Clementi had reason to believe that he had been targeted because he was gay, making Ravi guilty of bias intimidation, which is a hate crime. Ravi was found guilty of tampering with evidence and witnesses after attempting to hide and delete messages he had sent to friends regarding Clementi. Before the trial began, there was debate about whether or not Ravi should have been charged with a hate crime.

The judge has set a sentencing date of May 21. Ravi’s lawyers have six weeks to appeal the decision, if they choose to do so. He may face deportation to India.

What do you think of the verdict? What punishment is appropriate for Ravi?

To state the obvious, we as people make decisions based on their potential outcomes.  We evaluate each possible cause and effect scenario while maintaining focus on what is “right vs. wrong” according to society. (Well, when we’re sober, at least.) The concept of “doing the right thing” is ultimately what steers our actions.  In short, the decisions we make in life do not directly correspond to the things we necessarily want.  We embrace the idea of free will, but can we ever really be “free” when we are constantly restricted by our own self-limitations?

When evaluating the main driving forces of our decisions, the power of guilt seems to be a leader in the race. On a day-to-day basis, we are forced to do things out of guilt.  If our actions could hurt someone else, we opt out of doing things we may personally want just to avoid the guilt.  And of course, we are often left to feel guilty for an infinite amount of time over our regrettable actions.

In this theory, however, it is hard to determine if this “we” means “we as people” or “we as women.”  A recent study by psychological researchers in Spain indicates that women in fact, do feel more guilt than men.  Beyond the conclusion that men are from Mars and that women are from Venus, the study has proven that we are actually genetically different when it comes to this emotion.  Neuroscientist Simon Baron-Cohen writes: “The female brain is predominately hard-wired for empathy. The male brain is predominately hard-wired for understanding and building systems.”  (And yes, before you go Googling, he is related to Borat, they are cousins.  So much for credibility…) Read More »

We’re back with another installment of G.W.W.E. (Guys We Wanna Eff)! If bad boys drive you crazy, well you’re in luck because this week we are partners-in-crime with T.I.!

T.I. may not be the top candidate for Role Model of the Year, but sometimes with guys, you just don’t care. The sizzling Atlanta rapper has been heating up the Bilboard charts since 2004 with hits like “Bring ‘Em Out“  and “Live Your Life.”  He’s collaborated with industry big shots Justin Timberlake, Rihanna, and Pharrell Williams, who called him the “Jay-Z of the South.”

Musical success aside, T.I. (born Clifford Joseph Harris, Jr.) boasts what is arguably one of the hottest bods in the rap world.  From his impeccable pecs to his absolutely awesome abs, T.I. is cut like a diamond. To top it off, his steely-eyed sneer could coax even the most prudish of women into his bed for a thorough eff.  And you know you can call the shots, because he has promised you “Whatever  You Like.” Read More »