16 Comments
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Jeremy Shatan's avatar

I was unaware of the relationship between glycemic load and the level of bullshit one man can generate...some scientists should look into that.

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Nancy's avatar

Yeah, I’m an RN, there is no fucking way he’s wandering around for the time necessary to complete a sexual assault, and he sure as shit wouldn’t have had the faculties to plan it. And if he magically did have low blood sugar for some reason, it doesn’t excuse an assault. Sexual assault isn’t one of the things they warn us about when taking care of patients with critically low blood sugars. FFS.

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Casey Hudson's avatar

As a type 1 diabetic I feel pretty qualified to say that SA is, uh, not a symptom of hypoglycemia.

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Sibelius Violin Concerto's avatar

The common factor in all these situations is partying and excessive drinking. All these men seem to think they are still in youth orchestra and hooking up with a girl on the last night of summer camp, when in reality, they are meant to be professional musicians in highly paid jobs with millions in government funding or donor funding to represent their countries or states.

If the public knew what went on during these tax-payers funded tours, they would be appalled. The press would have a field day with the scandals and there would be calls for the funding to be revoked.

Orchestral musicians need to grow up and behave like adults - and stop taking their privileged and well paid jobs totally for granted. Every tour they go on is not an excuse for partying like out of control teenagers!

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Lara St John's avatar

I read at some point that this dude runs a bed and breakfast somewhere. I imagine it's very cute and pleasant if it's in New Zealand. So for 19 years, he gets to putz around a little garden while Kate leaves music because of the trauma he inflicted, the NZSO pats itself on the back for avoiding any slime on their face even when directly confronted, and life went on swimmingly for everyone but the victim. Come on, New Zealand, I thought you were better than that. I am starting to think there is a huge international cabal of music institutions, like Curtis, Juilliard, Peabody, Baltimore Symphony, University of Michigan, Chethams, New York Phil, the Local 802, RNCM, NCSA, Royal College, Toronto Conservatory, and countless others who conspire away with each other about how to protect the predator and discredit the survivor. Nice work, NZSO.

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Scheherazade's avatar

Agreed. Rape culture is woven into the fabric of the classical music world, just like Boy Scouts and gymnastics. The institutions you’d mentioned are just the tip of the iceberg

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Erin Brophey's avatar

His “explanation” is utterly laughable. His behaviour is egregious.

In a field where we attempt to achieve perfection- we have such a low standard for acceptable human behaviour.

NSZO should be ashamed of themselves for responding this way. This dude who perpetuated an assault should serve time.

Kate- I believe you. I see you. I’m glad to see you playing the oboe again. Does the heart good.

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Kate Rendall's avatar

Thank you Erin. It is really great to be playing and enjoying oboe again.

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Rob's avatar

Arrest that fukkkface.

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Stuart Balcomb's avatar

Hypoglycemia for his actions?! What a tool. Dan White was given only a minimum jail sentence for killing San Francisco Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. In his defense, White claimed he been influenced by an above-normal blood-sugar level from the Twinkies that he had eaten!

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Kate Rendall's avatar

Perhaps this is the reverse Twinkies defense

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Scheherazade's avatar

That's because that as a diabetic, Janklow should have made sure he didn't let himself get low on blood sugar, Ellyson said. The state Supreme Court has ruled that in the case of a fatal auto accident, reckless behavior includes a driver's "a conscious and unjustifiable disregard of a substantial risk."

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Scheherazade's avatar

I have several family members with diabetes that I have cared for. All of their behaviors while having both high blood sugar and low, were in character. They never hurt anyone while hyper or hypoglycemic. In the Janklow case, the speeding was a typical behavior. If someone committed an assault while hypoglycemic; and I agree with Nancy that a person shaking, losing control of both physical and mental capacities would be at a disadvantage to do so, the perpetrator is still responsible

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Scheherazade's avatar

My concern is that there is potential for excusing crimes and demonizing those with this disability at the same time

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Kate Rendall's avatar

Thanks for your comments. I think that in this case it’s a bullshit excuse. But, I hate the thought that him using it could contribute to demonizing people with this condition.

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