From the pages of "The Daily Bugle"
Follow-up to this post
Commentary
by Katherine Farrell
For many months now, the controversy regarding the Superhuman Registration Act has pushed the long-more-disputatious "mutant question" out of the public eye.
However, the winds of public opinion may once again be shifting and. As in the case of SHRA,the nation's bellwether is none other than Anthony "Iron Man" Stark, currently the director of the global defense force known as SHIELD.
On Sunday, in the course of a routine television appearance on NBC's "Showdown," Stark surprised everyone with an apparently unprovoked rant on the subject of "racist" and "illiterate" individuals who "think the only good [mutant] is a dead [mutant]." (Stark actually used a term that many mutant sympathizers consider to be highly offensive).
Stark made his comments regarding the recent, highly-publicized acquittal of five Lubbock, Texas college students, who had been charged with kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault on an underaged girl. At trial, the prosecution presented a case based on physical evidence. The defense responded with the novel argument that the girl had used her "telepathic and telekinetic powers" to control the defendants' actions. After less than an hour of deliberation, the jury unanimously voted for acquittal.
When questioned about the case by "Showdown" host Evan Michaels, Stark referred to it as "jury nullification," noting that the state's case was "strong." He further described the jury pool as "racist" and, at another point, "brain-dead." Pressed on the issue, Stark commented that a re-trial based on federal civil rights statutes "might not be a bad idea."
These statements, from a prominent member of the executive branch, raised eyebrows across the nation. The Department of Justice and federal courts have repeatedly refused to view "mutants" as a "race" or protected class covered by civil rights statutes. "I'm not part of the Justice Department," Stark said. "This is just one man's opinion, but, since you asked, it disgusts me to think that this kind of thing is happening in America."
To some, Stark's statements are nothing short of astonishing. Miriam Sharpe, a pro-registration advocate who shared the "Showdown" stage with Stark, expressed shock that Stark would "talk that way about the people who have supported [him]." She pointed out that many of the SHRA's supporters have traditionally favored the Mutant Registration Act first proposed almost a decade ago by the late Senator Robert Kelly.
Indeed, anti-registration activists, such as attorney Bernadette Rosenthal, have long characterized the SHRA as "backdoor mutant registration." In response to Stark's surprising sentiments, Rosenthal commented that she was "gratified," but, she added, "not surprised. [Stark] has a long history of friendship and cooperation with the mutant community. Of course, if he's really interested in helping mutants, he could admit that the SHRA infringes on the rights of people born with powers, to an unconscionable degree. In fact, it's likely that the Lubbock defendants only knew their victim was a mutant because her identity was published [pursuant to provisions of the SHRA]."
Stark's next move will be watched with some attention. A spokesman for the Lubbock jurors has demanded a public apology, and sources inside the Justice Department indicate that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is "furious" at Stark's outburst. This is hardly the first time that the 'Iron Man''s words have gotten him in trouble. It wasn't that long ago, after all, that Stark was forced to resign as Secretary of Defense, after directing a profane tirade at the Latverian ambassador on the floor of the United Nations.
Whether the latest incident turns out to be the misstep that finally ends Tony Stark's career, or just another facet of his undeniably colorful life story remains to be seen. Meanwhile, advocates of the mutant question would like to know: Director Stark, whose side are you on?
*OOC -- Feel free to have your pups jump in and tell Tony what you think he should do!
Commentary
by Katherine Farrell
For many months now, the controversy regarding the Superhuman Registration Act has pushed the long-more-disputatious "mutant question" out of the public eye.
However, the winds of public opinion may once again be shifting and. As in the case of SHRA,the nation's bellwether is none other than Anthony "Iron Man" Stark, currently the director of the global defense force known as SHIELD.
On Sunday, in the course of a routine television appearance on NBC's "Showdown," Stark surprised everyone with an apparently unprovoked rant on the subject of "racist" and "illiterate" individuals who "think the only good [mutant] is a dead [mutant]." (Stark actually used a term that many mutant sympathizers consider to be highly offensive).
Stark made his comments regarding the recent, highly-publicized acquittal of five Lubbock, Texas college students, who had been charged with kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault on an underaged girl. At trial, the prosecution presented a case based on physical evidence. The defense responded with the novel argument that the girl had used her "telepathic and telekinetic powers" to control the defendants' actions. After less than an hour of deliberation, the jury unanimously voted for acquittal.
When questioned about the case by "Showdown" host Evan Michaels, Stark referred to it as "jury nullification," noting that the state's case was "strong." He further described the jury pool as "racist" and, at another point, "brain-dead." Pressed on the issue, Stark commented that a re-trial based on federal civil rights statutes "might not be a bad idea."
These statements, from a prominent member of the executive branch, raised eyebrows across the nation. The Department of Justice and federal courts have repeatedly refused to view "mutants" as a "race" or protected class covered by civil rights statutes. "I'm not part of the Justice Department," Stark said. "This is just one man's opinion, but, since you asked, it disgusts me to think that this kind of thing is happening in America."
To some, Stark's statements are nothing short of astonishing. Miriam Sharpe, a pro-registration advocate who shared the "Showdown" stage with Stark, expressed shock that Stark would "talk that way about the people who have supported [him]." She pointed out that many of the SHRA's supporters have traditionally favored the Mutant Registration Act first proposed almost a decade ago by the late Senator Robert Kelly.
Indeed, anti-registration activists, such as attorney Bernadette Rosenthal, have long characterized the SHRA as "backdoor mutant registration." In response to Stark's surprising sentiments, Rosenthal commented that she was "gratified," but, she added, "not surprised. [Stark] has a long history of friendship and cooperation with the mutant community. Of course, if he's really interested in helping mutants, he could admit that the SHRA infringes on the rights of people born with powers, to an unconscionable degree. In fact, it's likely that the Lubbock defendants only knew their victim was a mutant because her identity was published [pursuant to provisions of the SHRA]."
Stark's next move will be watched with some attention. A spokesman for the Lubbock jurors has demanded a public apology, and sources inside the Justice Department indicate that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales is "furious" at Stark's outburst. This is hardly the first time that the 'Iron Man''s words have gotten him in trouble. It wasn't that long ago, after all, that Stark was forced to resign as Secretary of Defense, after directing a profane tirade at the Latverian ambassador on the floor of the United Nations.
Whether the latest incident turns out to be the misstep that finally ends Tony Stark's career, or just another facet of his undeniably colorful life story remains to be seen. Meanwhile, advocates of the mutant question would like to know: Director Stark, whose side are you on?
*OOC -- Feel free to have your pups jump in and tell Tony what you think he should do!