Day 240 - Signed a Petition

For today's random act of kindness I signed a petition on MoveOn.  Most people have probably seen or read about this story and based on the recent sentencing felt this petition was warranted and signing it was the right thing to do.

Here is the petition statement:
On August 26, 2013, Judge G. Todd Baugh sentenced former senior high school teacher Stacey Rambold to just 30 days in prison for the repeated rape of a 14-year-old student. In response to the local and national outrage over Baugh's victim-shaming and willingness to excuse the behavior of the defendant, a petition was started asking Judge Baugh to resign from his position as district court judge.

According to the Billings Gazette, Judge Baugh argued that the 14-year-old victim of rape in this case was "older than her chronological age" and "as much in control of the situation" as her 49-year-old rapist. In doing so, Baugh places the responsibility for the situation on a troubled child -- one who committed suicide just two years later -- and excuses the criminal actions of an adult who violated the ethical standards and trust of his community.  Baugh has engaged in the worst kind of victim shaming, while increasing the possibility that more child predators, relying on the laxity of a judge who more readily sympathizes with the abuser than the abused, will prey on other children in the future. For the safety of the community, and the sake of sexual abuse victims whose confidence Baugh has lost, the petition asks that he resign from his public position as district court judge.

Day 240 - Signed a petition