So, it seems that our little bar fight has become international news.  Minja's face graced the covers of both The New York Post and The Daily News last week.  Various news channels also covered the story.   Even Senator Charles Schumer has voiced his concerns.  Schumer also happens to be a family  acquaintance of Victim, Bryan Steinhauer's family.

While this whole incident is in the midst of blowing up, with an international fugitive at large and a student clinging to his life, how is it possible to add any more drama to the situation?  Now, before I get into something that's eerily reminiscent of an episode of The John Walsh Show, allow me raise a rhetorical question to any Binghamton student who has ever stepped into The Rathskellar Pub.  How many of you, at least once, have been groped, grinded upon, knocked into, breathed on?  How many of you have encountered this on more than one occasion?  How many of you have experienced this with each visit to The Rat? ...That's what I thought. 

Now, I'm not condoning this type of behavior.  Everyone has the right to their personal space; but, if personal space is something that is of great importance to you, chances are you're not going to be hanging out at this sleezy college bar.  In my first post ever, I wrote about The Rat, and all the glory and filth associated with it, so you can't say I didn't warn you.  Though, with an innocent student in a coma, and the FBI on the hunt overseas for his attacker, is it absolutely necessary to take this story in a completely ridiculous direction?

Melissa Cartagena, the little woman that started this great war, was "at the heart" of this "attack," according to The Daily News.  It's completely understandable that they would want to talk to the girl who was allegedly groped by Steinhauer, causing the fight in the first place, but I'm sorry, two separate articles, both in The Daily News, concerning the trauma this girl endured is a little much.  

"My baby didn't deserve what she got...No one has a right to grope my daughter."  This is my favorite line from the "Groped Girl's Mother Sorry for Beatdown by Serb Brute" article.  Sure it's never fun to be groped, but if I had a penny for every time I was "groped' at The Rat, let's just say I wouldn't be attending a public university. 
 

And on a side note, the choice of photo used to represent Cartagena was in poor taste.  If you want to be taken seriously and are seeking sympathy, you don't use some "sexy" MySpace pose to accompany the article (Yes, The Daily News actually refers to her as "The Sexy coed").  This is a supposed to be a serious news story, not an opportunity to show off your bod for the greater New York area.

While I think the dramatics with the "Groped Girl" situation are going just a tad overboard, given the context of the issue at hand, I'm in no way discouraging other girls from coming forward with anything that might be helpful.  Upon reading some of the comments on my previous posts that imply sexual assaults, and just common knowledge of his reputation, it's no secret that Minja wasn't quite the perfect gentleman with the ladies.  I'm all for justice, especially for crimes against women. 

My only advice: Choose your photo wisely.