Open Mouth, Insert Foot

[gonzai]

Ravens player Terrell Suggs is presently on the wrong end of a domestic protective order. For some inexplicable reason, an attorney who has no involvement in the matter whatsoever felt qualified to comment on the situation to the Baltimore Sun. I'm not sure what's dumber, what he said or saying it when you have nothing to do with the situation at hand.

"John S. Smith, a Glen Burnie-based attorney who specializes in family law and is not involved in the Suggs case, said accusers often choose not to pursue criminal charges if there are children involved.

But Smith also added that in his 23 years of handling these types of cases, he has seen his share of false reports. "I've seen a lot of females do this without just cause just to get the guy out of the house," he said."

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/ravens/bal-sp.md.ci.suggs08dec08,0,85321.story

Comments

[morlith.livejournal.com]

But Smith also added that in his 23 years of handling these types of cases, he has seen his share of false reports. "I've seen a lot of females do this without just cause just to get the guy out of the house," he said."

Why is this dumb? He's not saying that women who have a valid reason for these sort of orders shouldn't get them. He's stating that some women abuse the system, so it's important to review things to figure out if her claim is legitimate.

[gonzai55.livejournal.com]

It's his choice of words - 'females'. If he said he'd seen a lot of 'people' or 'women', it wouldn't be a problem. But he chose a dehumanizing word, one that suggests an animal instead of a person.

[liandriel.livejournal.com]

That's the Sun! Gotta get a soundbite, even when the attorneys involved aren't talking.