Can you give some context? Add your revision to the comments of this annnouncement and I'll replace this one. It might be more inspiring. I have no idea what this is about. Why would I want to come out?

Why do you feel this magazine is so especially sexist as to find it protest worthy? Are you actively protesting Maxim, FHM, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, Allure, et al, at Barnes & Noble, Kroger, Wal-Mart? If so, when is the meetup for those protests?

Context added. Check it out! There are definitely some sketchy things written here that disregard consent and promote rape. Yuck!

Which part promotes rape? This is obviously trash "journalism," and obviously sexist, but it hardly promotes rape. Reading comprehension helps.

I'll assist: the newspaper author, in his misogynist "bro bro" way, is complaining about women (men do this too) who initiate and/or encourage a sexual encounter, and then become "moral" at the last moment. In the next paragraph, the author even says "if I do manage to convince her." Which part of "if" promotes rape?

You're not helping anyone by creating another spectacle, why not take a previous commenter's sarcasm to heart and oppose the system that promotes this kind of writing, or at least focus on the actual sexism in the paper?

How is opposing a sexist publication not "taking on the system"? You've gotta start somewhere, eh?

As a locally produced paper, I think it's especially fair if people who live in the area want to take action against promotion of alcohol induced rape culture and disregard for consent.

If we do nothing then nothing changes!

i think this is great. a lot of these trash journalism pubs print anything and everything. Unfortunately, as media, they have a hand in creating culture, and in this case, sexist culture. I'm not sure it's quite justified that because women do this as well its ok. Having read the O Face back to front, the above printed article is certainly representative of the overall attitude that women should be subservient to men. Beyond that attitude are violent writings suggesting totally f'd sexist behavior. Its not England 1625. I'd prefer such misogynistic media be axed. Can't these folks come up with someting more compelling? The question to ask is, does the O-face getting published HELP anything?

And suggesting we should protest the system instead? lol. what a novel idea. If you don't like ANYTHING, protest the system people that where it all starts! Seriously you should email me so we can get lunch and talk - realitybomb[at]riseup.net
peace

Free Speech is a bitch, isn't it?

Down with the Chotchocracy!

you can say no to sex at any time, with any partner, for any reason. true consent involves no coersion. the article is very clearly a description of and encouragement to rape.

and yeah, i guess free speech is a bitch to anyone who can't deal with protesters expressing their opinion.

Can we protest the coming war with Iran too?

Can you go ahead and organize an anti-war protest if you want it to happen?

They are trying to push that off as satire? That's *really* distasteful...

"Editor's Statement
"By
The O Face
on July 17, 2008 10:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

"Due to the recent controversy and heinous allegations that The O Face Magazine LLC, its owners, contributors, and sponsors "actively condone and support rape"; we at The O Face Magazine would like to issue a statement to assert that in absolutely no way does The O Face Magazine LLC condone this type of atrocious violence against women or any other human being.

"The O Face Magazine, LLC writes its articles as a means of satire, and when read in full, the article in question openly discusses college-themed issues between a male and female perspective. In absolutely no way does the article in question claim to inflict rape or sexual violence against women.

"We believe it is our constitutional right to publish the college-themed issues in a college forum. Our magazines are clearly aimed at those who have the mental capability and intelligence to read our articles and take them for nothing more than they are: pure satire.

"Many of the stores that were indicated as supporters of The O Face Magazine, LLC are not affiliated with the magazine in any way other than allowing us to place magazines in their places of business. Some of the locations listed never had magazines distributed to them.

"The accusation of condoning rape was directed specifically at one of our freelance writers, Lyndon Collins. This is incorrect. I, Leah Davis, as the editor-in-chief of The O Face Magazine, LLC and a female, am responsible for all written content placed in The O Face. Any complaints should be directed towards me in the future.

"Sincerely,

The O Face Team

Leah Davis

Editor-in-chief

leah@theofacemag.com"

This is definitely worth noting.

Satire people. Is it lost on you? It appears so.

If you don't like it, don't read it for god's sake. Eating children was mistaken for a real idea during its time.

I think it's hilarious.

In fact people I wouldn't doubt, indeed I don't doubt, that the author of the piece is none other than the editor who reportedly asked the questions in this piece. Read it again. keep in mind that the editor is supposedly supposed to have asked questions. An editor would ask better questions if it was really a "battle". The whole layout is far too cliche' and perfect. It's a perfectly crafted and executed character meant to express the opinions of the author by showing the horrible nature of her "opponent".

FYI: There are a lot of anons posting here. The only comment I've made besides this one begins "Which part promotes rape?"

And just as I said, your "rape!" chants undermined any real critique of the magazine's sexist nature.

You set out a straw woman for them, so to speak.

My initial comment only received one condescending, dismissive reply and one reply that dodged the issue I was raising: the articles supposed promotion of rape being the focus of protest being counterproductive as the article clearly does not (directly) promote rape.

A thorough critique of the magazine as something we do not want or need would have been far more difficult for the magazine to blow off.

I stumbled across this site by someone in Nevada who actually had the decency to contact me, and talk about his qualms with the magazine.

He has been one of the few, that actually decided to talk about this through open dialog and communication and has not been a coward and taken the article, or magazine as a whole out of context, and launched a libelous and slanderous smear campaign.

The magazine, when read by anyone with an intellect level of over 5th grade reasoning, is aimed at the college man. The person posting this board failed to mention the second half of this article, which was in fact co-written by Leah Davis herself.

The article is not a Q and A interview format, and there is no indication that it should be read as such. If anyone would like the magazine, please e-mail me, and I will send you a pdf as soon as I get it compressed to a normal size.

The article in question is a "back-and-forth" between Collge-aged male and female and it meant to highlight the absurdity of thought between the "typical shallow asshole male and bitchy female." When read in full, it is clear that this is the case.

The bored Group who are conducting these protests is doing so because, honestly, they have nothing better to do and it is much easier to take things out of context in order to make a point. They are not unlike "The Swiftboat Veterans for Truth". Also, I have attempted contact with them on two separate occasions to sit down in any forum they wish, and conduct dialogue, but they are completely opposed to any rational stream of thought. If they deny this, I have the e-mail transcripts and would be happy to share.

So please, let me know if you want the magazine, and also the full magazine will be made available online in August.

Also, a word of thanks to the Group who keeps protesting us: THANK YOU, you have increased the hits to our website by 85% over the week.

Best,

Talal Asad
Publisher
The O Face Magazine
talal@theofacemag.com

I am replying to your post on Indymedia.

We have absolutely no trouble with their protests, again this is America and we respect free speech. We do have a problem with the libelous and slanderous comments naming the members of The O Face Magazine, LLC as "actively supporting rape" and with trashing the name of a respected freelance journalist.

We hope that they continue their protests, by all means. It would be nice if they weren't such cowards, and came out and discussed this in an open forum. They have declined requests for dialog, which is shame, because I am sure of their ranks there has to be someone who is not a coward.

Best,

Talal Asad

It might be fun to take up the offer of open communications, but otherwise, after doing some research, it seems like the protesters may be making fools of themselves. After seeing this text spout from my fingertips, I find myself a bit shocked, but it looks like the article, taken as a whole, or hell, even in parts, may be interesting satire...

Sexual predators are *so* funny omg! ... haha, heehee, great joke y'all!

So, let me guess ... that article about going after little freshman girls was just ironic satire too, right?

And the interview with a porn star ... another witty piece of commentary about objectification of women, right? Right?

Riiiight! I call bullshit. It sounds to me like the O Face folks are concerned about their failing business. Great! Because it will fail! And when it does go down in flames we're gonna have a sweet dance party (no, Talal, you're not invited, sorry ... you'd skeeze the girls and that's lame!).

And protesters are of course going to target any business who gets involved with the O Face. Anyone who touches this project either by distributing the O Face or by advertising with the O Face will see the negative repercussions of such actions.

Shut down the O Face and move along to a more tasteful publication. Throwing more money onto this sinking ship is just bad business practice.

Cut your losses and give up now, it's the only productive advice I've got for y'all.

Talal,

The only people who don't see through your bullshit are other people who hate women.

I for one couldn't care less how a rapist spins the truth to make himself look like a victim.

You're not the first man who's created mountains of bullshit to hide the ugly truth about himself.

Every man who rapes does the same thing. Every man who has raped my friends and family has identical excuses about how he's the one who is really being injured here, and I'm just making a big deal out of nothing, right? I mean, it's not like rape actually *happens* to people, it's not like that's a horrific reality women live with every day or anything? It's not like I don't live with the threat of rape every day, right? And I--and all the other women who tell the truth about our rapists--are just ruining some poor guy's life, right?

Wrong. Your excuses are completely unoriginal, just like your magazine.

The people who are being injured are not the rapists, or the rape apologists, or the people who write articles that celebrate rape and predatory sexual behavior. The people being injured are all the women in the OSU community who have been raped and beaten and injured and abused and walk down the street to find your trashy, low quality magazine saying every awful thing they've survived is just a funny joke to you.

That article isn't funny, it isn't satire, it isn't clever, it isn't original, it isn't "mature" by any stretch of the imagination. What it is is triggering and misogynistic. And it does promote rape. That article tells your "mature college male" audience that it's okay to force or coerce a girl into sex if she doesn't want it. Lots of people, including many lawyers, judges, and police officers, would refer to that as "rape."

So, I, too, am calling bullshit, Talal. It's not crazy for women to want to change the culture they live in. It's not crazy to ask that rape survivors be treated with respect and justice. It's not crazy to ask for rape to please STOP because we are sick of it. I am sick of it, as a woman, I am so sick of the terror, and the heartache, and seeing all the beautiful women around me injured so badly by that same sense of male entitlement that oozes from your words, Talal. I am so sick of women raped, I am so sick of people thinking rape is funny and not a big deal.

Rape is the biggest deal.

And Leah, as a woman, I am heartbroken that you are a part of this, because you know all this that I've just said. Most of your friends and family have been raped, too, Leah, I'm sure of it, if not you yourself. You live in this world, too, and you are still defending that article? Ask one of the many rape survivors you know to read it and then ask them how they feel. You probably won't even have to ask them, you can probably read their disgust, horror, and suffering plainly on their faces, because I have watched rape survivors read the article, too. They shake and cry and want to throw up. That's exactly how I felt when I read it.

But I'm going to survive this if anything because I've survived so much worse than this before. Women all have. We fight this crap off every day. And we're still here. And we're still fighting. And we still know we deserve our dignity, as people and survivors. So fuck you. You're not the first nor the last person to laugh at rape, to call us names, to disbelieve us, to side with the rapist. You're just boring. You think you're powerful but the real power is with the women who have the courage to live in the hell you've made of the world.

Oh, and bullshit on your claims that you've tried to contact the group protesting Oface, Talal. You wrote aggressive and inappropriate e-mails and you showed up at the protest and began screaming at the peaceful protesters, I was there. Not very professional of you.

So if it isn't clear what I'm trying to say yet, here it is:

Talal Asad, you are the biggest douchebag on the planet.

Fuck You,
Heather Hunt.
hunt.381@osu.edu

P.S. That's not an invitation for you to contact me, Talal, you asshole, it's because I'm not afraid to say what I have to say either. I'm not writing anonymously or as a member of an organization but simply as a woman, as myself, one person of many, many others who aren't speaking here to tell you how full of shit we all know you are. I don't want rape to be a part of my life anymore, Talal. So say wantever you're going to say about me. I've been called a fat dyke alarmist whatever before. You're still not original.

Heather,
I just stumbled upon this page tonight. I don't care to defend myself. No defense is needed.

I'm only lowering myself to respond in order to say one very important thing.

Heather, I am not just a "part" of The O Face Magazine. I AM The O Face Magazine. My passion and dedication (along with that of my closest friends) made this publication possible and I am f*cking proud as hell of it.

Ladies, have a great time trying to stop us, because I can assure you that I am going to enjoy every last second of creating this magazine. If you're not having as much fun as I am trying to destroy me as I am having laughing at how pathetic you all are (standing in front of the 7-11 while Lyndon and I grabbed a beer and took pictures was cute, ladies), what's the point? ;-)

"The question isn't whose going to let me; it's whose going to stop me." -Ayn Rand

Ladies, good luck. You'll need it.

p.s. some advice you may want to follow. Don't pick fights with the people who have endless ink... and a sense of humor.

Also, please stop posting rape porn on my website. It's not only in poor taste, but I also like a variety of masterbation material.

Cheers.

One more thing.

Talal didn't write the magazine. I did. Talal simply made it possible for me to offend you all by getting it published.

Talal is the best person I have ever met. You have no idea how wrong you are to attack him. When he first found out about your disqusting allegations he was horrified and did everything he could to rectify the situation. I had a good laugh about it, but simply couldn't convince him not to take you seriously. He's an amazing guy who has ABSOLUTELY nothing but respect for women.

I, on the other hand, am a waaaay bigger asshole (or realist?). I only respect the women who deserve it. Which, as much as I've seen of the haphazard organization WARR, doesn't include a single one of you.

I have gotten off nearly 100% free of wretched comments while two of my closest friends (Lydon and Talal) have had their characters constantly attacked. When anyone mentions me it's to try to show me the error of my ways, bring me back to the side of good, and convince me that I should really take a women's studies course. Ladies, is it too hard for you to attack the woman in charge of ALL written content when there are men around to scape goat?