CNN's Chris Cuomo Takes A Jab At Rape Survivors And I, For One, Am Disgusted
In a tweet on May 29th, Cuomo said "Only in America" in response to a video of rape survivor, and mother, Kim Corban describing the assault, and why she's glad she now owns a firearm.
"I woke up in the middle of the night suffocating. 'Shut up,' he said. 'Don't say a word.'"
Kim Corban recounts the words of her rapist. In a video for NRATV, Corban described her experience as a 20-year-old college student, being raped by a predator.
Corban, now a champion of second amendment rights, claimed that now her rapist, or anyone else "Has to come through [her] firearm." Many people don't realize how necessary the second amendment is until they need it themselves. "The NRA fought for my rights before I knew I needed them," Corban says.
CNN's Chris Cuomo retweeted the emotional video with the comment "Only in America." His connotation was obviously negative.
The expression "Only in America" has been used, as of late, to recognize incidents that the speaker believes would not be happening somewhere that is, in their opinion, better. What I gathered from Cuomo's use of the phrase is that he believes rape survivors and young mothers would be better off in a different country — one where they might not be able to defend themselves.
I'm a 20-year-old woman, just like Corban was at the time the assault. I, too, have had my off-campus housing broken into. It was also a larger, stronger, male. He had a weapon. The story for myself and my roommates could have gone much differently, but, by the grace of God, we're still here today. This isn't to say there wasn't lasting damage, just that we still have our lives, and we will recover.
I find Cuomo's comment, and connotation to be disgusting.
He's not expressing his opinion on firearms in response to some policy-based NRA tweet.
He chose to publicly share a survivor's story, and berate it.
Corban's video, an emotional and inspiring tale of a mother and survivor who finally feels safe, was made out by Cuomo to be negative.
Survivors deal with the pain of their experience for their entire lives. Corban was raped at 20 years old. Her life would never be the same. She found a way to protect herself, and most importantly protect her children from ever having to go through what she had to.
I pray that Chris Cuomo and his family never have to go through anything like what Kim Corban experienced. I hope he realizes just how common sexual assault and rape are on college campuses, and just how terrifying a burglary is when you aren't sure if you'll live or die.
Corban said of the rape, "For [those] two hours, I knew I was going to die."
Once you come to terms with your mortality, you realize the preciousness of your life, and how hard you'll work to defend it. That's why Kim Corban is a gun owner and a fierce protector of the 2nd amendment.
And that's why I am too.
