To think making this the star letter is irresponsible (Ched Evans)

[DuelingFanjo]

here just came across it on the Internet. Depressing.

OMG

"May I suggest that a better use of their time and effort would be in the education of young women and the responsibility they have towards themselves when going out on the town."

And

"They must be made aware that their conduct and behaviour might have repercussions they could regret."

I feel a bit sick reading that

That's appalling and exactly what's wrong with the world and it's attitude towards rape :(

WHAT?

is that for real?

the rapist chad evans and his supporters seem to have list it totally now.

shit can't even type when I'm angry

Urgh, nothing more appalling (apart from actual rapists) than fucking rape apologists. Pond scum is what they are, all high and mighty with their rapist pals.

that is very very depressing and it makes me very angry.

The Star is a joke of a newspaper. I don't take anything they say seriously.

Most of it is pictures of naked woman and football 'news'.

Nokids, this is the Sheffield star, a local paper not the daily star.

Its still a shit paper though

Yabu, it's The Star. A real rapists apologists magazine.

Can't remember if it was the Daily Star or Daily Sport I read on the train once but they had a whole page dedicated, honest to God, to the excuses men gave in court when accused of being peverted. .The whole page was of men found innocent. It was a guide to what to say if found peeping on your step daughter's shower. Incredible.

Yabu to be surprised it was the Star Letter, YANBU to be fucking furious about it

Oh, I read it was the Sheffield Star, well I am genuinely surprised

I'd have preferred them to write an editorial one way or they other. But I think it's useful because it keeps it in the public eye.

The editor of a local paper came out against the rapist Evans, and it might have been the editor of the Sheffield Star. I don't remember.

I was thinking only recently that the anger over the rapist Ched Evans's rape conviction has died, which is what Sheffield Utd want.

I wouldn't mind betting that they told his moronic family to button it in the interests of letting him slip quietly back.

We'll have to wait to see the outcome of the review, which is presumably what the club is doing.

But, as I said, anything that keeps him in the public eye in the meantime, is good. Because otherwise, he'll sneak back.

Just to add a bit of context.

The Star's editor has been very vocal about the case and has said Evans shouldn't return to Bramall Lane (and has come in for a lot of stick for it).

The paper's women's editor, Jo Davison, has also written some decent features on the subject.

Countless letters have been published on the subject in The Star, from both sides of the should-he-play-or-should-he-not debate.

This letter has to be viewed in the context of the paper's extensive and in-depth coverage of the Evans case.

Would I have made it Star Letter? No. But this is by no means indicative of the paper's position. Indeed, the editor has been constantly trolled on Twitter by threatening Blades fans for his anti-Evans stance.

(and no, I don't work for the Star, never have, but I know this case pretty well and live in the region, so have followed local coverage closely)

"Unlike a plumber, builder, electrician, etc there is no hiding place for him"

Because what we really want is for convicted rapists to come back into society and be able to "hide". Bizarre justification for why he should be allowed to play football again.
The whole thing is highly distasteful and unfortunately shows just how many people agree with these rape apologists.

"The editor of a local paper came out against the rapist Evans, and it might have been the editor of the Sheffield Star. I don't remember."

Limited - yes it was, and he has also written some semi-decent editorials on the case.

As well as an editorial on the threats he himself received for his stance.

And no, it's not irresponsible. It's not only news, but very relevant to that city.

If enough people opposed that viewpoint on the local paper's website, that would be a very strong message to the club.

Someone trying to sound clever while not having the requisite brain cells.

The rapist Chef Evans remains the rapist Ched Evans.

So it was the Sheffield Star's editor who wrote something against Ched Evans, MrsJossNaylor. I read that, but didn't click that it was him because I read a lot of stuff. I think I also read his columnist, Jo Davidson.

They were both vilely attacked.

It's really good of them to say what they've said.

I worked for a local paper that had a strong relationship with the local football club. I loathed my editor. He was a strong supporter. But whatever I thought if him personally, I think if this had happened he would have said the rapist Ched Evans should be sacked for the dignity of the team.

Looks like he's back in training with Sheffield United now: www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/29980279

Would anyone here advocate Sheffield United giving the decision to their supporters on whether Evans should be allowed to play for the club again? Some sort of poll among season-ticket holders perhaps?

If I were the editor, I wouldn't have allowed this as star letter. Yes, cover the controversy, there will be readers pro and against. But not make one extremist the star. (NB I am an editor IRL but it's not a local paper.)

No, Lynchpin, fans are biased as a group, even jif some of them as individuals are able to separate out the prospect of whatever it is they think Evans can do for the club from the criminal conviction and impact on young fans/other rape victims/the club's reputation.

Disgusting that he is currently training with them.

From the BBC story: 'the club's board agrees that their former player has a right to rehabilitation after his punishment, and deserves a chance to make a fresh start.' No, he doesn't, not least because he refuses to admit and take responsibility for an extremely serious crime. Not only that, but continues to attack the victim and encourage others to attack the victim.

Don't hold out much hope for a moral stances from the owners though, one of them's Saudi, a country not exactly known for giving a toss about women's rights or dignity.