On the Importance of Assumptions

The most important part of any economic model are the assumptions. The case of Shellyne Rodriguez illustrates the importance of our assumptions.

By comparing common assumptions to what's documented in the news articles, videos and other sources, this page shows how our assumptions affect our perception of her case.

the Hunter College video

"You're triggering my students."

common assumptions

• The pro-life students set up their display in a common area (like a student union).
• The display presents a religious or philosophical objection to abortion.
• The only students in the vicinity are the pro-life students.

what really happened

• The pro-life students set up their display near Prof. Rodriguez' classroom studio.
• The title of the display is This is Chemical Abortion. It presents a medical objection.
• Also in the vicinity are the students in Prof. Rodriguez' painting class.
• The display was "triggering [her] students" during their four-hour painting session.

NYPost video at her door

"Get away from my door! Get the f**k away from my door!"

common assumptions

• She approached the journalists.
• She immediately threatened them.

what really happened

• The journalists went to her apartment.
• According to the reporter's own account of the incident, she refused their request for an interview. She did not open the door. She told them to "get lost."
• Instead of leaving, they persisted with their request for an interview.
• They did not leave until she opened the door, pointed a machete at one and told them to: "Get away from my door! Get the f**k away from my door!"

NYPost video on the street

2023-05-23   03:50:29   001km/h

common assumptions

• This is a video from someone's car.
• The clock says 3:50pm (afternoon).

what really happened

• This is a video from the reporter's car.
• The clock is set to the wrong time zone. It says 3:50am (morning).
• Traffic on the near side of the Cross-Bronx is traveling southeast, so the car with the camera is pointed due east.
• The shadows point northwest, so it must be morning.

George Floyd protest video

rainbow screen

common assumption

• There are no more videos.

what really happened

• According to the New York Post, the NYPD arrested Rodriguez in June 2020 during a protest after George Floyd's death. The charges against her were dismissed in September 2020.
• Human Rights Watch describes the protest where the NYPD arrested her as "among the most aggressive police responses to protests across the United States following the police killing of George Floyd."
• According to document 49 of a lawsuit filed in response, Prof. Rodriguez had requested video recordings from body worn cameras before the videos above were made.
• After a discovery dispute (and after the above videos), the court ordered the defendants to produce the body camera video.

For a complete account, please see my statement In Support of Shellyne Rodriguez. It explains why someone may have wanted the public to believe the false narrative that these misleading videos create.