I’ll take the rapists for $500, Alex
Yesterday, we told you about how members of the Duke lacrosse team had to give DNA samples to investigators after 3 members were accused of sexually assaulting and beating a dancer at a house party.
Well, this story is getting thornier as the school has announced that instead of just a two game suspension, the team would be suspended indefinitely. Apparently, more evidence has come to light, including police finding one of the dancer’s fingernails, makeup bag, cell phone, and ID. The charges being investigated are first degree rape, kidnapping, assault by stragulation, and robbery.
One part of the story we didn’t know about was that the two dancers were black and that when they started to perform, the men in the house started yelling racial slurs at them. Somehow, this doesn’t surprise me in the least. According to a neighbor, when one of the young women ran outside, one of the team members yelled to her “Thank your grandpa for my cotton shirt.” Boy, his parents did a fine job of raising that kid.
Speaking of which, this blog has pictures of various members of the lacrosse team and their parents names. Now some people might think this is overboard but somehow you can’t help but look through the pictures and play “spot the rapists/racists/assholes”.
One last item of note. The lacrosse team told the dancers they were members of the baseball and track teams. Way to try to throw your fellow athletes under the bus.
This is going to get really ugly, folks. And rightly so. I really don’t understand why anyone would think rape, sodomy, and racial slurs are ok. I imagine Al Sharpton has already got his plane ticket to Durham.
Links:
[News & Observer]: Dancer gives details of ordeal
[News & Observer]: Frustrations boil at Duke
11 replies on “More on the Duke lacrosse team scandal”
unfairly pre-judging these boys — Rape shields were created in the 1970s to protect the alleged “victim” from having her reputation ruined by baseless assumptions, unfair judgments, public humiliation, and character assassinations, but any of this could describe what’s happening to every member of the lacrosse team.
Irresponsible “special interest groups” have held protests everyday holding the name and pictures of anyone on the lacrosse team, to having their pictures and hate slogans pasted all over school. The actions of these groups against these men are nothing short of harassment and unfair character assassination.
Media hungry District Attorney Mike Nifong stated he is positive a rape has occurred, but he isn’t sure if it’s by the members of the lacrosse team, yet he obtained an order to get DNA samples from only the members of the team, then he stated on a national news program that the lacrosse team has a “rowdy” reputation on campus – obviously playing up to sexist stereotyping of jocks to further play his case for the media. As Nifong continues to publicly massacre the characters out his case for public consumption, he claims that the team is “stonewalling the investigation” because they claim not to have any knowledge of what transpired, but is Nifong now believing the men to be telling the truth as he recently changed his tune stating that even if the DNA evidence clears these boys that he’ll have other evidence.
Opportunistic political groups have descended on Duke’s campus using unscrupulous methods to get media attention at the expense of innocent young men who happen to be on the lacrosse team. Young men who were too recently, only boys not yet ready to handle this ugly side of the world. In today’s climate, we need the rape shield laws extended to protect all the innocent, including those who just happen to get in the way of media hungry district attorneys and opportunistic political groups.
I could happen to anyone —
Every college man should take notice of what’s happening at Duke University because it could easily happen to us!
Forty seven members of the lacrosse team know how it feels to be accused and publicly chastised just for being part of a team. The members of the lacrosse team renting the house voluntarily submitted DNA during the initial police investigation, some of the players weren’t even at the party, the party was throughout the entire house and yard, and only three are suspected in the assault occurring inside a bathroom, so it’s very possible that the team is telling the truth that they have no knowledge of the incident, yet the D.A. claims the team is “stonewalling” when it’s more than likely that they really don’t know.
Rape is a horrible crime against a person, usually a woman, but false accusations of rape is an equally horrible crime against a man (in this case – 46 men). Both can potentially destroy a person and test the endurance of anyone’s character. The problem is while the “accusers” identity is protected, the “accused” identity is fodder for the press. While the “accuser” receives immediate empathy and medical attention, counseling, “activism”, and free legal advice, the “accused” gets to cash in his scholarship in exchange for legal fees.
We live in a society that immediately assumes anyone accused of rape as guilty, even if he’s later found innocent. After such an incident, his reputation may never recover. Laws written in states throughout the nation refer to the “accuser” as “the victim” and the “accused” as simply the “accused.” This presumed guilt is carried out in the media where the accused reputation is publicly destroyed.
I believe that all 47 members of the lacrosse team will be found innocent via DNA testing, but during “Sexual Assault Prevention Week” we’re going to be subjected to a lot of “unbalanced” rape education, so I would like to balance the education with some facts, for I believe that even with the DNA testing exonerating the team, some people and groups will continue to target the team without any attempt, if possible, to apologize or restitution.
I applaud Duke University for not joining the reckless mob blindly attacking members of the lacrosse team, and for showing concern for the student athletes caught in the middle of this media storm. As for every man on our campus, be very aware that this could have easily happen to you, and while there is widespread empathy for the alleged victim, there is little if any concern for how these reckless accusations and blind attacks harm every the poor guys caught in the middle of a mob and justice.
innocence and guilt doesn’t seem to be an issue — It’s only going to get worse
Regarding 3/31/06’s “Captains’ Lawyer Speak Out” Finally someone speaks for the innocent men caught up in this media storm. It’s outrageous that some people feel entitled with empowerment to condemn, slander, and harass an entire group of men for the alleged actions of a very few. People are wondering why no one from the lacrosse team is coming forward with information regarding the alleged assault of a drunk stripper. Ignoring the fact that the alleged assault happened inside an enclosed bathroom, and most members of the team were not even present, it’s very possible that no one, except those involved, has any knowledge of the incident.
In today’s climate where male-bashing is widely accepted and women are empowered with the privileges of “victim-hood” to slander and harass, all decent men and women should take notice.
District Attorney Mike Nifong threatens to charge teammates who didn’t commit or observe the alleged assault with aiding and abetting because they don’t possess the information he needs. This suggests that this case isn’t as strong as he publicly campaigns, which means it’s only going to get messier as school officials and lacrosse teammates remain the only ones who continue to behave responsibly in letting the legal process unfold. Meanwhile District Attorney Mike Nifong plays his case before the public media even before any charges are filed, so when these young men are found to be innocent, they would still be thought to be guilty under some myth of “white male entitlement”.
Not meaning to minimize indignities suffered by any alleged victim, the corralling of 46 members of the lacrosse team was equally indignant and a testament to lazy police work. Only three men are suspected, and most members weren’t even present, but despicable people inside and outside of the police department indiscriminately accuse all 47 members as being rapists just for being on a sports team.
Being accused of a sex offense stains a man’s reputation indefinitely and the tactics used by the police and DA to squeeze information out of over forty young men, who most likely possess no knowledge of the incident, has left these men condemned to be slandered and harassed throughout campus because “special interest groups,” exploiting recent events to promote their agenda on gender issues, race, and socio-economic status, blindly attack anyone while doing nothing to protect the innocent. To these groups, all members of the lacrosse team are guilty, not because they’re members of the team, but because they’re mostly white men.
Everyone witnessing the reckless massacre of these young men’s reputations based solely on one accusation at the encouragement of “special interest groups”, who thrive in this environment, should change their perspective. What if you were on a sports team, and just by being a member of the team, you were subjected to the same character assassination, slander, harassment, and humiliation by these “special interest groups” who care nothing of innocence or guilt, and only use the anguish of the victim to promote their political agendas.
the lacrosse team — has a reputation on campus and that’s what fuels the prejudging. If it was say, the math club, I don’t think many people would believe it.
In the end, someone’s going to be very very wrong. This is why I prefer to stay neutral until the facts come out.
However, I did read somewhere that there might never be a satisfactory resolution to this. On one hand, if they are found guilty, Duke is forever tarnished. On the other hand, if they are found innocent, you bet there are going to be people who think the rich kids got away with it yet again because their daddies have good lawyers.
Duke Accuser Information — The Duke Accuser’s supposed information is posted at http://www.dilby.com
Al Sharpton — In response to your earlier mention of Al Sharpton – where is he and the rest of the black leadership? It seems odd that they are sitting this one out.
The American Hypocracy — Funny how when it was O.J. Simpson, Kobe Bryan, or Michael Jackson, they by the media and most whites long before a trial immediately cried GUILTY! But now that some rich white kids raped a black woman, well they ‘re innocent until convicted.
HYPOCRITS ALL!
dukes misguided rapists — it is obvious that equality will not play apart of this investigation and the prosecution of the perpetuators of this heinous crime,however being in the medical field and living in the environment that these boys have been priviledged to have,I know that the points of veiw will never be the same my friends whose children are Chaminade grads also who have played with these boys believe in their innocence however,over the past few years these boys have not behaved well they have not been reprimanded so they leave their castles and go to a college wher the school will cover for them and they are secure knowing that other black kids wont risk their enrollment status by telling the truth for a black woman who is veiwed by my peers as gettin what she deserved she is not as valuable as these bright young condom wearing boys is she?after all she would accept a real apology and drop the charges so she wouldn’t be dragged thru more mud but alas when u r rich u can pay a fat liar to twists truth sling doody instead of mud and then pay big fat check to end her poverty in acivil suit so you dont have to say “I am sorry,I got drunk,egged on,didnt think,and wronged u please forgive me”.as a female I have been wronged thats all it took for me.not everyone is looking to destroy someones life.being black in a mostly white profession I worked twice as hard as my less smart white colleagues to get where I am I didnt strip to look after my babyand do college but i know plenty who did some white some black.if the victim was white she would not be judged,only the crime but America cannot see past color it never will. the black and white identical British twins will grow up and prove to us that even when you share the same egg and sperm once your color is different you are not treated as equals
Rape shields should be extended to men — Rape shields were created in the 1970s to protect the alleged “victim” from having her reputation ruined by baseless assumptions, unfair judgments, public humiliation, and character assassinations, but any of this could describe what’s happening to every member of the lacrosse team.
Irresponsible “special interest groups” have held protests everyday holding the name and pictures of anyone on the lacrosse team, to having their pictures and hate slogans pasted all over school. The actions of these groups against these men are nothing short of harassment and unfair character assassination.
Media hungry District Attorney Mike Nifong stated he is positive a rape has occurred, but he isn’t sure if it’s by the members of the lacrosse team, yet he obtained an order to get DNA samples from only the members of the team, then he stated on a national news program that the lacrosse team has a “rowdy” reputation on campus – obviously playing up to sexist stereotyping of jocks to further play his case for the media. As Nifong continues to publicly massacre the characters out his case for public consumption, he claims that the team is “stonewalling the investigation” because they claim not to have any knowledge of what transpired, but is Nifong now believing the men to be telling the truth as he recently changed his tune stating that even if the DNA evidence clears these boys that he’ll have other evidence.
Opportunistic political groups have descended on Duke’s campus using unscrupulous methods to get media attention at the expense of innocent young men who happen to be on the lacrosse team. Young men who were too recently, only boys not yet ready to handle this ugly side of the world. In today’s climate, we need the rape shield laws extended to protect all the innocent, including those who just happen to get in the way of media hungry district attorneys and opportunistic political groups.
District Attorney Mike Nifong’s should be held accountable for the irresponsible actions he’s taken in this rape investigation.
The boys are being tried in the national media before there is any charge are made. Nifong stated that someone else could have assaulted the 27 year old stripper, yet he publicly damned the men’s lacrosse team and only the men’s lacrosse team as gang rapist, and still not knowing whether or not the “alleged victim” was telling the truth, or if the three men sought are on the team, Nifong claims the team is stonewalling to protect its own.
In response, daily protest are held with hate comments made directly to the lacrosse teammates, pictures of the teammates with rape slogans are plastered all over Duke’s campus, and now gang members are driving by the east campus threatening students.
Nifong’s circus-like antics to perform for the national media has put the whole campus in danger.
Nifong proclaimed in the national media that the DNA sweep of 46 boys would find the guilty and clear the innocent. DNA tests prove that the boys of the lacrosse team were telling the truth, but Nifong wants to go ahead with the case only weeks before his election against a woman and a black man. There should be laws in place to prevent unscrupulous politician like District Attorney Mike Nifong from bulldozing over 47 innocent boys just to bask in the international media spot-light.
stupid — i think it was stupid of that girl to try to screw up those boys lives. That was wrong at whats she did they didnt do anyhitng to her i mean if they were being racist to her then why would they raped her? She just needs to shut up and move on because its not fair for her to try to mess up their lives beacause she dosent have one.
whoever wrote this blog — So are you going to write a personal and public apology to these kids who’s lives have been trashed by people like you who judge with out the facts based solely on the fact that they ARE WHITE AND MIDDLE CLASS? Any body jumps to conclusions like this about minorities would get run out of town tarred and feathered, and rightly so. But since it’s just middle class white boys no one apologizes they just go quietly away and wait for the next one they can jump on.