Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Some Good News

This case has featured lots of depressing stories, but here is an uplifting one about the Seligmann brothers (minus Ben) in Sports Illustrated, from author Kevin Armstrong.

From the start, the actions of the Seligmann brothers' high school, Delbarton, have represented a model in how an educational institution can uphold its ideals and stay true to its students.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

and still yet another story from the apostle st thomas of soul

A Gutless Lynch Mob
By Thomas Sowell
Tuesday, April 17, 2007


Just before the Attorney General of North Carolina appeared on
television to announce his decision on the Duke University "rape"
case, one of the many expert TV legal commentators said that Attorney
General Roy Cooper would probably use the words "insufficient
evidence" but not the word "innocent" in dismissing the case.

As it turned out, the Attorney General did use the word "innocent,"
saying that he and his staff considered the accused students innocent.
It was the only decent thing to do.

Durham County District Attorney Mike Nifong smiles during a North
Carolina State Bar hearing in Raleigh, N.C., Friday, April 13, 2007. A
disciplinary committee rejected a request Friday to dismiss ethics
charges against the former prosecutor in the Duke lacrosse case that
accuse him of withholding critical DNA evidence from the defense. (AP
Photo/Gerry Broome) Anything less would have let the ugly accusation
follow them for life and, years from now, when all the details of this
sordid story have long since been forgotten, hang over their heads
with a suspicion that they got off on some legal technicality.

What a difference a year makes. A year ago, there was a lynch mob
atmosphere against the accused students -- from the Duke University
campus to the national media, and including the local NAACP and the
ever-present Jesse Jackson.

These were affluent white male students and a poor black woman
accusing them of rape. For those steeped in the new sacred trinity of
"race, class, and gender," what more did you need to know, in order to
know which side to come out on?

Duke University suspended the students when charges were filed,
cancelled the entire remaining schedule of the lacrosse team for which
they played, and got rid of the coach. Former Princeton University
president William Bowen -- a critic of college athletics -- and the
head of the local NAACP were called in to issue a report, which
complained that Duke had not acted fast enough.

Meanwhile, 88 members of the Duke faculty took out an ad in the campus
newspaper denouncing racism. Among other things, the ad said, "what is
apparent everyday now is the anger and fear of many students who know
themselves to be objects of racism and sexism."

As for the demonstrations and threats loudly voiced by some local
blacks, in the wake of the accusations against the Duke lacrosse
students, the ad said:

"We're turning up the volume in a moment when the most vulnerable
among us are being asked to quiet down while we wait. To the students
speaking individually and to the protesters making collective noise,
thank you for not waiting and for making yourself heard."

This year, after all the charges have collapsed like a house of cards,
the campus lynch mob -- including Duke University president Richard H.
Brodhead -- are backpedalling swiftly and washing their hands like
Pontius Pilate.

They deny ever saying that the students were guilty. Of course not.
They merely acted as if that was a foregone conclusion, while leaving
themselves an escape hatch.

They deny ever saying that the students were guilty. Of course not.
They merely acted as if that was a foregone conclusion, while leaving
themselves an escape hatch.

It is bad enough to be part of a lynch mob. It is worse to deny that
you are part of a lynch mob, while standing there holding the rope in
your hands.

What is even more important than clearing the names of the three young
men charged with a heinous crime is making sure that the man
responsible for this travesty of justice -- District Attorney Michael
Nifong -- pays the fullest price for what he did.

The state bar association investigating Nifong needs to understand
that this case is much bigger than Nifong.

If prosecutors can drag people through the mud and keep felony charges
hanging over their heads, long after all the evidence says the
opposite of what they were charged with, then any of us, anywhere, can
be put through a living hell whenever it suits the whim or the
political agenda of a district attorney.

Much was made of the fact that these Duke students came from affluent
families. Lucky for them -- and for all of us. Not everyone has an
extra million dollars lying around to fight off false accusations.
Their fight is our fight.

This case will send a message, one way or another, to prosecutors
across the length and breadth of this country. Either you can get away
with dragging people through hell without a speck of evidence -- and
in defiance of other evidence -- or you can't.

This case has already sent a message about the kinds of gutless
lemmings on our academic campuses, including our most prestigious
institutions.

Anonymous said...

KC this is a heart renching story u posted...reminds me of knute rockne all american...

these men are the epitome of american finest characteristics...a forceful heritage of mind and body that was once our most prized possession

Anonymous said...

I find it interesting that tonight parents are calling for the ouster of the Virginia Tech president and the chief of Va Tech Police. It is clear that those who reside in Ivory Towers simply cannot function in real world crises. We have seen it over and over again.

Anonymous said...

those making the demands dont know the facts...just like the feckless cowards on the duke faculty so juxtapositioned against men of integrity from delbarton...who colors didnt run

the price america is paying for condoning sissys, for condoning the lack of morality in justice, for allowing the ACLU to promote the agenda of atheist communists, is evident more and more everyday

Anonymous said...

heres some facts in the congressional record...that are as much about the lack of morality of the group of 88 as they were in 1963 when they were included in the records of congress

this is WHY justice must have a moral basis, why KC is attacked for forcing the nation to come to grips with the basis of the american dream..a forceful heritage of mind and body that was once our most prised possession...and which the duke three have in spades

----------------------------------

You are about to read a list of 45 goals that found their way down the
halls of our great Capitol back in 1963.

As you read this, 39 years later, you should be shocked by the events
that have played themselves out.

ran across this list 3 years ago but was unable to attain a copy..

Recently, Rense posted it on site at http://www.rense.com

Communist Goals (1963) Congressional Record–Appendix, pp. A34-A35

January 10, 1963

Current Communist Goals EXTENSION OF REMARKS OF HON. A. S. HERLONG,
JR. OF FLORIDA IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Thursday, January
10,1963.

Mr. HERLONG. Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Patricia Nordman of De Land, Fla., is
an ardent and articulate opponent of communism, and until recently
published the De Land Courier, which she dedicated to the purpose of
alerting the public to the dangers of communism in America.

At Mrs. Nordman's request, I include in the RECORD, under unanimous
consent, the following "Current Communist Goals," which she identifies
as an excerpt from "The Naked Communist," by Cleon Skousen:

[From "The Naked Communist," by Cleon Skousen]

1. U.S. acceptance of coexistence as the only alternative to atomic war.

2. U.S. willingness to capitulate in preference to engaging in atomic war.

3. Develop the illusion that total disarmament [by] the United States
would be a demonstration of moral strength.

4. Permit free trade between all nations regardless of Communist
affiliation and regardless of whether or not items could be used for
war.

5. Extension of long-term loans to Russia and Soviet satellites.

6. Provide American aid to all nations regardless of Communist domination.

7. Grant recognition of Red China. Admission of Red China to the U.N.

8. Set up East and West Germany as separate states in spite of
Khrushchev's promise in 1955 to settle the German question by free
elections under supervision of the U.N.

9. Prolong the conferences to ban atomic tests because the United
States has agreed to suspend tests as long as negotiations are in
progress.

10. Allow all Soviet satellites individual representation in the U.N.

11. Promote the U.N. as the only hope for mankind. If its charter is
rewritten, demand that it be set up as a one-world government with its
own independent armed forces. (Some Communist leaders believe the
world can be taken over as easily by the U.N. as by Moscow. Sometimes
these two centers compete with each other as they are now doing in the
Congo.)

12. Resist any attempt to outlaw the Communist Party.

13. Do away with all loyalty oaths. (Pledge of Allegiance, anyone??)

14. Continue giving Russia access to the U.S. Patent Office.

15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.
(Democrats, and some RINOs)

16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American
institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.

17. Get control of the schools. Use them as transmission belts for
socialism and current Communist propaganda. Soften the curriculum. Get
control of teachers' associations. Put the party line in textbooks.

18. Gain control of all student newspapers.

19. Use student riots to foment public protests against programs or
organizations which are under Communist attack.

20. Infiltrate the press. Get control of book-review assignments,
editorial writing, policy-making positions.

21. Gain control of key positions in radio, TV, and motion pictures.

22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of
artistic expression. An American Communist cell was told to "eliminate
all good sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless,
awkward and meaningless forms."

23. Control art critics and directors of art museums. "Our plan is to
promote ugliness, repulsive, meaningless art." (Piss Christ, anyone??)

24. Eliminate all laws governing obscenity by calling them
"censorship" and a violation of free speech and free press. (Unless
it's the word "G-d")

25. Break down cultural standards of morality by promoting pornography
and obscenity in books, magazines, motion pictures, radio, and TV.

26. Present homosexuality, degeneracy and promiscuity as "normal,
natural, healthy."

27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with
"social" religion. Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for
intellectual maturity, which does not need a "religious crutch."

28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the
schools on the ground that it violates the principle of "separation of
church and state."

29. Discredit the American Constitution by calling it inadequate,
old-fashioned, out of step with modern needs, a hindrance to
cooperation between nations on a worldwide basis.

30. Discredit the American Founding Fathers. Present them as selfish
aristocrats who had no concern for the "common man."

31. Belittle all forms of American culture and discourage the teaching
of American history on the ground that it was only a minor part of the
"big picture." Give more emphasis to Russian history since the
Communists took over.

32. Support any socialist movement to give centralized control over
any part of the culture–education, social agencies, welfare programs,
mental health clinics, etc.

33. Eliminate all laws or procedures which interfere with the
operation of the Communist apparatus.

34. Eliminate the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

35. Discredit and eventually dismantle the FBI. (and CIA, I might add …)

36. Infiltrate and gain control of more unions.

37. Infiltrate and gain control of big business.

38. Transfer some of the powers of arrest from the police to social
agencies. Treat all behavioral problems as psychiatric disorders which
no one but psychiatrists can understand [or treat]. (See anyone who is
a celebrity and pops off with a racial slur who checks into "rehab" …)

39. Dominate the psychiatric profession and use mental health laws as
a means of gaining coercive control over those who oppose Communist
goals.

40. Discredit the family as an institution. Encourage promiscuity and
easy divorce.

41. Emphasize the need to raise children away from the negative
influence of parents. Attribute prejudices, mental blocks and
retarding of children to suppressive influence of parents.

42. Create the impression that violence and insurrection are
legitimate aspects of the American tradition; that students and
special-interest groups should rise up and use ["]united force["] to
solve economic, political or social problems. (See: "Dissent is
patriotic" … "I support the troops, but not the war")

43. Overthrow all colonial governments before native populations are
ready for self-government. (See: Iran, Syria, and American democrats
re: Iraq)

44. Internationalize the Panama Canal. (Thank you Jimmuh Carter)

45. Repeal the Connally reservation so the United States cannot
prevent the World Court from seizing jurisdiction [over domestic
problems. Give the World Court jurisdiction] over nations and
individuals alike. (The leftist jusges in our Supreme Courts already
site laws from other countries when making decisions)

Note by Webmaster: The Congressional Record back this far has not be
digitized and posted on the Internet. It will probably be available at
your nearest library that is a federal repository. Call them and ask
them. Your college library is probably a repository. This is an
excellent source of government records. Another source are your
Congress Critters. They should be more than happy to help you in this
matter. You will find the Ten Planks of the Communist Manifesto
interesting at this point.

Sources are listed below.

Microfilm: California State University at San Jose Clark Library,

Government Floor Phone (408)924-2770 Microfilm Call Number: J 11.R5

Congressional Record, Vol. 109 88th Congress, 1st Session Appendix

Pages A1-A2842 Jan. 9-May 7, 1963 Reel 12

1963- The Year That Changed America By Greg Swank

Anonymous said...

Carolyn says:

KC, thank you for sharing that wonderful story about Reade and his brothers. Oh, wouldn't that have been something with those twins running in blue on the same field with their big brother?

But Sowell is right. Duke has instead chosen to be Pontius Pilate washing away its past. And its future.

Anonymous said...

JLS says...,

re: The Sowell column

I really liked this line:

It is worse to deny that you are part of a lynch mob, while standing there holding the rope in
your hands.

Anonymous said...

KC makes todays WSJ:

Our criminal justice system does not rely solely on the fairness of the police and prosecutors to get things right. In every criminal case, there is a professional whose only obligation is to scrutinize what the police and prosecutor have done. This "professional" is a lawyer. The next time you hear a lawyer joke, maybe you'll think of the lawyers who represented these three boys and it won't seem so funny. You probably can't picture their faces and don't know their names. (They include Joe Cheshire, Jim Cooney, Michael Cornacchia, Bill Cotter, Wade Smith and the late Kirk Osborn.) That's because they put their zealous representation of their clients ahead of their own egos and fame. Without their lawyering skills, we would not today be speaking so confidently of their clients' innocence.

These lawyers held the prosecutor's feet to the fire. Their skillful questioning at pre-trial hearings revealed the prosecutor's misconduct that eventually forced him to give up control of the case and now threatens his law license. They uncovered compelling exculpatory evidence and made it available to the press; they let their clients and their families air their story in the national media.

There is no rule book for what prosecutors call "heater" cases like this one. Navigating the law, politics and publicity in such case is an art not a science. These fine lawyers displayed all the skills and tenacity that made me want to be a criminal trial lawyer after watching the television series, "The Defenders," when I was 10 years old.

Do you suppose that lawyers like these gained their skills only representing the innocent? Criminal lawyers are constantly asked how they can live with themselves defending those guilty of serious crimes. The full and complete answer ought to be that, because we can never be sure who is guilty and who is innocent until the evidence is scrutinized, the only way to protect the innocent is by effectively defending everyone.

As a prosecutor working "felony review," when I was in a Chicago police station at 3 a.m. deciding whether to approve charges, I had to evaluate the evidence as if I were a defense attorney. Where is the murder weapon? Where are the proceeds of the robbery? How credible are the witnesses? How was the identification of the accused conducted?

In this way, the mere prospect of a competent defense attorney scrutinizing the evidence in the future provides a powerful deterrent to pursuing weak cases even before anyone is charged. Thanks to defense lawyers defending the innocent and guilty alike, prosecutors generally win their cases because they avoid weak cases they may lose. (After the charging stage, a prosecutor's ability to avoid losing at trial by plea bargaining weak cases is a serious, but separate and complex issue.)

Paradoxically, the system's overall accuracy makes defending the truly innocent all the harder. While knowing that mistakes do happen, the accuracy of the system leads everyone, including defense lawyers, to assume that anyone who is charged is probably guilty. After all, they usually are. Notwithstanding the legal "presumption of innocence," in a system that generally gets it right, there is a pragmatic presumption of guilt.

Consequently, effectively defending the innocent usually requires the ability to prove your client's innocence. And that's not easy. Further, because representing the guilty consists mainly of negotiating pleas or knocking holes in the prosecutor's case, defense lawyers do not always develop the skills needed to effectively defend the truly innocent or, as important, know when to deploy them. Defense lawyers become as skeptical about their clients' claims of innocence as everyone else, if not more so. All this contributes to inadequate defense lawyering, which thankfully did not occur here.

Good lawyering alone, however, was not enough to free the Duke players. While the "mainstream" press largely swallowed District Attorney Mike Nifong's narrative of racial oppression, the blogs -- especially history professor Robert "K.C." Johnson's blog Durham-in-Wonderland (durhamwonderland.blogspot.com) -- provided the means by which the public could learn about the fruits of the defense's efforts. (Mr. Johnson's own difficulty in 2002 obtaining tenure at Brooklyn College over ideologically-motivated opposition was chronicled on this page by Dorothy Rabinowitz, who also, true-to-form, came to the defense of the Duke Lacrosse players.)

Erik said...

Guess who's mentioned in the Wall Street Journal?

http://www.opinionjournal.com/editorial/feature.html?id=110009952

Anonymous said...

Off-topic, but one other item of good news today: The once-great New York Times didn't win a Pulitzer AGAIN. Karma strikes again!!

Anonymous said...

I am glad you posted this one, K.C. How ironic that the Publication of Lester Munson actually publishes an article that does not demonize Reade and the others.

I am sick of the demonization that we have seen in the MSM, but I guess we are stuck with these people. Good job on your part in helping these young men get back their reputations.

Anonymous said...

Don't overlook the "Letters to the Editor" page in today's Wall Street Journal. I found this letter that I liked even better than the article on the Op Ed page. The letter is behind the subscription wall, so I've typed it out verbatim.
Tuco

"'Duke 88'Professors Need Civil Rights Re-Education"

Your April 12 editorial 'Justice at Duke' stated: "Mike Nifong, the Durham County prosecutor, harnessed the power of his office to this machinery of political correctness to bring charges against three of the team members and, in the process, win an election. As it is, Mr. Nifong now may face disbarment, which seems apt for such an abuse of his authority. We wonder, though, whether any analogous sanction will be meted to those on the Duke faculty who rushed to condemn the accused long before their guilt could reasonably be established."

I have a suggestion regarding that last speculation about the 88 Duke professors who took out that ad against the university's lacrosse team: Have them all take courses on due process, libel, mass hysteria and totalitarianism and submit papers on how their behavior in taking out that ad represented a danger to constitutional liberty and the social compact. Then they could take out another ad apologizing to the lacrosse players, their families, Duke University and the community at large, fully explaining how their original ad was a failure of civic self-control. Failure to do any of the above would result in termination. They should also be fined an amount of money that would help defray the costs of the families' legal expenses. As for defendant David Evans's news conference statement upon acquittal-- "we're just as innocent today as we were back then. Nothing has changed, the facts don't change" -- it should be included in any future book of great American speeches.

Richard Reay
Riverdale, N.Y."

Anonymous said...

Where is the press in covering the scapegoated coach? He lost a 16 year job becouse it was politically expedient for Brodhead to find someone to publicly castrate.

Anonymous said...

Not only did Pressler lose his job, but I suspect that his income loss was substantial, and a move like he had to make must have been costly.

Duke owes this man and his family big time. That Richard Brodhead would do what he did to Mike Pressler tells me everything I need to know about Brodhead.

Anonymous said...

While it was impossible to know when it happened, I had a VERY STRONG feeling this attack did not occur when I first heard the reports. I played lacrosse in high school at an all boys school and played in college with guys from St. Anthony's and Chaminade.

I don't think I know anyone from Delbarton, but I know lacrosse, I know lacrosse teams, and I've been to similar parties.

That having been said, an attack like this would have been immediately reported by others at the party. 43 college age guys with great family backgrounds and educations like this aren't going to just sit back and risk their futures to protect some rapists.

That's the part I find most surprising. Essentially everyone involved said, "We think the 43 Duke guys are lying to protect their friends and we believe the stripper." I know damn well that you're not going to find a team of lacrosse players who would condone (or worse cover up) this type of activity.

If the attack had happened, we would have known about it right away. I'm still puzzled as to why there was such a rush to believe someone like CGM and not believe someone like Reade Seligman.

And the fallout continuyes for Duke. Craig Dowd (Kyle's younger brother) is now a star freshmen at Gtown. He had a full ride to play at Duke, buyt after the way they treated his brother he opted for Gtown. He is without question one of the best players in the country. I would imagine the Seligman brothers are probably pretty solid players in their own right.

Anonymous said...

While it was impossible to know when it happened, I had a VERY STRONG feeling this attack did not occur when I first heard the reports. I played lacrosse in high school at an all boys school and played in college with guys from St. Anthony's and Chaminade.

I don't think I know anyone from Delbarton, but I know lacrosse, I know lacrosse teams, and I've been to similar parties.

That having been said, an attack like this would have been immediately reported by others at the party. 43 college age guys with great family backgrounds and educations like this aren't going to just sit back and risk their futures to protect some rapists.

That's the part I find most surprising. Essentially everyone involved said, "We think the 43 Duke guys are lying to protect their friends and we believe the stripper." I know damn well that you're not going to find a team of lacrosse players who would condone (or worse cover up) this type of activity.

If the attack had happened, we would have known about it right away. I'm still puzzled as to why there was such a rush to believe someone like CGM and not believe someone like Reade Seligman.

And the fallout continuyes for Duke. Craig Dowd (Kyle's younger brother) is now a star freshmen at Gtown. He had a full ride to play at Duke, buyt after the way they treated his brother he opted for Gtown. He is without question one of the best players in the country. I would imagine the Seligman brothers are probably pretty solid players in their own right.

Anonymous said...

Mike Pressler is the unsung victim. The boys are young, they will go on with their lives. Pressler spent almost 20 years building up the Duke lacrosse team only to get kicked to the curb in a fit of hysteria. If ANYONE deserves financial compensation from Duke, its Pressler.

Gary Packwood said...

Anonymous 10:15 said...

... 43 college age guys with great family backgrounds and educations like this aren't going to just sit back and risk their futures to protect some rapists.
::
Exactly!
::
GP

Anonymous said...

I can't agree with that. Plenty of athletic gang rapes have taken place and 'nobody saw nuthin' and everyone was convinced the accused were totally innocent and would never do such a thing. There are countless examples of party gang rape where no one comes forward or everyone claims the passed out girl on the bed looked like she was enjoying it.

This case really should not be generalized to any other rape cases.

Anonymous said...

The same TV folk were laying bets with each other over how many of the counts would Michael Jackson be found guilty, The minnium they cam up with was eight. Well - they looked great with egg on their faces. Really glad theygot caught with this one too.

Anonymous said...

The same TV folk were laying bets with each other over how many of the counts would Michael Jackson be found guilty, The minnium they cam up with was eight. Well - they looked great with egg on their faces. Really glad theygot caught with this one too.

Anonymous said...

10:38,

Would you like to be more specific?
Loved the article about the brothers. And I am delighted to see the DA Association making their position clear.
Amen, Thomas Sowell. Well done!

Observer

Anonymous said...

" Anonymous 10:15 said...
That having been said, an attack like this would have been immediately reported by others at the party. 43 college age guys with great family backgrounds and educations like this aren't going to just sit back and risk their futures to protect some rapists.

That's the part I find most surprising. Essentially everyone involved said, "We think the 43 Duke guys are lying to protect their friends and we believe the stripper." I know damn well that you're not going to find a team of lacrosse players who would condone (or worse cover up) this type of activity."



To be honest, when I first heard of the alleged attack I was shocked. I knew nothing about the players at all. Shortly I heard a news story stating that everyone at the party had offered to take a polygraph test and were summarily rebuked. At that point, I was convinced there was no case.

IF an attack had occurred and IF the police & DA had ANY real suspicion, then they would have gladly given the players polygraph test. Whether the test results were admissible in court or not would have been immaterial. If 43 individuals were in concert to hold up a "blue wall of silence" one of the 43 would have revealed enough anxiety to have broken. One would have shown remorse over just having knowledge of covering up such a heinous crime. IF the authorities really thought there was a wall of silence, they could have easily identified the loose brick in the wall.

I strongly suspect the DA and the Police knew early on that there was no rape, no attack, no nothing. That makes it all the more evil.

Anonymous said...

Let's have a moment of silent prayer for the late, not great Nancy Grace. Her career will finally be buried in the Dan Rather graveyard.

It was noteworthy not only for its exceptional meanness, lies and hypocrisy but also for the incredible cowardice (even for a journalist) she displayed by not showing up for her show the night of A.G. Cooper's press conference.

Nancy, R.I.P (you could use some)

Anonymous said...

You can now order KC's book on Amazon!!

Ordered 10, hope the "Blog Hooligan's" can get some autographed!!

Kemp

Anonymous said...

Nancy Grace. Her career will finally be buried in the Dan Rather graveyard.

This will not happen.
Dan Rather is still the hero and idol of the democratic party establishment. "Fake by true". This is the logic leftists use for election fraud, too.

I was channel surfing on Sunday and on HNN channel Nancy Grace was having a great time as a host of some sort of CNN/HNN show. She will no doubt continue leading the fight. I'm afraid she and her ilk are winning..Dems are pushing various bills in congress to advance gang88 ideology. First they try to shut down blogs, talk radio and Fox News. You know, they are not new reporting truth like New York Times, CNN or H-S so 50% of their resources must be given to liberals. Hillary's universal speech codes criminalise hate speec (as defined by gang88).

Anonymous said...

KC: Thanks for posting that link to the SI.COM article. My son was fortunate enough to attend Delbarton with Reade and I was never more proud of that fact than when Fr. Luke issued his statement supporting Reade even as the wave of mainstream media and potbanger hysteria was crashing across the nation and that media was covering the story (at least locally) with a slant that offered considerable negative publicity to the school. The far reaching extent of that publicity and the association of the charges with the school became even more obvious to me when my son, playing in an Ivy League soccer game even as late as last November, was heckled by a few students from the opposing school making reference to the Duke lacrosse case charges. (Evidently, they saw his Delbarton affilitation in the game program. Ironically, it was at a school which was reported to be recruiting Reade shortly thereafter but I guess you can't blame an entire school for a few knuckleheads.) Nonetheless, the Delbarton community, and everyone else who knew Reade, stood up for him with absolute certainty that the charges were false even before the extent of his alibi was reported. I appreciate your favorably contrasting Delbarton's actions to that of Reade's other former school.

Anonymous said...

"Let's have a moment of silent prayer for the late, not great Nancy Grace. Her career will finally be buried in the Dan Rather graveyard.

It was noteworthy not only for its exceptional meanness, lies and hypocrisy but also for the incredible cowardice (even for a journalist) she displayed by not showing up for her show the night of A.G. Cooper's press conference".

You've scored a bullseye with your description of Nancy (Dis)Grace.

But your belief that she is washed up is very wide of the mark. It just doesn't work that way. She is not on TV because she's good. She's there because she's a shameless, vulgar, big-mouthed controversialist who gets good ratings (for that reason). So long as that remains true, she will have a forum to undermine justice. Look at Stern, Limbaugh and (until recently) Imus. Grace is safe until she makes a racial joke or slut (against a non-white person, I mean). Then she's through.