tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post3020059186952649551..comments2024-02-24T05:19:10.949-05:00Comments on Durham-in-Wonderland: Tracey Cline: The Nifongesque Choicekcjohnson9http://www.blogger.com/profile/09625813296986996867noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-15730788593582559892008-05-15T07:04:00.000-04:002008-05-15T07:04:00.000-04:00Thanks, Amac. Reharmonizer has now posted my com...Thanks, Amac. Reharmonizer has now posted my comment (plus a follow along comment on a different but related subject) with his replies.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://reharmonized.an-earful.com/2008/03/anti-lacrosse-extremist/#comment-1046" REL="nofollow">Here.</A><BR/><BR/>RRHAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-78705601859847544432008-05-14T20:27:00.000-04:002008-05-14T20:27:00.000-04:00I must concur.RRH @ 3:53 AM has taken it to "rehar...I must concur.<BR/><BR/>RRH @ 3:53 AM has taken it to "reharmonizer".<BR/><BR/>The feature of the music professor's personality that allows him to totally ignore core issues of what he tells everyone he is analyzing gives new meaning to the word.......<BR/><BR/><I>loony</I>.Debrahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04567454727276881424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-50675699240713613782008-05-12T09:05:00.000-04:002008-05-12T09:05:00.000-04:00RRH 5/9/08 3:53am --Substantive, and eloquent.Wow!...RRH 5/9/08 3:53am --<BR/><BR/>Substantive, and eloquent.<BR/><BR/>Wow!AMachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08872008617279528583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-14663000478171305782008-05-09T03:53:00.000-04:002008-05-09T03:53:00.000-04:00My most recent to Reharmonizer:"The lawyers see th...<B>My most recent to Reharmonizer:</B><BR/><BR/><A HTTP://MEDIA.WWW.DUKECHRONICLE.COM/MEDIA/STORAGE/PAPER884/NEWS/2007/03/08/FEATURES/THEY-FOUND.88.PROBLEMS.AND.THE.DANCER.WAS.JUST.ONE-2764970-PAGE4.SHTML” HREF="”" REL="nofollow">"The lawyers see this, and they're like, 'Oh my God. What were they thinking?'” </A> -- Tony McDevitt, lacrosse player, on the attorneys’ reaction to the ad of 88.<BR/><BR/>As perhaps your only supporter at DiW, I hope you will keep that quote in focus as you read the rest of this comment. I say this because I know you have called the Listening Ad “a blip” and criticism of it “vastly overblown”.<BR/><BR/>It is true, as you say, that “attorneys have their way of looking at the situation and it’s quite different from [yours]”. Based on the events of this case I could say something similar about professors. At least, <I>some</I> professors. The distinction is important because I assure you that <I>all</I> attorneys had substantially identical reactions to the 88ers ad -- the lacrosse players’ lawyers, the university’s lawyers, lawyers who were uninvolved in the case, tall lawyers, short lawyers, black lawyers, white lawyers, brown lawyers, sober lawyers and drunk ones. You get the picture. <BR/><BR/>Some of us may be scoundrels of the first rank, but few of us are stupid. We are chosen on the basis of the LSAT which focuses most strongly on “reading comprehension”, “logic”, and the ability to “draw proper inferences and deductions”. Then we are subjected to three years of intense study designed mostly to make us better at these abilities. The reaction of attorneys to that ad, in a word, was “shock”.<BR/><BR/>In seven words, the reaction was what Mr. McDevitt reported above.<BR/><BR/>The word “tort” comes from the same French root that gives us “torque” – in other words, “to twist”. It means that something “is twisted”, is … <I>wrong</I>. These are actions that are not “crimes” (usually) but are recognized as being so harmful to society that a legal remedy is justified. There are four elements of a action for tort: Duty, Breach, Causation, and Damages. This was the type of action brought against Duke.<BR/><BR/>What you need to understand, Mr. Zimmerman, is that this ad – and Duke’s seeming to reward some of the 88ers and the 88ers own subsequent statements – was what lawyers call a “damages multiplier”. This is the kind of document that causes jurors during deliberations to send out notes asking, “Can we award more money that the plaintiff has asked for?” or, “How much is, ‘Every last cent the defendant has’?” If you don’t believe that, let me suggest to you to read the comments in <I>The Chronicle</I> to the above-cited article. That’s not Liestoppers, not DiW. That’s the jury pool.<BR/><BR/>In the above paragraph, I’ve probably just quoted, substantively, what Duke’s lawyers said to Pres. Brodhead and Chairman Steel. If you think otherwise, do this experiment: Find one or more lawyers who are familiar with the case. Ask them two questions: (1) “How much money do you think Duke paid to the three indicted players last year?” and then, (2) “How much money do you think Duke <I>would</I> have had to paid if not for the ‘Listening Ad’ and the fallout (university’s positive response and subsequent statements of 88ers)?” My guess is that a typical answer would be “the plaintiffs would get about 10-times as much with the Ad than without it.”<BR/><BR/>I think, given my reading of your past writings, that you are thinking at this point: “So what, I’m not addressing the <I>legal case</I>. I’m offering a critique of KC Johnson!” I submit, Mr. Zimmerman, that you are acting as a juror – and a bad one at that. First, you fail to understand the case at all. Second, you consider facts not in evidence – to wit, “I know some of the 88ers, and they are really nice people”. Finally, you fail to exclude unreasonable inferences. <BR/><BR/>You seem to think that (at least some) of these 88ers are “nice people” and that someone could “make sense” out of their writings. The only 88er of whom I’m aware who in this episode acted with any character is Arlie Petters – by quickly disassociating himself from the Group. From my personal perspective, Prof. Petters by his actions has absolved himself of blame in this incident. What an insult it would be to Prof. Petters for the other 88ers to be forgiven without repentance.<BR/><BR/>And repent for what, you ask? How about repent to you, Prof. Zimmerman? After all, their actions drained tens of millions of dollars in resources out of Duke – millions that <I>good</I> professors like <I>you</I> could have used. Do yourself a favor: Divide up what you think the Ad cost Duke (my guess $20 million) and figure out how much you or your department lost. Next time you see your friends in the 88, you can have that to talk about.<BR/> <BR/>No one can “make sense” of what the 88ers say, not about this case. For an attorney, the prospect of getting Holloway or Lubiano on the witness stand – well, the testimony of each would be worth an extra $1 million in added damages. The Cathy Davidson article in which she tried to say the ad was “really” about “national healthcare, affordable childcare, and Canadian baby seal hunting”: An extra $1 million in damages even <I>without</I> her on the stand. Jurors hate people who try to insult their intelligence. (I made up the part about Canadian baby seal hunting.) I can think of at least one or two professors who might not even be allowed off the stand – by the time their testimony ended, the judge could be ordering involuntary psychiatric examinations.<BR/><BR/>I didn’t go to law school until my mid-thirties. I mention this only to show that I can recall a time when I “thought normally”. I realize that lawyers can seem cold – caring about little besides facts, logic, and “reasonable inferences”. I want you to know that I know very little about melody or harmony – and would never think that just because I can sing means that I can judge a piece of music half as well as you can. Is that a sugarcoated way of saying that I think you are out of your element? I plead guilty.<BR/><BR/>I hope you will accept this in the spirit it is written. I hate to see you looking like the constable who stands over the corpse -- ridden with bullets, pincushioned with knives, and decapitated -- and says, “What body? …. Oh, that one …. Well, it looks accidental.”<BR/><BR/>If you want to be a serious investigator -- even the investigator of the investigation -- first you have to acknowledge the crime.<BR/><BR/>RRHAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-21864486338885396752008-05-06T21:02:00.000-04:002008-05-06T21:02:00.000-04:00O-B-A-M-A!<B>O-B-A-M-A!</B>Debrahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04567454727276881424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-41580500672672701532008-05-06T14:20:00.000-04:002008-05-06T14:20:00.000-04:00Today is the primary day in Durham. I expect Rev W...Today is the primary day in Durham. I expect Rev Wright and his anti-semitist and Gang88 theories ("US gov created AIDS to kill black") to prevail. Any news about Gang88 campaigning?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-27364067057662909762008-05-06T14:10:00.000-04:002008-05-06T14:10:00.000-04:00A must read, from Alan Charles Kors, via Mindingth...A must read, from Alan Charles Kors, via Mindingthecampus.com<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.newcriterion.com/articles.cfm/On-the-sadness-of-higher-education-3831" REL="nofollow">Alan Charles Kors</A>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-87771330736024145352008-05-06T10:20:00.000-04:002008-05-06T10:20:00.000-04:00To Steve in DC:If you look at Reharmonizer's bio, ...To Steve in DC:<BR/><BR/>If you look at Reharmonizer's bio, his sole purposein life is to strive for ambiguity. Duke should be proud to have a professor who admits to such a worthy cause.<BR/><BR/>Myself, an ex NCAA lacrosse player, would call these kinds of people TOOLS and make fun of them to their face. Being ambiguous is there shot back.<BR/><BR/>Good Luck in LifeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-39492501760526454702008-05-05T22:40:00.000-04:002008-05-05T22:40:00.000-04:00I see that you did let "The Debrah" slip in a litt...I see that you did let "The Debrah" slip in a little plug for "O".<BR/>I don't blame you. Every teacher has their brown.<BR/>JimBAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-72602994433382909892008-05-05T22:19:00.000-04:002008-05-05T22:19:00.000-04:00No suprise that the powers that be in Durham have ...No suprise that the powers that be in Durham have anointed Cline. She is the most personally involved and thus, the one who will work the hardest to continue the cover-up. If she were out of work, she might get a crazy idea like writing a book.<BR/><BR/>People in Durham, even more than people generally, are all too eager to be taken in by agitprop that fits w/ their self-percieved identity, even when it is used to harm their own self interests. It is no accident that public schools don't teach Civics any more.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-43773156504690705652008-05-05T15:47:00.000-04:002008-05-05T15:47:00.000-04:00Here's a bright and gleaming example of one-sided ...Here's a bright and gleaming example of one-sided views and blatant dishonesty:<BR/><BR/>On another blog, the author makes a huge charade of being the height of integrity and good taste.<BR/><BR/>Well folks, that hilarious idea is nothing more than <I>breath on a mirror</I> partisanship.<BR/><BR/>Take a look at this comment that was allowed when the opinion and the ideology are the "right kind".<BR/><BR/>***********************************************<BR/><BR/><I>John: A friend just e-mailed me a definition of "Political Correctness" that I thought you might get a kick out of. I realize you probably cannot post this but I wanted to share it with you anyway. "Political Coeerctness is a doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end."</I><BR/><BR/>***************************************************<BR/><BR/><BR/>After checking other blogs lately, we can only respect KC even more---if that's possible.<BR/><BR/>KC always allowed free speech. Many, many times there were attacks on him.<BR/><BR/>Most of the other blogs are tired and blatantly partisan dives where little cliques form to spew their repetitive mania.<BR/><BR/>I really fear for a few of these people when the elections are over.<BR/><BR/>What will they do with their mania?<BR/><BR/>Many were hiding behind the Lacrosse Hoax.<BR/><BR/>Many really are quite insular and bigoted......far beyond the importance of what happened in 2006, they are the flip side of Duke's 88.<BR/><BR/>Petty and small.Debrahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04567454727276881424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-28449184086876287392008-05-05T15:25:00.000-04:002008-05-05T15:25:00.000-04:00TO Steve in DC--You've nailed it concerning "rehar...TO Steve in DC--<BR/><BR/>You've nailed it concerning "reharmonizer".<BR/><BR/>His schtick is trying to be obscure.....while pretending to <I>take on</I> an issue.<BR/><BR/>He's only been at Duke and in Durham a decade. And what he knows can be found in the Gang of 88 indoctrination manual.<BR/><BR/>I marvel how he tries to tell some of us who know the Triangle well what goes on at Duke and in Durham.<BR/><BR/>And then he wants to tease this subject further by making himself known on other blogs.<BR/><BR/>He allows every scurrilous and childish ad hominem against KC a prominent place on his blog, but when someone responds to such comments, they are sent to his prim little page of "extra comments" or he links them back to DIW.<BR/><BR/>This is typical.<BR/><BR/>People like him and the Gang of 88 are so insular they cannot recognize their insularity.<BR/><BR/>"Reharmonizer's" day-of-birth song is, after all, "Daydream Believer".<BR/><BR/>For explanation of the above, go to <I>Cliopatria</I>.<BR/><BR/>Everyone should know his/her day-of-birth song.<BR/><BR/>LIS!Debrahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04567454727276881424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-45294269653397210402008-05-05T13:50:00.000-04:002008-05-05T13:50:00.000-04:00" Jena, LA or with the case of Genarlow Wilson."Uh..." Jena, LA or with the case of Genarlow Wilson."<BR/><BR/>Uh. Yes, Jena was similar to Duke Hoax. In both cases, liberal white elitists (NY Times crowd) and black thugs (Gang88, Al Sharpton etc) were actively involved. <BR/><BR/>In Jena, group of (black) teenagers tried to murder a (white) teenager (and continued to batter him while was knocked off). He is lucky to be alive. Many attackers had long criminal history (NYT and NAACP lied about that, as expected). The attack had nothing to do with earlier events in the same town (some news, such as "white-only-tree") were fabricated by local black activist. <BR/><BR/>Similarities to Duke Hoax are obvious.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-46018405716524642022008-05-05T12:09:00.000-04:002008-05-05T12:09:00.000-04:00NCCU's graduation ceremony was covered in an N&O a...NCCU's graduation ceremony was covered in an N&O article yesterday.<BR/><BR/>Here's a bizarre paragraph:<BR/><BR/><I>A FAMOUS GRAD: Crystal Gail Mangum, the woman at the root of the Duke lacrosse case and the phony gang-rape allegations dismissed by the state attorney general, was among the graduates Saturday. Mangum, in a cap and gown, flashed a smile to a friend after posing for an official graduation photo with her degree.</I><BR/><BR/><BR/>Famous?<BR/><BR/>How ridiculous.Debrahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04567454727276881424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-23334778342903268562008-05-05T01:21:00.000-04:002008-05-05T01:21:00.000-04:00And another by columnist J. Peder Zane.Zane is an ...And another by columnist <A HREF="http://www.newsobserver.com/1051/story/1060111.html" REL="nofollow">J. Peder Zane</A>.<BR/><BR/>Zane is an interesting writer for the most part.....even though his ultra-Liberal sensibilities usually taint his work.<BR/><BR/>I linked this column because he has featured both William Chafe and Paula McClain.<BR/><BR/>What is it about the N&O that they must rely on Duke professors for everything?<BR/><BR/>Zane constantly goes to Timothy Tyson, the editorial staff frequently publishes columns from the Gang of 88, and a recent issue they are covering regarding ministers and politicians relied on people from Duke's Divinity School, solely.<BR/><BR/>What is it lately with Duke and the N&O?Debrahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04567454727276881424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-66288978069055515952008-05-05T01:07:00.000-04:002008-05-05T01:07:00.000-04:00I was on my way to bed when I saw a few interestin...I was on my way to bed when I saw a few interesting items in the Sunday N&O.<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.newsobserver.com/opinion/columns/story/1060222.html" REL="nofollow">Coleman</A> submitted an op-ed.Debrahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04567454727276881424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-29845554789540725732008-05-04T23:47:00.000-04:002008-05-04T23:47:00.000-04:00Perhaps Rev. Wright was trying to tell us somethin...Perhaps Rev. Wright was trying to tell us something profound about religion and politics<BR/><BR/>Tracey Cline in her zeal not to ride in the back of the bus, helped throw the lacrosse guys under the bus so that she can pilot the bus...politically speaking of course.<BR/><BR/>Suppose unsuspecting normal people in Durham have all discovered their inner Jeremiah Wright?<BR/><BR/>You just can't make this stuff up.<BR/>::<BR/>GPGary Packwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05177986821224068759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-57354838917826788032008-05-04T16:14:00.000-04:002008-05-04T16:14:00.000-04:00reharmonizer: what in the world are you talking ab...reharmonizer: what in the world are you talking about? "indeed" is your response to the quotation you posit "facts, of course, can be stubborn things". Yes, we all agree with the quote; but, what in the world does your "indeed" mean? It is either agreement with the quote; and, if so, why waste your energy. EVERYONE AGREES WITH THIS QUOTE. Are you are trying to make a point? WHAT IS THAT POINT? This, I must say is a continuing criticism of your comments. You are obscure when obscurity has no charm. If you wish to defend the gang of 88 or criticize KC please do it in a clear, logical fashion. If it is valid you may have made some converts; if not, at least there is something substantial to rebut.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-67528697937504430502008-05-04T10:19:00.000-04:002008-05-04T10:19:00.000-04:00Great interview with Obama on "Meet the Press" rig...Great interview with Obama on "Meet the Press" right now.<BR/><BR/>He's taking the questions head-on.Debrahhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04567454727276881424noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-2185413115968960582008-05-04T08:19:00.000-04:002008-05-04T08:19:00.000-04:00Extremely interesting to read the old comments. I...Extremely interesting to read the old comments. I, like Inman, thought that someone was impersonating me and I needed to e-mail KC right away. :) <BR/><BR/>It is so discouraging to see that Ms. Cline is a front runner. Here is yet another instance where major ethical transgressions seem to make little impression on voters. To me, though, this transgression is much worse than the usual political corruption involving bribes, kickbacks, affairs, use of prostitutes, misuse of government resources, etc. That stuff is outrageous, but the gross manipulation of the justice system, as seen in Durham under the watch of Ms. Cline, rocks the very foundation of the country. This was a galling breach of her oath of office. <BR/><BR/>Every day I become more convinced that the education system must teach the Constitution thoroughly starting in the early grades, including an explanation of what makes the document important in the context of World History and what makes it vital to each US citizen now. (I think we used to do this in a long forgotten class called "Civics.") Saving these lessons (as it appears we do now) for elective college courses and law school seems to be a huge mistake.<BR/><BR/>ObserverAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-79470807580208435092008-05-04T00:38:00.000-04:002008-05-04T00:38:00.000-04:00Fascinating to read the historical record, includi...Fascinating to read the historical record, including one's own comments. At first I thought someone was impersonating me. Then I checked the dates.<BR/><BR/><BR/>Oh well.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-87696667331159836492008-05-03T21:58:00.000-04:002008-05-03T21:58:00.000-04:00GP asks:"Is there something in the Durham water sy...GP asks:<BR/>"Is there something in the Durham water system that makes people delusional?"<BR/><BR/>Ralph Phelan replies:<BR/>Lead.<BR/><BR/>Ralph...lead makes you stupid, but MERCURY makes you crazy.<BR/><BR/>Durham has to have both as far as I can tell.<BR/><BR/>ES Duke 1990Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-73190968672984016802008-05-03T18:41:00.000-04:002008-05-03T18:41:00.000-04:00"Facts, of course, can be stubborn things."Indeed....<I>"Facts, of course, can be stubborn things."</I><BR/><BR/>Indeed.Robert Zimmermanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09122995991574352039noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-12243418008299308412008-05-03T18:33:00.000-04:002008-05-03T18:33:00.000-04:00The questions posed by KC are not going to be answ...The questions posed by KC are not going to be answered by Ms. Cline unless she is compelled to in a court of law - which is why the civil suits must go forward. I used to live in North Carolina (albeit in Charlotte) and thought it a decent state in which to reside. It is with great hesitation that I am advising my daughter to attend law school in the state.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-8381503604056682232008-05-03T13:15:00.000-04:002008-05-03T13:15:00.000-04:00People on this blog are still proclaiming that not...People on this blog are still proclaiming that nothing happened to Mangum, but in Durham, in "intellectual" circles of Duke, in fact, in cities and churches all around the USA, they know very well that something awful happened: no matter what, it happened. <BR/><BR/>The supposed welter of facts exonerating the players? Concocted by the all-powerful white establishment. The fantastically conflicting claims of the AV? Brought about by powerful white drugs. The bountiful evidence of the LAX players' guilt? Suppressed, made to disappear. That rape happened. It had to have.<BR/> <BR/>In fact, I can't for the life of me figure out why Cline is distancing herself from Nifong. She probably secretly knows very well that something happened, and that poor, pure Nifong was punished for not supporting the thriving whites-can-rape-blacks-with-impunity industry. <BR/><BR/>Maybe Cline herself is in possession of proof that it all happened, and she's afraid of being treated like poor Nifong (or much worse, since she's black) because she knows too much. That's gotta be it. So she's backing off Nifong. <BR/><BR/>Hey, but it all happened.Jamiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12954323595317825201noreply@blogger.com