Wednesday, January 17, 2007

La Shawn on the (Rump) Group of 88

One open letter deserves another, and La Shawn Barber has just penned her response to the new-style Group of 88. As she notes, the statements and actions of the ad's authors almost make the critics' job too easy.

Her description of the original statement is on the mark:
The silly ad, a bunch of disparate statements uttered by anonymous, victim-minded black students, was a gratuitous, irrelevant, inflammatory piece of trash meant to inflame already high racial tensions and cast Duke’s lacrosse-playing white boys as predatory, drunken brutes who routinely brutalize black women…and look at big black men funny.
The new Group statement is the campus equivalent of Linwood Wilson's December 21st "notes"--a hastily put together document designed to paper over problems in the case (in this instance, likely civil suits down the road against the signatories), while hoping against hope that no one would actually be looking at the facts.

53 comments:

Anonymous said...

KC, please.

Why start a new thread with such a thin piece of material?

Surely there are more important issues to address:

1. Firing Brodhead

2. Fumigating victim studies, etc

Anonymous said...

La Shawn Barber is living proof that The Pen Is Mightier Than The Sword.

Anonymous said...

Fire them all. And don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Anonymous said...

What puzzles me is that if anyone's seriously concerned about being sued, which the 87 say they are, then legal advice would pretty much uniformly be to keep their mouths shut. That ad can only make the problem worse for those who signed both ads. What are these folks smoking? Why are they "educating" innocent teens?

Anonymous said...

KC, a suggestion irrelevant to the posted topic.
It would be enlightening if you could get your hands on and post the North Carolina Pattern Criminal Jury Instructions on Sexual Assault, on Kidnapping, on the Burden of Proof, and on the Credibility of Witnesses, and apply the facts to those instructions. Another off topic question -- kind of an industry standards type question: I wonder if North Carolina or other states ever make the accusers in rape and sexual assault cases take lie detector tests as part of their analysis of whether or not to prosecute? Anyone know?

Anonymous said...

Chafee never has had to answer for his Emmett Till statements last spring. Literally accusing the lacross team as being equal with murderers is beyond the pale.

If Chafee is so afraid that Duke is being overrun by murderous rapists, he needs to find employment at a safe place, like NCCU.

Anonymous said...

Fellow Posters:

The term "rump group of 88" should become "The Rump"--as in "the last or inferior part" (American Heritage College Dictionary)

It matters not how many signatories there are, given the obvious fact that these parasites are everywhere.

The Rump rules

Long live the Rump

Hump the Rump

Flush the Rump

Spank the Rump

"Group" and "88" are now history.

It's All Rump, All the Time

Love that Rump

RP

Anonymous said...

KC: You may edit this, but can I seriously hold back?

The Title of the Meehan hearing -

What we found in the rump.

-Esquire-
-Maryland-

Anonymous said...

Don't these idiots know how long it takes to take the deposition of 88 people? I guessing they don't care what it costs.

Anonymous said...

Bill Anderson 1:09

A friendly reminder.

I think you mean Bill Chafe, not Lincoln Chafee.

Mr. Pepsi

Anonymous said...

1:00 is that you agent provocateur?

Anonymous said...

from a non-lawyer/retired professor: John Bruce at 107 makes an interesting that wouldn't lawyers advise these individuals to keep their mouths shut because of potential civil suits, particularly Kim Curtis, who already has one civil suit pending (alleged grade retaliation against LAX player Dowd)? Also is Duke on the hook for these statements since making such statements is not part of these faculty members' job and is voluntary? I would like to hear some lawyers comment on these issues.

Anonymous said...

Esq,

Edit it?

That's fuck'n brilliant:

"What We Found in the Rump"
by Robert KC Johnson & Stuart Taylor

Posts don't get any better, Esq

RP

Anonymous said...

RP: I have tried to stay away from base commentary, I figure this case has enough of it, but I just couldn't hold back.

I mean, seriously, that evidence is plain old nasty.

-Esquire-
-Maryland-

Anonymous said...

I saw the Reverend Jesse Peterson founder of Brotherhood Organization of A New Destiny (BOND) on the CNN, Paula Zahn Now show in Durham. He, like LaShawn, is an informed African-American who blasted
Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson for their provocative racist remarks. African-Americans need people like LaShawn Barber, James Coleman, and the Reverend Peterson to provide leadership for equality and to cool down the racist rhetoric.

Anonymous said...

All due respect, I think the "Rump" KC is refering to is the Rump Parliament in English history. He is after all a historian. The Rump Parliament being what remained after the purge in 1648 until is was disbanded by Cromwell in 1653. Maybe I'm wrong. "Rump" in this sense means more like "remnant." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rump_Parliament

Anonymous said...

Esq,

It's not base at all--cf Chaucer, Bocaccio, Shakespeare

"The Rump" is what they are. It's perfect.

RP

Anonymous said...

In regards to the (Rump) Group of 87 and their "open letter," I am reminded of the venerable words of Joseph Welch, which were directed toward Joseph McCarthy during the Army-McCarthy hearings. To wit:

"You've done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?"

Anonymous said...

Why won't the G88 shut up? Why won't they apologize?

Job Security.

You can get the same answer from two perspectives. First, these professors know they are untouchable. Even the untenured ones know this. Minority faculty at an institution like Duke cannot be fired for anything short of murder. Second, would the departments these people are employed in exist if there weren't serious racial and gender issues in society? No. They need big public displays of racism and sexism to be relevant.

Anonymous said...

I think a sixth grade student could be forgiven for having to explain what he MEANT to say, but a GROUP of college professors should be able to get it right the first time

DUKE EE61

Anonymous said...

My question:

Is the statement endorsed by the Duke administration?

The url www.concerneddukefaculty.org contains the Dukes name, so it looks like they are posting this on behalf of Duke University. Is this right?

I would have assume that someone would need adminstration approval in order to have a site that bears the Duke name?

Are the opinions reflected in letter those of Duke administration.

Does Duke endorse the site, is the site part of Duke?

I konw I seem to repeat myself in those questions, but it looks like they are trying to sound legitimate by using Duke's name in the internet addresss. I am not sure why Duke would give them permission to use the Duke name and act as agent of Duke in a case like this !!!

jack D

Anonymous said...

Misspelled Bocaccio [sic]

Correct spelling is Giovanni Boccaccio

re rump parliament: that's a stretch--wasn't the rump parliament what the great wallace stevens called "the skreaking and skittering residuum"?

Whatever--that's what makes English such a wonderful language

Rump= posterior and inferior

therefore, it's a perfect description of this--uh huh--organism

RP

Anonymous said...

Rp,

Fabulous that you quote 1 of my favorite poets, Wallace Stevens. The line you cited is from "Autumn Refrain," 1 of my favorite poems. I don't know how to post links. Could someone post the poem for me. Everyone should read as it does relate to the case in a strange and wondrous manner.

Emily

Anonymous said...

re: 2:06

Duke probably owns duke.edu. If it isn't part of duke.edu, then I wouldn't assume that it's owned or sanctioned by Duke. You can get info on the owner including phone, address, etc. without too much difficulty. I just don't remember how you do it.

I have my own website and it costs me $10/month. Unlimited bandwidth, 8 GB of space and a zillion tools.

I'd guess that KC is back to work with his classes so maybe he has less time for the blog.

Anonymous said...

Thank God an NFL player is not a famous role model like a college lacrosse player

Or, at least, some segments of the MSM hold white males to a higher standard than they hold black males.

Anonymous said...

KC:

Did you see this?

Local Paper Defends Coverage Of Crumbling 'Duke Lacrosse' Case

Anonymous said...

Gotta love La Shawn. I say highlight her as often as you can!

RP, Esq, those guys, Shakespeare, Boccaccio, Chaucer were base...but extremely funny.

Observer

Anonymous said...

By "rump," I am sure KC means, "having only a small part of its original membership and therefore being unrepresentative or lacking in authority."

Anonymous said...

I'm a lawyer (though not a specialist in slander, libel, or free-speech issues), and I didn't see anything actionable in the first Group of 88 statement (the "We Are Listening" statement). The "Concerned about Being Sued" angle seems like an effort by the rump Group to cast themselves as victims.

Anonymous said...

3:00 is exactly right about rump.

Why, link Lashawn? because she is a black Christan woman, recovering Alcoholic, who from the very first call this as total BS. Lashawn by her own admission has seen hard times, and because of that and the fact that she is a Black woman, no one can call BS more forcefully. No one can call HER a racist.

Hey, Prof Holloway, want to debate Lashawn? I don't think so, she'll eat your lunch.

Kemp

Anonymous said...

I was not surprised to see the Rump call out key words in the new letter. The same words (plus a few that the Rump omitted, such as white supremacy and capitalism) are used over and over again by UBUNTU, a pot-banging group applauded by the 88, which has duke.edu members and organizers.

Posted at UBUNTU blog, June 28:

Who We Are: Purpose & Goals

UBUNTU was born in the aftermath of the March 13, 2006 rape of a Durham, NC Black woman by members of the Duke University Lacrosse team. UBUNTU is a Women of Color and Survivor-led coalition of individuals and organizational representatives. We prioritize the voices, analyses, and needs of Women of Color and Survivors of sexual violence in both our internal structure and our external work. We are Women, Men, and people who do not fit into the gender binary. We are non-trans and trans. We are People of Color, Multi-racial, and White. We come from throughout the Triangle area and have roots both within and outside of the United States. We are sex workers, students and community members. We are workers. We are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two-Spirit, and Questioning. We are Queer and Straight. We are young, old, and in-between. We come from a broad range of economic, geographic, spiritual and political experiences, backgrounds, and perspectives.

Sexual violence occurs in a culture sick with white supremacy and racism; heterosexism and homophobia; patriarchy, sexism, and transphobia; and poverty and capitalism. These systems all interact and overlap to create a culture of violence that must be changed. We must dismantle these systems and work to prevent violence if we hope to end it.

Unknown said...

UBUNTU - a revealing parse.

"and capitalism"
"We must dismantle these systems"

Anonymous said...

2.06 Posterior=BUM!

Anonymous said...

ESPN Magazine.... "Lubiano knew some would see the ad as a stake through the collective heart of the lacrosse team. But if the black faculty couldn't speak for black students now, could it ever?"

And... the ad wasn't about the lacrosse team, ok.

Anonymous said...

I was a plaintiff's civil litigation paralegal in NC in the 80s and 90s. When I first heard that Joe Cheshire and Wade Smith were representing the defendants in this case, I told my non-NC native husband that the "DA there is toast". They do business the old fashioned way - they prepare their case piece of information by piece of information. They rarely overlook anything. Two of the best defense attorneys in the country in my opinion.

Brodhead, the faculty and Duke University don't stand a chance. They can all bend over - they're going to be taking it in the rump.

Anonymous said...

RE: "UBUNTU was born in the aftermath of the March 13, 2006 rape of a Durham, NC Black woman by members of the Duke University Lacrosse team. UBUNTU is a Women of Color and......"

This sounds like a support group that should hold its meetings at a mental health facility and where licensed MH professionals can facilitate wellness.

MTU '76

M. Simon said...

I remember Chaucer from high school.

I couldn't believe fart jokes were required reading.

I was in the AP section so probably they thought we were more mature.

How wrong they were.

Anonymous said...

The ESPN quote by Lubiano tells the story. The "Group of 88" can spin this anyway they want, but anyone with half of a brain can see through their revisionist tale.
KC should include it for one of his posts.

I wouldn't let the "Group of 88" teach at the APEX Vocational School. They seem to have real hatred for the lacrosse team(and hence their own students). They have been silent about the corruption of the Durham DA & Police Dept and this is undeniable.

This Delbarton school in NJ really stood behind Seligmann from the first minute of the indictment. It took guts, intuition and leadership from their headmaster and my guess is that Seligmann will earmark some of the Duke lawsuit money to this school.

Anonymous said...

False allegations are reprehensible because all of us are threatened and our system of justice is undermined. Duke, G88/7, UBUNTU demonstrably have no idea at all how seriously aligned they are with this most serious of crimes.

Even worse, the true battles against injustices they pretend to fight are being ruined by these childish games.

Children, step aside, please let the professionals do their work. Atlas is shrugging.

M. Simon said...

That picture La Shawn has up could easily be mistaken for Rockefeller Chapel at U. Chicago.

Any Durham folks know if there is a connection?

M. Simon said...

Well maybe I spoke too soon.

My memory dims with age.

They only look a little alike.

Anonymous said...

3:46

Don't mean to demean Cheshire, et al, but please explain to me what they did that I couldn't have done (and I'm not a lawyer)

RP

Anonymous said...

I can't imagine Duke would miss any of these imbeciles if they all collectively resigned like the other one.

I think a big bear in the woods taking a dump has a bigger impact on society.

Anonymous said...

That's the Duke Chapel/campus, alright.

Anonymous said...

RP,

Could you have properly conducted the cross-examination of Meehan? No.

Could you have properly prepared for the cross-examination of Meehan? No.

Could you have drafted any of the Motions in the case, especially the Change of Venue Motion and the supplemental motion filed in connection with the latest statement of CGM? No.

Could you type a sentence without your head up your posterior? No.

Cochise's Enchilada

Anonymous said...

I agree with 3:21. I'm not an expert on libel or first amendment law either, but based on what I remeber from studying for the bar I'd be very surprised if either statement could support a succesful claim. I doubt it would even survive a motion to dismiss.

That doesn't make either statement right. And it doesn't in any way excuse their refusal to apologize for actions that caused a lot of pain for innocent students who were the real victims in this mess. It just means that you probably can't sue them over it.

Anonymous said...

Here's the litmus test on the original G88 ad:

If the rape allegations were true, would they have felt the same need to "clarify" themselves?

Or would they have just said, "Told you so!"?

Anonymous said...

Cochise,

I wouldn't have wasted my time with the change of venue motion, given the reality of black voting patterns (but I'm sure it was a bonanza for billing purposes).

Mr Meehan: "I've perused your records. Why didn't you turn over the exculpatory DNA evidence"?

Roman Polanski
Well-rounded Film Director (but please don't mention the rape charge)

Anonymous said...

Seems clear everytime things start to settle down the G88/87 poke the embers a little bit and get the fire going. Are we not just playing into the hands of those nitwits?

Would not a good dose of go away kid ya bother me not work?

Anonymous said...

Cut to quick, no holds barred analysis of the first and second letter.

La Shawn, you are a GOD!

Anonymous said...

conchise's enchilada--- We've been viewing your attack bullshit for a while now. Your MO seems to be to sit back like a flat-assed bitch and throw stink bombs like a loser liberal.
Why do you think you guys got the rep you have?
C'mon now, if you're going to continue your attack bullshit on people whom you dislike or on those who are not as liberal as you, why not take off that frilly skirt of yours and let us know who you are like many do here?
You're a real wuss who needs a good ass-kicking. I know you'd cry like the girl you show yourself to be.

Brad from CT

Anonymous said...

Ann Coulter just released her column, and for the second week in a row she weighs in on the debacle in Durham. This time she drops her sledgehammer on Gottlieb. Hey Gottlieb, that might leave a mark. Better put some ice on that.

www.anncoulter.com

Anonymous said...

Ann Coulter is hot.