tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post6934732181183415299..comments2024-02-24T05:19:10.949-05:00Comments on Durham-in-Wonderland: Leadership, Not Leakerskcjohnson9http://www.blogger.com/profile/09625813296986996867noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-53084380015331944042006-12-25T17:19:00.000-05:002006-12-25T17:19:00.000-05:00I am a Duke Law alumnus, and this post makes me as...I am a Duke Law alumnus, and this post makes me ashamed of it. That faculty would oppose criticizing Mr. Nifong's obvious prosecutorial misconduct in this case is, to put it mildly, reprehensible. I previously refused to donate to Duke over their decision regarding letting certain speakers in, but this one is cementing my resolve that Duke University and Law School will not recieve a dime from me.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01595659651579347851noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-92186524799645001742006-12-24T16:50:00.000-05:002006-12-24T16:50:00.000-05:00I think everyone posting here would do well by the...I think everyone posting here would do well by themselves to check out www.dictionary.com's definition of "generalization."<br /><br />Let's stop trying to judge entire departments based on individual action, or whole communities based on ten people. <br /><br />As a current Duke student who applied to Duke Law, I can honestly say that I am proud to identify myself with the Duke community due partly to the fact that it is not homogenous, that people are able and unafraid to express their opinions--but due mostly to the fact that this place is still a special, sacred haven for intellectual pursuit, despite the media hailstorm.<br /><br />Let's cool it with the stereotypes and accusations. Isn't that what has fueled this fire from the beginning?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-2671143826471737772006-12-20T22:15:00.000-05:002006-12-20T22:15:00.000-05:00An unknown figure—either a law professor or an aff...<i>An unknown figure—either a law professor or an affiliate who teaches a course at the Law School—leaked to the Herald-Sun e-mails showing that at least four members of the Duke Law faculty, in writing, opposed signing a statement criticizing Nifong’s prosecutorial misconduct.</i><br /><br />The arithmetical implication is that about 50 Law School faculty did not oppose signing the statement.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-66503905763404988562006-12-20T13:56:00.000-05:002006-12-20T13:56:00.000-05:00I'm a top 10% graduate of Duke Law School. I don'...I'm a top 10% graduate of Duke Law School. I don't contribute to it. <br /><br />The problem at the law School is, IMHO, a very bad case of political correctness.30yearProfhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08490572564579959432noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-29322039482278650202006-12-19T23:43:00.000-05:002006-12-19T23:43:00.000-05:00The closer I look at Duke, the more disappointed I...The closer I look at Duke, the more disappointed I become. My biggest fear, however is that it does not stand alone in its lack of leadership, or perhaps more correctly stated, its lack of courage. Duke has its good apples and its rotten apples. Unfortunately, we only hear (with few exceptions) from the rotten ones. The good guys are afraid to take their white hats out of the closet, fearing they might become a target of the more vocal and organized special interest groups. To them I say, "Stand up and be counted. Each of us has only so many opportunities in our lifetimes to be heros, this is yours!!" Sad that in this day and age, doing what is right qualifies you as a hero. For God sake, wake up. Duke and Durham, you are a laughing stock. You know it. Everyone watching, knows it and generations to come will know it. Bad reputations aren't easily lost, but doing what is right is a good place to start.Concerned Texanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08949902210289451073noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-17908496255544116272006-12-19T22:45:00.000-05:002006-12-19T22:45:00.000-05:0010:20
as long as it's 100% cotton
what does "qua...10:20<br /><br />as long as it's 100% cotton<br /><br />what does "quality cotton sheets" have to do with stupid blacks at elite campuses?<br /><br />see, that's the bitch, buddy boy<br /><br />i asked a good question, and you will name call, knowing that a spade is a spade, to coin a phraseAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-70216941453736838532006-12-19T22:20:00.000-05:002006-12-19T22:20:00.000-05:00To 6:56 PM:
The dry cleaners called and said your...To 6:56 PM:<br /><br />The dry cleaners called and said your white sheet is ready to be picked up.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-81482234726753255652006-12-19T21:19:00.000-05:002006-12-19T21:19:00.000-05:00I agree with theman, the duke88 know what is going...I agree with theman, the duke88 know what is going on. This is a frameup for the rape victim, she was raped.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-87154230786085081382006-12-19T20:52:00.000-05:002006-12-19T20:52:00.000-05:00If that guy really believes that "the system works...If that guy really believes that "the system works," then he needs to contact me so I don't have to use eBay to sell the Brooklyn Bridge. I can sell it to him.<br /><br />Unless you have taught college, you have no idea what the PC crowd can do. These are not people constrained by right and wrong, and if one tries to buck them, one is called racist, sexist, and homophobic.<br /><br />To most professors, this is the kiss of death, since to be attacked this way means no more promotions, raises, and the like.<br /><br />But if anyone thinks the "system works," after this fraud has cost millions of dollars and ruined the lives of many people, then I sure as hell would hate to see a system that does NOT work.<br /><br />I'm not answering any more of the guy's questions or comments. Nuff said. I'll let theman do it. He has a better sense of humor than do I at this moment.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-19637251518545037172006-12-19T19:20:00.000-05:002006-12-19T19:20:00.000-05:00To 5:53
Let me try to understand. Are you asser...To 5:53<br /> Let me try to understand. Are you asserting or implying that Nifongs behaviour in this case should be placidly regarded as "the system working?" I don't get it. Do you accept the legitimacy of this prosecution or not? If Nifongian methods are your natural idiom as well, then we have nothing more to talk about. If, on the other hand, you have some sort of moral compass and therefore are repelled by repeated lie-ing by the authorities and blatant, illegal covering up of crucial evidence, why not say so? Out loud where Duke/Durham can hear?<br /> As for other elite schools, I seriously doubt that many of them would supinely tolerate a nakedly corrupt prosecution of some of their kids even if they were white males. For one thing, they would be similarly damaged if they did.<br /> As for gender balance on campus. After 20 years of assiduous redesigning of the education gulag to favor the girls at guys expense the desired and planned for result has come to pass - too few guys with high-school credentials equal to the womens.<br /> If most college women are lesbian seperatists, everything is fine. But if they aren't then who do they date? The janitor? There remains something about having 2 X chromosomes that inspires a desire to "date up". In many settings, the math is starkly against elite women.<br /> Have you ever wondered what is behind he "hook-up" culture of college dating these days? Maybe, just maybe, it is the critical shortage of guys that the women really want. So they compete for them rather drastically by dressing like girls-gone-wild and having sex before the first date.<br /> So much for feminists insight into human nature.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-43865809260196128182006-12-19T18:56:00.000-05:002006-12-19T18:56:00.000-05:00it's a dirty little secret, but black studies has ...it's a dirty little secret, but black studies has the stupidest professors and students at Duke<br /><br />I'd guess most black studies professors have IQs in the 89-99 range, while the affirmative action students sport an amazing 90-95Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-898069565277865602006-12-19T18:45:00.000-05:002006-12-19T18:45:00.000-05:00if brodhead isn't fired, it's the beginning of the...if brodhead isn't fired, it's the beginning of the end for duke<br /><br />TO ALL POSTERS: please do not use the euphemism "Group of 88"--<br /><br />they're the stupidest people on campus (the SPCs)<br /><br />thank you very muchAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-8565706850559412762006-12-19T18:37:00.000-05:002006-12-19T18:37:00.000-05:00Does any one think this would be happening if thes...Does any one think this would be happening if these students were blackAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-68520931256426205372006-12-19T17:53:00.000-05:002006-12-19T17:53:00.000-05:00Bill, I found your explanation of how the full ten...Bill, I found your explanation of how the full tenured professors of Duke could be intimidated by the assistant professors and writing instructors who make up most of the group of 88 to be very unconvincing. I think the tenured faculty and administrators of Duke simply believe that the accusations against the players should be resolved by the criminal justice system without interference by Duke. This does not mean that they are weak or spineless or being intimidated by the group of 88. It simply means that they do not agree with the position that you and KC and some of the anonymous posters on this website have taken on this issue. Also, despite some comments by you and KC and others to the contrary, there is no evidence to support the idea that this situation would have been handled differently at Harvard, Yale, Princeton, or any other elite university. Alan Dershowitz is a member of the faculty of Harvard Law School and a very brilliant and outspoken defender of civil rights, but to the best of my knowledge, he has not made any public statements about this case, even though he could easily have done so if he thought it was appropriate, nor has any other member of the faculties of HYP made any public statements about the case. Of course, we could always bring in Donna Shalala to run Duke as you and some others have suggested, but given her radical feminist views, I doubt that she would make any loud public statements of support for the players either.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-79440071095900831572006-12-19T16:41:00.000-05:002006-12-19T16:41:00.000-05:00The Duke88 are right they see the big pic. They k...The Duke88 are right they see the big pic. They know these guys are guilty of something and belong in jail.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-16149972673686983922006-12-19T16:32:00.000-05:002006-12-19T16:32:00.000-05:00Irony, thy name is The Herald-Sun. So, the one la...Irony, thy name is The Herald-Sun. So, the one law professor doesn't think their affiliation with Duke should be used to leverage one side or the other. <br /><br />Yet, that's exactly what has happened by virtue of this leak. The H-S presented that quote in an article that left the impression that the Duke Law faculty support Nifong.<br /><br />So will she write to correct the record and clear up that she neither supports nor opposes prosecutorial misconduct? Time will tell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-5662992540109301122006-12-19T16:10:00.000-05:002006-12-19T16:10:00.000-05:00to 3:41
I didnt say "all of the brilliant young w...to 3:41<br /><br />I didnt say "all of the brilliant young women at Duke" . I'm sure there are many who could care less if Duke was all female, or 62-38 female, which is pretty much the average freshman college class in the country. (Or haven't you noticed?)<br /><br />The fact is, many heterosexual females don't like the idea of outnumbering the male population 2 to 1. As I mentioned, Boston U has instituted a (not so) clandestine policy of admitting male students at a faster rate than females, in order to address the inbalance there.<br /><br />Like it or not, all the Ivy League and the "best of the best" schools enroll roughly at 50-50 male to female. If Duke wants to emulate the "average" college and enroll mostly women, than I think they should maintain their current policy of allowing their leftist tenured proffessors publicy emasculate a group of "criminally innocent" male athletes, and sitting there neutrally while an out of control State prosecutor persecutes themAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-1606148615856478682006-12-19T15:55:00.000-05:002006-12-19T15:55:00.000-05:00I will try to answer the 3:29 PM post as best I ca...I will try to answer the 3:29 PM post as best I can:<br /><br /> "Bill, you say that after the LAX case is concluded, there will be death threats against Duke students from "the Durham community" and that "the people of Durham" will likely go out of their way to make Duke students feel unwelcome and unsafe. So I guess everyone in Durham is a black racist who hates white guys, right?" <br /><br />In the aftermath of the first wave of accusations, there WERE death threats against Duke students from the black community. Also, local ministers and activists welcomed the New Black Panthers to Durham, and these people uttered death threats against Reade Seligmann. In fact, in Stephens' courtroom, one of them yelled a death threat to Seligmann, and the judge did not have him removed.<br /><br />(Remember, Nifong met with the NBP to give them information on the case, and all of us know how truthful Mikey is.)<br /><br />Where did I say that ALL BLACKS in Durham are white-hating racists? It only takes a few, but the organizations such as the NAACP and the black churches clearly have taken a "the three accused ARE guilty" approach.<br /><br />If the judge throws out the charges, or the young men are acquitted, do you think that Durhamites are going to stay quiet? You KNOW there will be some violence or at least threatened violence. I wish it were not true, but you and I already have seen what has occurred.<br /><br />"Also, would you please provide us with some evidence to back up your repeated statements that the entire faculty of Duke has been cowed by the group of 88 who supposedly constitute the privileged group at Duke." <br /><br />I have received personal emails from Duke professors who agree with our point of view, but have not spoken out. Look, the untenured professors in AAS and other such race/gender/class studies areas are nearly untouchable. They are not held to the same standards of scholarship as professors in other disciplines, something K.C. has pointed out many times.<br /><br />Look at what happened to one person who used "tarred and feathered" in an article. Immediately, he was branded a racist and he backtracked quickly, even though "tarred and feathered" is NOT a racist term. <br /><br />I work on a college campus, and I know what happens to faculty members who are branded "sexist" or "racist" or "homophobic." Life becomes much more difficult for them. Now, if people in, say, engineering did not have to worry at all about what the AAS people say and do, then that would be one thing.<br /><br />However, issues of tenure are decided not just by one's college, but also the entire university. Believe me, the AAS people have inordinate amounts of power at places like Duke.<br /><br />Remember when Larry Summers was run out of Harvard? It was the Arts and Sciences faculty that ran him out, not the faculties of other colleges. Summers had a lot of support elsewhere, but the arts and sciences crowd rules.<br /><br />Your next statement:<br />"Or maybe those full tenured professors just honestly believe that this affair should be handled by the criminal justice system, which would explain why they did not sign the statement in The Chronicle or make any other public statements about the case."<br /><br />I hate to tell you this, but my writing and K.C.'s writing, and all of the blogs exist precisely BECAUSE the criminal "justice" system of North Carolina has been handling this case.<br /><br />Are you saying that Nifong is doing what is right? Do you have confidence in him? Are you aware of the many wrongful convictions in the NC system?<br /><br />For you to express all of this confidence in the system is mind-blowing. We are speaking out because the system has been a juggernaut of illegality.<br /><br />I am proud to be speaking out on this case and on other cases. If we were to just stand by quietly and "let the system work," as you put it, I suspect these young men would be facing a Durham jury that would convict them without a second thought. The publicity that the blogs have created has been the difference in making this another railroad job, and forcing Nifong's wrongdoing into the open.<br /><br />Now, if wrongdoing is fine with you, then, to quote Nifong when confronted with exculpatory evidence about Reade Seligmann, you and I have nothing to talk about.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-91049431431710258082006-12-19T15:52:00.000-05:002006-12-19T15:52:00.000-05:00I confess I am a bit nervous about my son being o...I confess I am a bit nervous about my son being out and about Durham in the months after this is over. He is probably going abroad for the Fall semester, though, and any security problems made worse by this case should have dissipated by then. Some parts of Durham aren't all that safe for students already, by the way.<br /><br />Most of Durham will still be hospitable to Duke students. It's the lunatic fringe I worry about.<br /><br />The 20% drop in early admissions applications is significant. A little of the drop might be attributable to the growing disfavor of the process, but to me it means a lot of people aren't automatically in love with the place. The overall application numbers will be a better indicator. There might be many kids who might have applied early who will still apply but want to look at others and also want more time to see how the case plays out. I'll be watching the percentage change in applications, compared to similar schools, to see what impact the case is making on prospective students. <br /><br />We've heard one account of the women's soccer team having trouble recruiting. I wonder if other "minor" sports (i.e. not basketball and not football) are having the same trouble.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-72198144800713573512006-12-19T15:41:00.000-05:002006-12-19T15:41:00.000-05:00To 2:33 PM: I really loved your statement that al...To 2:33 PM: I really loved your statement that all of the brilliant young women at Duke and other comparable schools are just following the "elite white male" students. I wonder if any of the ladies in the audience would like to give us their reactions to that statement. I think you and Larry Summers would be a good team.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-26625087895775445412006-12-19T15:29:00.000-05:002006-12-19T15:29:00.000-05:00Bill, you say that after the LAX case is concluded...Bill, you say that after the LAX case is concluded, there will be death threats against Duke students from "the Durham community" and that "the people of Durham" will likely go out of their way to make Duke students feel unwelcome and unsafe. So I guess everyone in Durham is a black racist who hates white guys, right? Also, would you please provide us with some evidence to back up your repeated statements that the entire faculty of Duke has been cowed by the group of 88 who supposedly constitute the privileged group at Duke. I cannot imagine where you came up with that idea because I know for a fact that many members of the group of 88 were not even tenured professors. Some of them were just instructors in the writing program. I guess I do not understand how full tenured professors could be intimidated by assistant professors or instructors in the writing program. Or maybe those full tenured professors just honestly believe that this affair should be handled by the criminal justice system, which would explain why they did not sign the statement in The Chronicle or make any other public statements about the case.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-10487999412486888902006-12-19T14:56:00.000-05:002006-12-19T14:56:00.000-05:00I have been making this point for a while regardin...I have been making this point for a while regarding Duke's admissions future. There are a number of trouble spots for Duke:<br /><br />1. By permitting the Gang of 88 to be front-and-center and to take charge of "campus initiatives," the administration was de facto giving credence to the group's claims;<br />2. The main target of the hatefest was white males from upper-middle-class and upper-class families;<br />3. These groups constitute much of what one would call the "paying customers" of Duke's $40+K tuition, and these students and families can take their business elsewhere.<br /><br />While Duke desperately tries to blame ALL of this on the LAX players, it was the faculty and administration at Duke that has done it. The administration created and stuck to its talking points.<br /><br />As for the faculty, only a tiny handful of faculty members outside the Gang of 88 spoke up, and immediately they were the targets of a hatefest. Other faculty members who were against the Gang were too cowed and too frightened to speak up to this privileged group.<br /><br />I'll also predict that the Gang will be further strengthened in the future. They smelled both blood and cowardice, and they will gain even more power and influence at Duke.<br /><br />Obviously, this is going to be a real problem for Duke, and the only way that the university can be able to recruit those "paying" students will be to take very public steps of firing Brodhead and others, and issuing a public apology to the three indicted young men, as well as to the other members of the LAX team.<br /><br />However, I can assure you that such a move would meet huge amounts of resistance, so I doubt that the people at Duke will do what is necessary. Thus, we will have the death of a thousand cuts.<br /><br />To make matters worse, this is going to make Duke-Durham relations even more tenuous. All of us know that once this criminal case is concluded, there will be death threats from the Durham community against Duke students, and I would predict that criminal assaults against Duke students by locals will increase.<br /><br />In fact, the people of Durham likely will go out of their way to make Duke students unwelcome and unsafe. If the charges are dropped or the players acquitted, the people of Durham will transfer their rage to Duke, and it will not be pretty.<br /><br />Moreover, there is going to be litigation following this, as well as the continuing saga of Michael Nifong. To paraphrase Nifong in April, this case will not go away, not matter how much Duke will want it to be that way.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-14793566969541336022006-12-19T14:33:00.000-05:002006-12-19T14:33:00.000-05:00I concur with 12:29, who stated: The university ...I concur with 12:29, who stated: <i> The university has gotten its excellent reputation due to its students. Once they stop coming it will be a mediocre institution.</i> <br /><br />Currently Duke is ranked up there with the Ivies as the place to go for the elite white male student with high GPA's and SAT's (even higher than Brown, etc) These students are in fact a very valued commodity among elite schools. The admissions offices recognize very well that the elite female applicants shadow the elite males. Notice that all the Ivies have roughly a mix of 50-50 male to female, with very high grades and test scores.<br /><br />There are already indications that the early admissions quality of applicants has dropped off for Duke, with the number of out of state male students off by more than a third. This is an extremely bad portent of things to come. I can see Duke quickly dropping to the level of Boston U, where the quality of applicant is significantly less than Duke is currently, and the boy-girl mix is 40-60. (they have recently instituted a reverse affirmative action to get more boys in)<br /><br />A school that is, or rather <i>percieved</i> to be, hostile to white males is going to be no better than a second rate school. Most colleges have a PC problem, but the Ivy leagues at least try to keep the overt hostility to their students under check. Duke is gonna have to live with the consequences of their new rep for a long time, in my opinion.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-41889931209504222902006-12-19T14:08:00.001-05:002006-12-19T14:08:00.001-05:00re law school rankings:
according to US News, Uni...re law school rankings:<br /><br />according to US News, Univ of Virginia is ranked 8th, Duke 11th<br /><br />Prediction: Ratings for all schools at Duke will decline<br /><br />Not only will smart students be repulsed, but smart parents will refuse to pay the gate<br /><br />And smart faculty? Forget about it!<br /><br />Why not annex Duke to NCCU?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32542246.post-17889347615113735022006-12-19T14:08:00.000-05:002006-12-19T14:08:00.000-05:00Chemerinsky used to be at USC Law and he was never...Chemerinsky used to be at USC Law and he was never shy about speaking out regarding civil liberties and due process violations while he was out here. Now suddenly he has nothing to say. I have to ask myself why. Who knows, maybe it's something in Durham's water.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com