The story of the Duke lacrosse team has dominated the news lately, which is surprising when one considers how little is there.
There was a party. There were strippers. One of them claimed she was raped by some players. And that’s about it.
What this is is one thing. What it has become is another. The incident and the media firestorm it has created is puzzling.
Some talk about how college athletes feel like they are special. Some talk about how male athletes are motivated to be aggressive on the field, and then it carries over into their personal lives.
Again, that all might be true. But are we sure that’s what happened here? Is there any proof that any rape or sexual assault occurred?
The truth is very few people know for sure what happened that night. But most of the noise has been made by people who don’t know.
Certainly, District Attorney Mike Nifong thinks he knows what happened, or he wouldn’t have followed through with the charges. The defense attorneys for the players are just as certain, having said the DNA of the case doesn’t match the players.
Jesse Jackson has made his semi-annual media appearances. He has even offered to pay the tuition of the woman who claimed she was raped.
But unless he was at the party saw what took place, what can he possibly say about the incident? Another stripper at the party said she didn’t know if a rape took place. If she didn’t know, what could anyone else add?
We have seen protests, but what are the people protesting? An event that may not have taken place?
It’s possible that a rape took place that night. It’s also possible it didn’t. None of us can say for sure at this point. But that hasn’t stopped almost everyone from chiming in.
.jpg?t=20120527181101)
Article comments
1 - Matthew T. Sussman
The story is messy because of all the underlying social and racial problems in Durham. And the U.S. for that matter.
Duke lacrosse is now a lightning rod for the topic of classism, sexism and racism. If I were the school I'd just disband the program -- I don't see any means of recovery here. But if Baylor basketball (which was much worse, a player was murdered) can recover, maybe Duke lax can as well.
Zach, this was a tough story to take and I've written about it twice and feel like I didn't do it justice. This is about as close to my stance as one could get.
2 - RedTard
I'd reinstate the program, give a finger to the race baiting media and Jesse Jackson and Rush Limbaugh and hire the best damn defense attorneys money could buy. The media has become the judge, jury, and executioner in America.
By the time the verdict is announced it's no more than an afterthought, the players and the strippers will both be hated. It's not the college culture, but the media culture that needs changed.
3 - Nancy
Yeah, the media remind me of the seagulls in "Looking for Nemo". I suspect in this case many parties are guilty - not least, The Revs Jackson & Sharpton. Which, BTW, I find suspicious in itself. Surely Sharpton wouldn't go racing into another Tawana Bradley situation? He must have learned something from the first one?
4 - Matthew T. Sussman
Oh no, Sharpton's in this one too? Good thing Johnny Cochran's dead.
5 - Nancy
Oh, yuh - he was heading that way before the first headlines even hit the streets, from what I heard on the radio, denouncing all the racists & whatnot - the usual diatribe, you know. He seems to have an unerring instinct for fraudulent cases, which is why I figured if he was attracted, it must be the girl/woman is either lying or was put up to it. Haven't heard a peep from him, no actual sound bites, so maybe he stopped to think it over for a second or so. If he were there, I'm sure we'd be hearing from him, and often.
6 - Matthew T. Sussman
I don't think Sharpton should get involved, especially this year -- after all, it's an election year and it might hurt his chances.