[Perdogg]

Duke Ping!

[Peach]

I just watched the hearing carried live. Nifong laughed when Seligmann's attorney said Seligmann wants to go to college in the fall.

[Tzimisce]

Obvious racism on the part of the Defense team.

(/sarcasm)

[BossLady]

Thanks for the zing! ;)

[luv2ski]

This was posted today at Friends of Duke Lacrosse, a blog (http://www.friendsofdukelacrosse.blogspot.com/): I am a Durham resident. I do not know these boys personally but I do know that they helped coach lacrosse for the youth of Durham every fall for the past few years. NEVER were they late. They were always engaging, energetic, and positive. The accuser, not sure if I am allowed to use her name(s) she goes by two different names, is a repeat criminal who sells her body for sex and is a drug user. It seems common sense is lost on our DA and some members of the Durham community. Evidence aside we all know these boys are innocent. Enter the evidence and it is obvious that they are innocent. It is embarrassing to say I live in Durham and that our DA is vindictive and on a witch hunt. Everyone I speak to in the community speaks only in support of the boys, the team, the coaches, and all the families involved. You would be surprised how many people know this to be a false accusation that has spiraled out of control. There are several people in the community who want to do something to show their support. If you all have any recommendations/suggestions on how we can channel these efforts let me know and I am happy to get the ball rolling. I pray every day that the charges are dropped and that a judge will see this case for what it is. A liar ruining the lives of MANY people. 1:47 PM, May 18, 2006

[Continental Soldier]

So far this case seems to be a disgrace to America and to our 'equal justice under law' doctrine. Is there no oversight on cases like this one? Is there no authority above Mr.Nifong who can restore objectivity and fair play? And if not, what the hell has happened to our country?!

[peggybac]

Does anyone know exactly what the black person sitting in the courtroom said to Reade Seligmann? I've been hearing about it on Fox but they say they can't repeat it because of the vulgarities, except at the end when the black yelled, "Dead man walking" or something like that.

[VaFarmer]

One thing that you are not going to get about this situation if you aren't from North Carolina is that Duke attracts Yankees. Folks from north of the Mason-Dixon often don't recognize that there is strong regional feeling at work here. I worked all over the eastern United States. Folks from the North believe that North Carolina folks are ignorant and bigoted. Folks from the South believe kids from New York and New Jersey are arrogant and pushy. For both groups these feelings seem obvious and they assume that everybody shares their view-- a sort of "everybody knows...." sort of thing. These Lax guys are paying a price for generations of Yankees acting in ways that are appropriate at home and out of place in Durham.

To a North Carolina view, these kids are way out of line hiring a black stripper for a keg party. It's asking for trouble in their view. You can't expect the black community to be happy with a bunch of out-of-state white kids debauching their daughters, for money or not. They know this woman's reputation is spotted. Nevertheless, there are bound to be bad racial feelings and North Carolinians just don't go for that.

In North Carolina there are very few bars or clubs with nude dancers (virtually none).

Drink and violence, including racial violence, are linked together as well. North Carolina black professionals hardly ever drink in mixed race settings. It's part of the accomodation made to help an integrated society work.

There is trouble written all over this case from this point of view.

The bottom line is that the feelings that you see in letters to the editor and from the taunts of extremists involves more than a classic black/white opposition. It's region, class, manners and values, on top of race.