Posted on 02/20/2004 6:00:44 AM PST by Gopher Broke
Support NOW's Work | Feb. 19, 2004 | Tell a Friend
Action Needed
Background
All NOW Actions
More on Violence Issues Demand the Firing of Colorado Football Coach
Panel Investigating Rape Charges at University of Colorado Must Include Sexual Assault Prevention Experts Action Needed:
Charges of sexual harassment, rape and cover-ups against the University of Colorado's football program have shed new light on big-time campus athletics and the treatment of women by coaches and players. The National Organization for Women, along with Colorado State NOW and Boulder NOW leaders, are calling for the dismissal of two men who have shown complete disdain for the health and safety of the students at the University of Colorado (CU). We also urge the immediate reorganization of the panel convened to investigate the allegations, including the addition of sexual assault prevention experts and the removal of individuals who have demonstrated bias.
Join us in calling for:
1.) The full dismissal of the University of Colorado's football coach Gary Barnett and Athletic Director Richard Tharp. Placing Coach Barnett on paid leave does not address the severity of this issue and leaving Director Tharp in his position is unacceptable.
2.) The appointment of sexual assault prevention experts to the University of Colorado panel investigating athletic recruiting scandals, and sexual harassment and rape allegations at the school.
3.) The removal of the co-chair of the panel, Joyce Lawrence, who has been outspoken in her suggestions that the women victims weren't tough enough or brought it on themselves. Lawrence refuses to step down even though she has proved herself incapable of unbiased assessment.
4.) The removal of Bishop Philip Porter from the panel because of his close association with former Coach Bill McCartney, and because of the revelation, after his appointment, of Porter's status as a co-founder of Promise Keepers, which promotes the submission of women to men.
Please use this link to send a message to the University of Colorado president, the school's chancellor, and members of its board of regents.
Background:
For years the CU football department has been charged with using alcohol and promises of sex with women students in order to entice new recruits to the team. This combination has resulted in at least three alleged rapes at recruiting parties. Those responsible for protecting these women and setting an example for the players have looked the other way.
Football Coach Gary Barnett and Athletic Director Richard Tharp have failed in their duties to CU. As women who reported victimization by CU football players attempt to rebuild their lives, Barnett and Tharp have continued to claim ignorance of the obvious problems within their football program, and in recent days the ignorance has turned into malicious victim-bashing.
Coach Barnett spoke to a crowd of local reporters on Feb. 17, about Katie Hnida. Hnida, a place-kicker on CU's 1999 football team, came forward in recent weeks to reveal that she was harassed and raped while playing at CU. Barnett said, "It was obvious Katie was not very good, she was awful, you know what guys do, they respect your ability ... if you can go out and play they respect you. Well Katie was a girl, not only was she a girl, she was terrible."
Following Coach Barnett's statement was another allegation of misconduct made by a University of Colorado-Boulder Athletic Department employee. The woman told authorities late Wednesday that Barnett told her he would back his players 100 percent if she went forward with an accusation of rape stemming from an incident with a player in 2001.
On Feb. 18, CU-Boulder President Betsy Hoffman announced that Barnett had been placed on paid administrative leave "mainly" over concern for his "extremely inappropriate and insensitive" remarks about Hnida. Hoffman also said that Barnett's comments in 2001 "utterly distressed" her and added, "That is a statement we are very concerned about."
"Aside from insulting Katie Hnida and allegedly using intimidation to protect his players, Barnett seems to be saying that bad players deserve whatever they get--including assault. With statements like this, are we to believe that Coach Barnett was completely unaware of his players' actions?" asked NOW President Kim Gandy.
"Furthermore, Barnett's immediate 'blame the victim' response to media inquiries only makes it more suspicious that there was misconduct."
Barnett issued a statement saying, "I sincerely regret that yesterday a portion of my remarks were either misinterpreted or taken out of context, and I apologize for answering that question in a manner where I must have come across as insensitive." NOW believes this non-apology to be insufficient considering the serious allegations of rape, and the cover-ups that followed--and considering Barnett's obvious tendency to blame others for his behavior.
"Coach Barnett insists that nothing inappropriate has gone on with the CU football program, yet he is positive that this behavior exists at other campuses. Is he so busy watching other football programs that he doesn't know what's going on under his nose? I find that hard to believe," said Regina Cowles, Boulder NOW President.
NOW urges Colorado activists as well as other concerned individuals to contact University of Colorado officials who have the power to dismiss those responsible for the cover-up and lack of enforcement of the school's policies against discrimination, harassment and sexual assault.
Use this link to send a message to the University of Colorado president, the school's chancellor, and members of its board of regents.
Yes, they get to pick and choose. Don't you realize they can tell when a victim is a real victim, not a false accuser. I think Ms. Cleo is a paid consultant of the NOW crowd.
Rapist former President....naaa.... quite pickin' on his private life. Promise Keeper.....Jail 'im fer life.
The facts don't support that conclusion. Six allegations, zero charges to date. One accuser was so drunk she didn't remember getting home but could tell in the morning she had had sex. She had no idea who had come home with her but she was "sure" she wouldn't have consented. Some of the other cases aren't much better than that.
So with that you side with NOW? BTW, I couldn't care less about CU football.
I was thinking this might be a case of the blind pig finding a truffle once in a while.
Most entities, no matter how wrong they are, sometimes stumble onto the right side of an issue.
Could be, but that conclusion is not supported so far. If their were rapes, the offenders should be punished. If it is co-eds making poor choices that they later regret, well shame on them for calling that rape.
In my mind, the hypocrisy of NOW is breathtaking. Why would anyone take the seriously ever again?
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