They Found 88 Problems, and the Dancer Was Just One

The Chronical On-Line (Duke) ^ | 16 March 07 (updated) | Steve Veres

[SkyPilot]

This is their story.

This is the story of professors who tried to listen to their students and sparked a shouting match that overpowered any original statement.

This is the story of how an 832-word advertisement in a student newspaper sparked thousands of vitriolic, misogynist and racist e-mails and became a national media spectacle.

This is the story of how faculty received phone calls in the middle of the night, endured mail fraud and overcame death threats for speaking out.

Many view the "Group of 88"--as the signatories were eventually dubbed by bloggers--as a symbol of the community prejudging the lacrosse team. Of the out-of-touch ideals of academia. Of hate.

They have been accused of damaging the very same campus culture they intended to address, of forcing President Richard Brodhead to cancel the remaining games of the lacrosse season, of spurring District Attorney Mike Nifong to indict.

How did it reach this point?

"When you take a political stance, this is what happens sometimes-people resist that," says Diane Nelson, associate professor of cultural anthropology. "None of us want pity."

"I, for one, did not think through all of the unintended consequences, nor did I believe almost a year later it would be dissected in the Chronicle of Higher Education and the subject of such acrimony," says Lee Baker, another associate professor of cultural of anthropology and chair of the Arts and Sciences Council.

[jnygrl]

My friend (who works in the university system) could never bring herself to say "boyfriend"...only referred to him as her partner. They've been married about five years and not once have I heard her say anything in reference to her "husband."

She also teaches "Feminist Theory." *sigh*

[goodwithagun]

I've never understood that. Feminist theory of what?

[Erasmus]

Also, what in the world is "Romance Studies"?

Two possibilities:

1. The study of Italian, Spanish, and French cultures.

2. Sex education.

[El Gran Salseron]

"They are any college faculty USA."

DING! DING! DING! We have a winner!

[gcruse]

" dyke or a queer. Which is it?"

Since 'queer' encompasses lesbianism, your question is moot.

[twigs]

My husband is a present academic with a Ph.D. and he says much the same thing as you. We often discuss and wonder why professors are so left-leaning. He's still a democrat, but he's gotten a lot more conservative since he married me (wives do make a difference!). The few times he did express a different, more conservative view, his comment was brushed away with "it's the influence of your wife." So he rarely speaks out, although he will if he feels he must.

[gcruse]

" Linear thinkers don't think of the unintended consequences.'

Oh, BS. Approaching problems with laser-like intensity does not preclude thinking several or many moves ahead.

[Captainpaintball]

Liberalism is a PHYSIOLOGIAL disorder

[El Gran Salseron]

"When I'm elected King,"

"Kings" don't have to be "elected." All you have to do is take over and proclaim yourself King! However, should you take that approach I just want to warn you that you'll have stiff competition from me. Ah, don't worry. If I take over before you do I'll just appoint you "Deputy King." How's that? :-)

[jordan8]

The overwhelming majority of interracial rape cases involve a white victim. The real obscenity in the Duke rape story is the dichotomy between the way the system - the media, the government, academia - treats the racial rape of whites and the way they treated this case. It wasn't just these professors, this story was the second or third lead night after night on the NATIONAL news. It has become a cliche in this country that when you have a news report of a crime where there ought to be a description of the suspect but none is included, particularly in cases with a racial overtone that suspect is black or nonwhite. That is the source of the anger in this case.

Everyone in public life gets death threats, not very pleasant but complaining about them has become the rehab of the left.

[SkyPilot]

The overwhelming majority of interracial rape cases involve a white victim.

A white woman at Duke reported a rape at the hands of a black man recently.

The case was barely mentioned in the press, except by a brave few.

There's another accusation of rape floating around Durham this week. The accuser was allegedly attacked at a house party this Saturday. The accuser is white. The suspect is black. Heard anything about that? Yeah, I didn't think so.

[SkyPilot]

I guess it depends on what the meaning of Isis.

:^>

[SkyPilot]

Actually, Aberdeen is in Scotland, not England. They should have shipped him to Aberdeen, SD, where Northern State University is located...

Yes I know that, but I wasn't going to edit another blogger's comments.

I agree with you, although I am sure the good people of South Dakota probably don't want this former Duke professor and gay predator in their state.

He is still hoping to get back to Duke. He describes his current tenure as a "Leave of Absence."

Alberto Moreiras
Office Hours: Leave of absence, 2006-2007 year

I am sure if the Scots knew the history of this sicko, they would run him out of their country.

I mean, he does some cocaine with a few Duke undergrads, has anal sex with some male students, and gets a paid year or two off in Scotland. Not a bad deal.

[SkyPilot]

I've never understood that. Feminist theory of what?

Excellent question. The answer is nothing, really.

What they have built these curriculum upon is not even pseudo science. It is garbage, and they know it.

By adding words like "theory" they hope to make this nonsense sound more legitimate.

That is why you see graduate papers about nothing published with ridiculous sounding titles like:

"A Multi-ethnic and Transnational Queer and Feminist Approach Towards The Hidden Agenda of Postmodernist Philosophy From A Cartesian - Newtonian Phallic Centric Position of Arousal."

[r9etb]

Appearances aren't everything.

True. But this is the face she's presenting to the world as an "Advisor." She looks like she's trying to be 12 years old. Not a picture to inspire confidence.

[art_rocks]

My English and math skills must be different since I counted 2 math and one physics professor.

[Fido969]

[SoCal Pubbie]

I meant that your speculation was incorrect. Pretty straightforward.

[Grizzled Bear]

YMBSM!

[Grizzled Bear]

That face is screaming for dodgeball!