http://www.heraldsun.com/opinion/hsletters/
Durham needs God
Now would be a good time to erect a stone tablet of the Ten Commandments and place it in front of the Durham County Courthouse. Can it be any more apparent that without God's law to inspire us, our justice system becomes a reflection of our own prejudices resulting in a vicious cycle of injustice?
Paula Mann
Durham
January 22, 2007
The wrong choice?
Last November, the voters of Durham County were given a choice of candidates for the job of district attorney: a left-wing, liberal idiot who had no political experience or understanding of the job, a civil lawyer who stated he would not serve if he was elected and an experienced criminal lawyer. One in eight voted for the criminal lawyer. The lawyer elected has embarrassed the county so much that Duke University's early applications have dropped 20 percent and he has turned the case that he campaigned on over to the state's attorney general.
Says a lot about the intelligence of Durham voters, doesn't it?
John L. Barker
Monroe
January 22, 2007
A question of leadership
After reading the Jan. 16 letters about the Duke lacrosse case, I was motivated to respond.
I am disturbed by the appearance of misconduct on the part of the district attorney's office. It is never appropriate to withhold information related to a criminal case regardless of the magnitude of the charges. It appears that perhaps the entire case was exaggerated.
With no evidence to convict on the rape charges, it is highly unlikely anything will come of this case except a lot of speculation on the public's part of what actually transpired the night of the alleged rape.
I am totally disappointed and discouraged that justice may not be served for either side of this case. I blame the alleged victim, the Duke lacrosse players, the Duke administration, the Police Department and the DA's office. They all failed the Durham community.
Unlike most of the letters to the editor, I do not wish that this case be dropped before the trial begins. That does not undo any wrongdoing on either side. I think that in order to bring closure to this case, the trial should be handled expeditiously with the evidence we have.
The LAX team could have prevented this situation by not sponsoring a party of this type with drinking and lewd conduct. This makes Duke look bad as well. The administration should have disciplined this team a lot sooner. From what I have been hearing, this is not the first time this team has done some inappropriate things.
The Police Department and the DA's office should follow procedures at all times.
Jay Jones
Durham
January 22, 2007
Watch your words
Jon Edge of Charlotte [Letters, Jan. 16] wrote that the City of Durham needs to "purge, and [he] don't just mean [District Attorney Mike] Nifong!"
I want to know what else he means. His letter speaks of the African-American community's response to the case. Particularly, he is concerned that outsiders such as the New Black Panthers came to town to protest. He refers to the accused as the "stripper" and seems to think our city has in some way embarrassed him.
So, what does he want to purge, the African-American community, strippers, his embarrassment, or maybe all of the above? I know that this case has invoked many emotions. But it would be wise to choose words carefully and not let anger and frustration about this case lead one to make racist comments, which will cause more embarrassment and shame than any legal case ever could.
Mike Silver
Durham
January 22, 2007
Here's the connection
Responding to Odessa Shaw's letter of Jan. 8: That Rep. Walter Jones called for an investigation of District Attorney Mike Nifong's handling of the Duke lacrosse case because of one defendant's family's alleged strong ties to the Republican party is a stretch.
The fact is that our district representative, David Price, a Democrat, was not willing to call for an investigation of Nifong, also a Democrat. That both Price and Nifong have mostly black constituents is the real connection.
C.B. BAGLEY
Durham
January 22, 2007
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0701/21/rs.01.html
KURTZ: Well, I know who I find funnier, but O'Reilly was a good sport. Stick around for the second half hour of RELIABLE SOURCES. A black accuser, three white lacrosse players -- did news organizations fan the racial flames at Duke University?
And a free speech fight. A conservative radio station fights back against liberal bloggers.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
KURTZ: Welcome back to RELIABLE SOURCES.
The Duke rape case which sparked such a media frenzy last spring when a black woman made allegations against three white lacrosse players has been slowly collapsing. The accuser changed her story so many times that the rape charges were dropped but sexual assault charges remained.
Prosecutor Mike Nifong bowed out of the case, turning it over to North Carolina's attorney general. But the media's role in this case remains controversial, as does that of the woman whose identity is being protected by news organizations.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CASH MICHAELS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, "THE CAROLINIAN": Here you had the perfect storm of a crime story. The steps over there, you couldn't breathe on those steps. There was a camera here from every part of the country because it was a good story.
GAIL DINES, SOCIOLOGY PROFESSOR< WHEELOCK COLLEGE: I think this woman has been hung out to dry by the media. I think questions about her morality, her emotional stability, her psychological stability, which is what happens to women in rape cases, and especially to women of color...
(END VIDEO CLIP)
KURTZ: Joining us now from Boston, Callie Crossley, media commentator and panelist on WGBH's "Beat the Press." And in Toledo, Ohio, Christine Brennan, sports contributor for "USA Today" and a contributor to ABC News.
Christine Brennan, when I look back on the coverage, particularly those first few months, it just looks to me like an absolutely awful performance by the media, pumping this into a big national melodrama.
Would you argue with that?
CHRISTINE BRENNAN, "USA TODAY": I'd agree with you, Howie, for sure on that. I think what we saw was the perfect storm for our media in 2006, in this 21st century, the sense that you've got all of these, what, 300 channels now out there, all this time to fill, 24/7, the sound bite rules, the quick hit, make it very simple for the viewer, try to keep that viewer for a few more minutes, fill the time as best you can. Really, an awful performance, an embarrassing time, I think, for journalism. I feel good personally about what I did on the story, Howie. I feel good about some of the mainstream coverage. But even those of us in the so-called mainstream I think went way too far and forgot the idea of restraint in journalism.
What do we know? When did we know? How did we learn it? Instead, for that ratings grab, for that hope of getting attention, keeping ratings, keeping circulation, I think some people lost their minds in this story.
KURTZ: Some people lost their minds.
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