*** Updates already! Keep scrolling, scrolling, scrolling… ***
Perhaps next week I’ll write a long and in-depth post about my opinion of the latest news in the Duke case. But the other “Duke bloggers” have done such an outstanding job blogging about the case, my commentary seems superfluous.
But I’ll say this. I do have something to offer as a “Duke blogger.” Though I would prefer not to refer to my race and sex, they are important factors. The current list of Duke bloggers are all white males, I presume. Although this fact doesn’t preclude or disqualify them, it does influence readers’ perceptions.
For instance, as a black conservative woman privy to “insider” conversations of both white conservatives and black liberals, I know that white conservative men are presumed to be prejudiced against blacks unless the presumption is rebutted. This typically requires the white male to express some politically correct opinion and/or denial of his own racial consciousness. It’s what I call a racialist double standard. Black people and other so-called minorities are free to celebrate and talk incessantly about their “culture,” while whites are perceived as supremacists if they do the same. How this double standard came about is a long story…
Like it or not, race is a factor in the case. I believe it influenced Durham County district attorney Mike Nifong to pursue it in the first place (black vote, and all that), and now that he’s come this far, race and a hefty dose of class envy continues to motivate a man strangely indifferent to actual justice.
But I’m digressing. As a Duke blogger who is also a politically conservative black woman, I have a unique perspective to offer the Duke blogging pool. My race and sex add a certain credibility. It’s not that other bloggers aren’t credible, but I’m “allowed” to say certain things because I’m black and a woman without being called a racist or sexist.
For example, I thought the stripper-accuser was lying from the get-go, that she used her sex and race and those of her so-called attackers to garner sympathy. Although I believe no one should be raped, I have little sympathy for a woman who takes off her clothes for strangers. More than that, the stripper-accuser’s actions have not been those of a victim of rape. She is motivated by money and attention and gang-rape fantasies, and an honest district attorney with integrity would have seen right through her dumb-as-a-box-of-hammers story. As a woman, I’m offended that the stripper uses her sex for money and then turns around and tries to evoke sympathy because of her sex. The same goes for race.
I follow the Duke case, although I don’t blog about it as much as I used to. In light of uninformed op-eds like this one (via The Johnsville News), written by a young “feminist” who wants to be seen as both a victim and a strong woman of substance, I know my perspective is needed now more than ever. I’m in contact with the father of one of the indicted players, and I know firsthand how profoundly upsetting and patently unfair this whole rape farce is. It makes me very angry. 
So while you’re waiting for my commentary, check out the men closely following and consistently blogging the case:
Update: There’s a correction I have the pleasure of noting: not all the blogs listed above are run by white males. For more info, go below the fold:
I received the following e-mail from a representative of the Lie Stoppers blog:
LaShawn,
I agree that your perspective is unique and much needed. I look
forward to your post next week and, while I appreciate inclusion in your kind words, I would suggest that nothing you have added to the discussion is superfluous.In fairness, however, I must mention that LieStoppers is a
collaborative effort. Nearly everything that we present represents the collective effort of several writers, researchers, editors, and/or illustrators.
There have been a total of 17 participants in our blog, only 5 of whom
fit the description of white male. Eleven LieStoppers are, in fact,
female. Overall, the blog is administered, maintained, and directed by
an Hispanic male.While we have only made brief mention of our unique combination of race
and gender, I would be remiss if I did not clarify the misperception
that our omission has caused. I apologize for the confusion created by
our decision to not publicize the entirety of our composition.Best regards…
I gladly stand corrected! 
{ 27 comments }
Must agree with you La Shawn however, stop with the modesty. Your coverage of the Duke case has been excellent. That is how I found out about your blog, someone suggested that I read what you had to say about it and i’ve been hooked ever since. Keep up the amazing work!
La Shawn:
Nifong’s persistence reminds me of many failed Government programs.
When they fail, they ask for more time and money.
Hans Blix said we wouldn’t have had to invade Iraq if we just had “more time for inspections”. 12 years wasn’t enough.
Likewise, Nifong just hopes if he spends “more time” he will find “more evidence”.
Likewise, Head Start demands “more study” to prove it works – when it doesn’t.
I read the op-ed and took from it that the Duke boys may not be guilty of this rape, but they are guilty of something (at the least drinking and partying) and men in general sometimes behave badly, so they should be charged at least to teach the rest of them (men) a lesson.
This is not justice, it is vengeance or pay-back and really has no place in our justice system. I have actually heard this argument used against young black men accused of a crime, “well, they may not be guilty of this, but I’ll bet they are guilty of something, so I’ll lose no sleep over this.”
I wonder why she doesn’t apply the same logic to the woman who was allegedly raped. Surely we can imagine that she is guilty of various crimes and misdemeanors? Shouldn’t she be prosecuted for some trumped up charge and sent to prison?
Maybe we should start building gulags.
Unfortunately for the young men involved this was a lose-lose situation. By Nifong forcing the issue these boys are left almost having to prove their innocence and with their college years ruined. Had Nifong done what he should have, I suspect the race pimps would have made these young men’s lives miserable. Yet, this woman will not be punished for ruining these men.
I really want to hear from the stripper-accuser in this matter. I wonder why no one has been able to find and interview her? It would really be interesting if you could interview her, LaShawn.
I come to you for the latest on this case so even if you direct me to others you have done me a service. And thank you for that.
After reading that op-ed, I am inclined to agree with the writer on one thing and that is her claim that women are not so strong and not so smart. Her discourse certainly supports that conclusion. And she is supposed to be one of the “smart” ones!
Little sympathy for strippers, sure, but how about prayers for the woman, a mother, so that she changes her life?
Little sympathy for strippers, sure, but how about prayers for the woman, a mother, so that she changes her life?
This was posted on another board several months ago, I don’t know by who :
Today there was a rather nasty display by some who have already judged these 3 lax players in the public arena. . .
They are in as much need of prayer as anybody. Pray for the Lord to touch their hearts and minds, to be compassionate, patient, and loving. Some are stirred by blind hatred, others by lust of power. They are in dire need of prayer.
Dearest Jesus,
Your precious blood was shed for all of mankind under the false and malicious pretenses of Your accusers. I humbly ask thee to open the eyes of the blind, to console those who suffer at the hands of false accusers, and especially to warm the hearts of those that have grown cold. Let Your infinite mercy and justice rule the day, that Your will be done.
God bless you and the work that you do, I also believe that you as a black woman also have more credibility in story, I as a white woman am also offended by this prostitute using her color and sex as means by which to get rich. I also believed that of Kobe Bryant’s accuser and I am not of the thinking that because they (men) put themselves in bad situations should have to suffer because they are human. I am sure we all wish we hadn’t done something and I am sure these guys wish they never had that party, however it does not justify a life of scorn for having it.
I am a rape survivor and I am white and I do post about this case everyday. I knew the accuser was telling a massive story from the start. The family mouth piece Jakki even said her cousin is mentally ill and off her meds. I have no pity for any female no matter the color of her skin if she files a false report. She has destroyed three lives and she is loving every minute of it, just like Nutfong.
This “girl” needs a prison cell right next to Kim Roberts and Nifong for conspiracy.
Lashawn, you DO have a unique perspective as both a woman and a Conservative and you present your opinions honestly and logically.
I’ve followed this case because of the high level of publicity its garnered.
The most problematic thing I’ve heard is that the alleged victim’s story has changed substantially over a number of interviews (always a bad sign), worse still is that the other stripper doesn’t back up the alleged victim’s story.
I understand your aversion to women who take off their clothes for strangers for money, but that, in and of itself doesn’t really bear on the case, at least not in terms of who is telling the truth here.
Her chosen profession reflects poorly on her personal judgment, but so does the underaged drinking that the Lacrosse players engaged in.
Given the reported inconsistencies of the alleged victim’s story and the unwillingness of her partner (the other stripper) to support her contentions, it seems that Nifong took this case on purely for political reasons – sadly, not an uncommon motivation now-a-days.
Still, the public tends to vote ideology, or at least a semblence of “ideology,” as misguided as that semblence may often be.
Look at Michael Steele’s recent run in Maryland, where a Conservative black did worse (in temrs of votes) among blacks than he did among whites.
More’s the pity. Conservatives and traditionalists outnumber Liberals in the U.S. by better than two-to-one, but too many working people and poor people are conned into believing that Conservatives “are against the poor,” while Liberals “want to help the poor,” an astoundingly simplistic and erroneous viewpoint.
The unfortunate thing about this case, if it is indeed a false charge, is that it demeans real victims and diverts precious time and resources away from the prosecution of actual crimes, thus doing harm to actual victims.
I stop by to check often and enjoy the posts you share with us.
On your remark, “The current list of Duke bloggers are all white males, I presume.”, there are two Joan’s that do a great job blogging. You catch Joan Foster at Liestoppers and some work by Joan Collins (interview with the Finnerty’s mother) at FODU.
That makes 3 I know of that do a fine job blogging on this case!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
I am a seventy year old retired Emergency Department RN who retired to and lives in Las Vegas. I firmly believe that all labor is honest work. I also believe a rape never occurred and that this women is mentally very sick – she is being used by Nifong. Probably no one more than her can believe how far this has gone – most of can understand a drunk lie. Exposure of failures in our University and Justice system can only help make us stronger.
Lashawn; what high profile black leaders have come out in favor of the Lax players. I started following the case late and off the top of my head I
come up with Prof. Coleman from Duke and Jason Whitlock.
what high profile black leaders have come out in favor of the Lax players.
what high profile black leaders have come out in favor of the Lax players.
Ed Bradley (and his committment to getting the truth about this case out was such that he continued to work on it in his final weeks, even going back to Durham for more interviews after the Sept. 22 gag order was lifted. He was of such stature that he could have delegated this to someone else, but he wanted to see it through himself.)
Al Sharpton (Believe it or not, I’ve heard twice that he early on said he thought the accuser was a liar, but I’ve never seen this followed up in print or in the media. I hope it is true; and I hope he will make his opinion more visible; it would be a good chance at penintance for him at this stage of his life.)
Happy Thanksgiving,
we should, I guess, pray for Nifungu, since soon he will not have a law license or a job, but he has made his bed and he will have to sleep in it. The NC Bar will act BEFORE Christmas. God Bless them. Kemp
There is no case. It’s only about a prosecutor who likes to get on TV, nothing more.
what high profile black leaders have come out in favor of the Lax players.
Add Thomas Sowell to that list. And a columnist for the New York Daily News (sorry that his name escapes me for the moment).
I lament that Darryl Hunt has not decided to speak out (freed by DNA testing from a NC prison after serving 19 years for a rape/murder he did not commit; he spoke to the Duke Law freshmen a couple of years ago. I am tempted–but will restrain my acid tongue–from commenting on whether any of the freshmen learned anything from his remarks, which were about over-zealous DAs and the need to ‘do right’, and not just seek a victory in the courtroom. . .)
Kemp:
Have you heard it on good authority that the NC Bar Association will act that soon?
SteveD: It would be the NC State Bar that could initiate discipline proceedings against a North Carolina attorney, not the NC Bar Association. Two different organizations but with similar names. Joining the State Bar is mandatory for an attorney in NC, while membership in the Association is voluntary. The State Bar dues can’t be used for booze, while the Association can fund a cocktail party for members …
I could go on, but the more pressing question for Kemp is — what’s gonna happen to Amato if your Wolfies lose to ECU tomorrow?
Tate:
Thanks for clearing that up. I had vaguely recalled that in Kentucky disciplinary investigations are conducted by that state’s Bar Association, and for some reason had assumed that might also have been the case in North Carolina.
Tatercon, They FIRED is sorry A**, which they should have done after the UNC game. And how does Duke keep missing extra points? It’s a curse. Steve, I was told by a Bar Counselor before Thanksgiving the Bar was going to act before Christmas. Who knows what they’ll do, Durham in Wonderland has a column on the Bar today, Monday.
Well, the NC bar in the Gell case didn’t do much but slap wrists.
(Gell spent 9 years on death row for murder; it turned out that no less than eighteen witnesses had seen the ‘deceased’ after Gell was supposed to have killed him and had left the state–meaning that if he was killed, then someone else killed him, not Gell.)
(But the DA kept this info from the defense and the jury. For that, they got a slap on the wrist; and one
of the prosecutorial staff is now a judge.
A man lost 9 years of his life, and was put in jeopardy of his life–and the NC bar thought this was worthy of a ‘reprimand’. . .)
Chief Chalmers’ daughter may finally be going to court :
http://www.newsobserver.com/145/story/515346.html
DURHAM – A grand jury indicted the daughter of Durham’s police chief Monday in a felony assault case. Stefanie Chalmers, 26, was charged in June with assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injury in connection with an incident in April.
Authorities say Chalmers hit a woman with a motor vehicle.
But curiously,
The case against Chalmers, the daughter of Durham Police Chief Steve Chalmers, is being prosecuted by the state Attorney General’s Office.
Now why by the state AG’s office, instead of by DA Nifong?
Her attorney, James “Butch” Williams, said he could not comment on specifics of the case. “I’m looking forward to vigorously defending this action,” he said.
Williams endorsed Nifong in the recent election in glowing terms.
I can only speculate why it was felt necessary to have the daughter’s trial handled by someone other than the local DA, but not have the three lacrosse players’ case handled by someone other than the local DA.
Likewise, I can only speculate why the Chief of Police has been totally invisible since the lacrosse case broke.
His daughter was, IIRC, finally arrested on outstanding warrants just after the lacrosse case broke–but surely that, like the sudden arrests of so many associates of the AV, and the trial of Elmostafa–must surely all be just coincidence?
#5 “I really want to hear from the stripper-accuser in this matter. I wonder why no one has been able to find and interview her?”
Are taxpayer supporting her hideaway? Isn’t it time to prosecute her- civil and then criminal.
Comments on this entry are closed.