Duke University’s talented Blue Devils have apparently managed to hit all the buttons at once - a bunch of white athletes at a pricey American university gang raping a poor black woman who is working as an exotic dancer / escort to pay her way through college and support her two children.
Un-freaking-believable.
This apparently happened on March 13 - over two weeks ago - but only in the last several days has the story made it front and center on the national scene. All by itself, that fact speaks volumes. And they’re just continuing that good ole boy tradition of sticking up for one another, too, according to this AP story in the Chronicle:
Police shouldn’t have much trouble solving this case. They have videotapes and pictures taken during the party, and four red fingernails from the bathroom where the alleged attack occurred. They even have DNA swabs from 46 players.
What they don’t have is any real cooperation from the players themselves. They’ve banded together and refused to talk other than issuing a statement from two captains calling the allegations “totally and transparently false.”
They’re not cooperating? Fine. Charge them all.
Polimom’s sick to death of athletes who rape, and a rich white team of lacrosse players (of all the sports!) looks like a great place to draw some lines in the sand… but given the long-standing traditions behind this crime in America, I bet nothing will change. (Yes, I know… there’s one black guy on the team. Your point?)
There are, in fact, so many “-isms” to the Duke story, I can’t cover them all without driving off-track into an incoherent rant. Is there racism? You betcha. How about sexism? Yep! Ever heard of classism? It’s here too.
Way to go, guys! You’ve managed to roll together the very worst of America’s social ills in one fell swoop. Your mothers must be very proud of you.
* * *
Captain of the Duke Lacrosse Team’s statement here.
Ongoing google news search results here:
Blogobabble here.
Rachel’s Tavern is keeping up with the story, here.
As a North Carolinian I’d like to say I’m really ashamed that they are located in an otherwise pretty great state. But to be honest, I’ve never liked Duke for anything, theyve always been stuck up and obnoxious and to be honest, I was thrilled when LSU beat them and got into the Final 4, mostly because LSU deserves it, but part of me was happy because it was nice to see Duke go away with their tail between their legs.
You seem rather preoccupied by the accused and victim’s race. Can you explain what difference it makes except in your preconceived social notions? Would you like it better if it wasn’t a mixed race rape?
No, Bandit, I wouldn’t like it better.
It would still, however, be a flaming example of classism and sexism, and the opening paragraph of my entry would read like this:
“Duke University’s talented Blue Devils have apparently managed to hit all the buttons at once - a bunch of athletes at a pricey American university gang raping a poor woman who is working as an exotic dancer / escort to pay her way through college and support her two children.”
Still describes a filthy, disgusting, morally void group of “privileged” a-holes to me.
Of course, that wouldn’t have been the whole story. So I included the rest of it. I’m funny that way.
I’m not a lawyer, but I play one on the internet, but it seems to me that if someone has direct knowledge of a crime and refuses to cooperate with the authorities, they too can be charged with a crime.
Wouldn’t that be be sweet.
I would appreciate any real lawyers professional opinion on this.
Kinch,
I’m not sure whether a lawyer will weigh in on this (although it would be nice) - but having direct knowledge of a crime = chargeable offense would be exactly the federal case for the death penalty in the Moussaoui case. An editorial on that case here.
Not only do you tell the whole story you have a crystal ball to tell you what it is! I’m sure you have some great insight that tells you that the women’s race was the reason she was raped.
‘And they’re just continuing that good ole boy tradition of sticking up for one another, too’
2 words. ‘Stop snitchin'’
The most recent comment had me puzzled, until I found this article:
Bonded in barbarity: when fear of ridicule overrides all
Such interesting fads and trends these days, don’t you think?
[…] Polimom wrote last week about this story, and in the days since, several oddities have surfaced that further muddy the water already swirling in Durham. […]
[…] Prior entries on this story here and here. […]
[…] This is the fourth time I’ve written about the Duke lacrosse rape scandal (first, second, and third) - and hopefully it will be the last, at least as a specific subject. As of this writing, the DNA has failed to link the lacrosse team to the alleged rape, but the DA has said he intends to go for at least one indictment. […]