It's Time for Justice: Drop the charges vs. Duke lacrosse players

The Mercury News ^ | October 16, 2006 | Jason Whitlock

[jennyd]

And then we are surprised why nobody from Duke is defending the players. Of course they are scared. Freedom of speech only goes one way, or so it seems.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

http://www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2006/10/25/Letters/insensitive.Language.Unintentional-2400648.shtml?norewrite200610251241&sourcedomain=www.dukechronicle.com

Letters
10/25/06
'Insensitive' language unintentional

Steven Baldwin
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An editorial that I wrote appeared in The Chronicle Tuesday that was critical of the way the lacrosse incident has been handled by the Duke administration. Although my position is unchanged, I now realize that some of the language I used in the editorial was insensitive and inappropriate. I truly regret that my words have caused pain for some members of our community.

In particular, in the next-to-last paragraph of the editorial I used some terms that I have now learned have racial connotations for some. I certainly did not intend them that way. I grew up in the western U.S. and, quite frankly, associate the terms I used with the western frontier of the late 1800s. I saw a lot of cowboy movies as a kid.

I deeply regret that what for me is a totally non-racial issue has assumed that character. I wish I had used other language; I wish I had bounced a draft of the document off someone who might have steered me straight. While there is room for disagreement on the lacrosse issue, there is no disagreement on the importance of providing a welcoming environment for all people who study, learn and work at Duke. I have spent much of my career advocating for diversity at Duke by supporting the hiring of minority faculty and the recruitment of minority students.

I am very sorry that my naivety has offended any members of the Duke community. That was entirely unintentional and I should have been more careful in my selection of words.


Steven Baldwin

Professor, chemistry department

[Locomotive Breath]

Yeah and it was an oral final exam.

[SarahUSC]

Tarred and feathered has connotations of lynching? I have never heard that before in my life.

I don't think he folded. He stands by his position. He just seemed to want to say that he had no idea those words would be offensive.

[Hogeye13]

I am not about to touch that one. "Sidewalk inspecting" is as far as I go.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

He didn't fold on his position regarding the Duke LAX players. He folded to PC.

[Locomotive Breath]

Victimhood on full display. It's a fricking metaphor and figure of speech. Note below how little reference it's given with respect to it's use on blacks. Blacks were also lynched, horse whipped, etc. In other words, all traditional forms of punishment have been applied across the board but black people "own" them all as a symbol of oppression. I guess we need to eliminate all those other "punishment" figures of speech as well.

Next time someone speaks of an individual being "crucified", I expect Christians to loudly complain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tar_and_feather

Tarring and feathering is a physical punishment, at least as old as the Crusades, used to enforce formal justice in feudal Europe and informal justice in Europe and its colonies in the early modern period, as well as the early American frontier, mostly as a type of mob vengeance (compare Lynch law).

[big snip - most of article]

Also in the early 20th century many African Americans were subjected to this treatment as a form of punishment, often for unjust and circumstantial reasons.( this is and unreferenced assertions and should be checked)

Metaphorical uses

The image of the tarred-and-feathered outlaw is so vivid that the expression remains a metaphor for a humiliating public castigation, many years after the practice disappeared. An example (in a story serial in a web forum) is: "The last episode was meant to be a cliffhanger, but readers' comments showed that they would tar and feather me if I did not quickly rescue the hero and show what happened next.".

Ironically, we are no longer allowed to "go on a crusade" because it might offend Islam.

[Locomotive Breath]

Like I said to Baldwin...

"I was a faculty member for fourteen years at another university and I've seen what happens to people who speak out against the prevailing groupthink. I guess this is the point at which you learn whether tenure and academic freedom is actually worth the price you paid for it. I hope they don't punish you too badly."

[SarahUSC]

That's a good point on the use of "crucified". I have never in my life heard tarred and feathered associated with any lynchings. I agree it's just a figure of speech.

[luv2ski]

I don't want to quote Baldwin's entire email to me but I don't think he would mind if I share part of it with you:

It has been a bit tense around here for the past day or so. My personal view is that no matter what language I used in the article, I would have drawn criticism. For some, this is only a racial issue. For me its only about doing the right thing. Even if the boys were guilty (which they're not) they deserve better treatment from Duke.

[Locomotive Breath]

If you look at the Wiki link, you will find the literal textbook picture of "tar and feather". Note that it's (white) American revolutionaries doing it to a (white) English tax collector. I remember that picture being in a grammar school textbook.

[CondorFlight]

(from a post by the official FODU spokesman)

http://forums.talkleft.com/index.php?topic=465.0

"...I am posting here for the first time because the assertion made by Brodhead’s assistant that the Duke administration has been “in regular contact with them and their families and offering considerable support” is so absolutely outrageous that I believe you should know the facts.

Brodhead and the rest of the administration have had no contact with any of the lacrosse players or their families whatsoever with the following three exceptions:

(snip)

3. Colin Finnerty’s parents contacted Brodhead to ask for permission to transfer credits from other colleges. Both Colin and Reade Seligmann are taking classes this semester at colleges near their homes. However, Duke will not let them transfer more than two courses so they are unable to keep up with their studies while suspended unless they get permission to transfer more. Colin was supposed to do study abroad this semester, but Duke cancelled that. Brodhead refused to meet with them despite several requests. Finally, the person in charge of the annual giving program told Brodhead that, unless he agreed to see the Finnerties, he would resign. Only then did Brodhead agree to meet them. In the meeting, Brodhead remained intransigent and he and Mrs. Finnerty got into terrible argument. The Finnerties walked out because Brodhead started insulting them.

There has not been a single note, card or other expression of kindness from anyone in the Duke administration to any of the three accused students."

(snip)

Jason Trumpbour
Spokesperson

[SarahUSC]

Yep - most of the victims of this appear to have been Anglo-Saxon.

http://66.102.7.104/search?q=cache:I921a2vf2TMJ:plateaupress.com.au/wfw/ridingou.htm+tarred+and+feathered+custom&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=6

[SarahUSC]

Oh my God!! That sounds awful. I'm really glad the FODU spokesperson let us know.

[bjc]

I have just read a couple of books on the Whiskey rebellion period (circa 1792-95) and it is clear that tarring and feathering was (a) a barbaric, very painful and potentially deadly punishment meted out by vigilantes and gangs and (b) used on government agents endeavoring to collect taxes on whiskey stills in Western Pennsylvannia and their political supporters. I think it is unfortunate that the good professor felt the need to succumb to political correctness. His editorial was reasonable and measured. I suspect that those seeing racial allusions to tarring and feathering are principally in disagreement with Professor Baldwin's position on the LAX case.

[bjc]

This is pitiful, but to be expected from those without the backbone to admit that they failed to act appropriately and honorably. Scratch a pc liberal and you will find an intolerant fascist hiding just beneath the surface.

[Locomotive Breath]

Will you forgive me if I post a more direct link the the post in question? I almost gave up finding it 'cause I didn't scroll down far enough...

http://forums.talkleft.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=101acddb5f13d55af42a947a215f3346&topic=465.msg24361#msg24361

Here's what I found interesting: "Finally, the person in charge of the annual giving program told Brodhead that, unless he agreed to see the Finnerties, he would resign."

This person, a.k.a. Development Officer, must be getting some significant heat from the Alums. Good.

[Locomotive Breath]

Always did like Mark Twain.

[JLS]

Wow someone believes a faculty member at Duke railroads their kid yet:

I have a son who is a freshman this fall, and I am going to make sure that he is not assigned classes with any of these 88 professors.

I have a clue for this parent, DONT SEND YOUR KID TO DUKE. That makes it close to 100% that they will not take course from one of the 88. As a side benefit, this will give Duke an incentive to reform.

[JLS]

A total of 600 likely voters were interviewed

Well sort of. When you have people in the article being quoted as UNSURE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THEY WILL VOTE IN THE DA RACE, I am not sure their likely voter filter is exactly working correct.