What's wrong with this picture?
KC Johnson at Durham-in-Wonderland posts a statement from Reade Seligman about the decision to drop all charges against him and two other Duke lacrosse players in the notorious Duke "rape" case. Seligman's statement seems straightforward and heartfelt, and I certainly sympathize with these three young men who were wrongly accused of a terrible crime.
However, this anonymous comment in response to Seligman's statement caught my eye:
"If only there were more young men like these three."
Excuse me, but . . . huh?
Look, I know very little about these three men. Maybe they are uniquely worthy of praise and emulation, such that it's reasonable to suggest that there are too few young men like them, but, ummmm, dontcha kinda doubt it?
However, this anonymous comment in response to Seligman's statement caught my eye:
"If only there were more young men like these three."
Excuse me, but . . . huh?
Look, I know very little about these three men. Maybe they are uniquely worthy of praise and emulation, such that it's reasonable to suggest that there are too few young men like them, but, ummmm, dontcha kinda doubt it?
posted by Kate Marie | 1:37 PM | Permalink
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4 comments
4 Comments:
Funny the way people project their own expectations onto news stories, isn't it? Based on everything I've read, these kids weren't guilty of the rape, but there's certainly evidence to suggest that at least some of them are bratty, thoughtless jerks. I don't understand the impulse to make them heroes.
My thoughts exactly, Jeff.
My guess about the impulse to make them heroes is that, for some people anyway, it arises from the difficulty of championing a cause or principle without having an actual person to root for and admire. I'd say it's kind of like the way that Tookie Williams and Rodney King became "heroes," with the obvious difference that those two actually *were* criminals and the lacrosse players are not.
Anyway, I'm certainly glad the case was dropped and I'm sorry for what they went through.
Agree. They may not be guilty of rape but my understanding of the story is that they were at least at a party wherein they were being entertained by excessive alcohol and strippers.
I'm certainly no fuddy duddy but I'm not about to champion them as model citizens.
Agreed here. It was a dumb prosecution that should have been dismissed eons ago. But they put themselves into this stupid position and are far less than scrubby heros.
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