Duke Lacrosse Scandal

Over the past year I have followed with interest the Duke Lacrosse Scandal as it has become known. I have to weigh-in on the recent news that all charges have been dropped. For my part, I smelled a rat from the beginning. But I won't tell you, "I told you so." I wasn't there and I wasn't privy to all the evidence. We live in a country where the judicial system is based on the promise of a fair trial and you are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. What boils to the surface for me are two things, separate but related and tied to what we have become to know as "The Media". I am beginning to believe "the media" is the largest culprit. The media has become a forum for maverick and irresponsible influence peddling. The byword is "Spin". Mike Nifong , the prosecuting attorney should be hung from the rafters! Seizing a media frenzy he jumped at the opportunity to get votes for his upcoming campaign. Nifong lost sight of justice in attempt to appeal to a voting block. Doing the right thing may not be the convenient thing. Pandering to a minority vote that was justifiably enraged had the accusations been true. They too are at fault. The press represented the minority community standing outside the court screaming for a lynching before there was ever a trial.

The media early on turned this into a made for television movie. Journalist and newsrooms no longer motivated by truth but simply motivated by promoting careers and selling commercials. When the smoke cleared and wiser heads could step back and do the job the law of due process asks us to do the truth came out. The only winner here is justice. Every real person involved is a loser. The American public is a loser for having been dragged through this mud. The media once again proves to be delinquent in selling a spin cloaked in the constitutional guaranty of free press. Duke University is a loser. The Duke Lacrosse team is a loser. The victim is a loser. The community is a loser and now further polarized. The falsely accused are certainly the biggest losers of all. This has changed the course of their lives forever and not for the better. They were innocent....but were they?

Here is the lesson to all of us. Was there an appearance of evil? Was there a frat party flush with alcohol? Were strippers hired? Was there an atmosphere and occasion for a false accusation to be created and inflamed? Some would say this is just what college boys do. This is just part of the college experience. Far from true. I hope my boys don't make this behavior part of their natural and normal college experience. Hopefully my boys are better than that. Hopefully yours are too. It wasn't innocent behavior or an innocent atmosphere. It was ripe for bomb to go off. And it did. Unfortunately it went off in the faces of otherwise good men. It affected a lot of lives negatively. We are taught to avoid the appearance of evil. What goodness and positive life experience will come from a party of flowing alcohol and strippers. Call me prudish, call me moralistic. Call me whatever you like. It doesn't matter what the current spin on college life by the media would have you believe. When the smoke clears and wiser heads step back and the evidence is considered .... what good came of this?