Those of us who live in Durham, NC, seldom experience the glow of the national spotlight. We have become accustomed to seeing references to the Research Triangle area in the sports pages, but apparently not much else happens here that is worthy of notice by the rest of the country. Maybe that is what has led to the disequilibrium around here, especially among the usually confident voices of the university set who now find a bit of difficulty in hitting their marks and saying their lines in the case of the recent rape accusations against members of the Duke University lacrosse team.
Perhaps people have also been put off balance by the complex convergence of factors required to put Durham in the news. Attracting national attention has required a story combining the popular theme of sports and something else newsworthy–or prurient–enough to attract the notice of the national press. In this case it was that a young African American woman is the accuser and the accused are generally privileged white college athletes who have become rather notorious in the area for their rowdiness and run-ins with the law.
That by itself would make the story a local news item; a few more features have made it national news. The fact that these particular events occurred at Duke University, the Princeton of the South, didn’t hurt their newsworthiness. Besides its status as a powerhouse in both mens and womens basketball, it is also the “safety school” of many a well heeled northeastern high schooler. Thus, many people have heard of Duke, and they relate to it in various ways. It also didn’t hurt to add the convergence of the esoteric and the exotic–the esoteric sport of lacrosse and the titillating world of “exotic dance” inhabited by the accuser.
If all you knew where the broad outlines of the case, this would be a slam dunk, PC-wise. The accuser is a black woman of modest means, and the accused are members of a privileged group, many of whom are white graduates of prestigious prep schools. The typical response to this convergence of gender, race and, class is pre-scripted; the sides are already drawn; it is so simple. Of course you choose the side of the woman, the side of the less fortunate, and the side of the African American, obviously.
Unfortunately in this case, that puts you on the side of a single mother of two who has taken to stripping as a way to meet her financial needs. One must resist the temptation to judge, however, and there is always her status as student at a local university to dwell upon. Still, you have to be a little unsettled that the young lady was already too impaired to perform when she arrived at the crowded little house near Duke’s east campus. Even as you rail against the injustice of a system that forces Black women into early motherhood and exploitation, aren’t you a little concerned at some of her choices and the way they may have affected her children’s lives?
Steering clear of that uncomfortable fact, one can focus on her career in “exotic dance.” Perhaps we then suppose that in her mind, anyway, she had been employed to educate the young men of the lacrosse team in aspects of dance not already familiar to them, something “exotic,” something, perhaps, from the Mongolian steppe, performed in modest but sturdy garb–a costume woven from yak fleece, perhaps. Then things just went horribly, horribly wrong.
I simply didn’t realize the Duke’s lacrosse team’s degree of erudition. Pooling their resources, gathering up hundreds of dollars in the interest of broadening their understanding of world cultures–admirable group of young men, eh?
No, I don’t believe that either. I don’t think we can explain the lacrosse team’s interest in dance by the fact that Durham is the site of the American Dance Festival. And I think most of us are aware that these dancers are paid the first few hundred to walk through the door; the real money comes from what goes on after that.
This story has so many angles, however, so many approaches, that the news hounds could not stay away. When one can write a story to suit any one of a number of disparate audiences, it becomes a gold mine for writers. This being America, the elemental issue of injustice has served as a theme for many a member of the scribbling class. Hand-wringing and indignation have been applied with nearly equal measure.
The real enlightenment we might derive from a situation such as this comes from the peek it allows us to take into the current sociocultural situation in which we find ourselves. We see it in the necessity for mainstream journalists to write the story in a way that will offend as few people as possible. We see it in the implicit trust so many people have put in the words of the accuser. We see it in the righteousness of the District Attorney–and the fact that he is running for re-election at the moment.
Yep, this one has something for everyone, all right. Joe Sixpack weighs in right beside the college president, and it all sounds about the same–well, except that Joe Sixpack might know more about living in Animal House and what “exotic dancers” really do.
Postscript: This recent news story could not have been very welcome:
(April 6, from http://www.wral.com/news/8513890/detail.html?rss=ral&psp=news
According to a 2002 police report, the woman, currently a 27-year-old student at North Carolina Central University, gave a taxi driver a lap dance at a Durham strip club. Subsequently, according to the report, she stole the man’s car and led deputies on a high-speed chase that ended in Wake County. Apparently, the deputy thought the chase was over when the woman turned down a dead-end road near Brier Creek, but instead she tried to run over him, according to the police report. Additional information notes that her blood-alcohol level registered at more than twice the legal limit.
аттестат за 11 класс купить в иркутске аттестат за 11 класс купить в иркутске .
An impressive share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who had been doing a little homework on this.
And he actually bought me lunch due to the fact that I discovered it for him…
lol. So let me reword this…. Thank YOU for the meal!!
But yeah, thanx for spending time to discuss this issue here on your blog.
прогноз на футбольный матч прогноз на футбольный матч .
Hey! I know this is kinda off topic but I was wondering if you
knew where I could get a captcha plugin for my comment form?
I’m using the same blog platform as yours and I’m having problems finding one?
Thanks a lot!
мостбет уз скачать https://www.mostbet11070.ru
Клиники предлагают реабилитацию зависимых, которая включает терапию зависимости и психологическую поддержку. Процедура кодирования также является популярной методом, помогающей снизить тягу к алкоголю. Круглосуточные клиники обеспечивают конфиденциальное лечение и консультации нарколога, что дает возможность пациентам чувствовать себя комфортно и безопасно. вывод из запоя круглосуточно Социальная адаптация и поддержка после лечения — важные аспекты, обеспечивающие успешной интеграции в общество. Помощь в борьбе с алкоголизмом в Туле становится доступным благодаря различным программам и методикам, которые помогают справиться с этой серьезной проблемы.
Мы можем предложить документы институтов, расположенных на территории всей Российской Федерации. Приобрести диплом ВУЗа:
купить аттестаты за 11 класс г облучье
Medicine information sheet. Effects of Drug Abuse.
how to buy generic ceftin online
All trends of medication. Read here.
Humira
гидроизоляция цена за м2 https://offthevylc.ru/polezno-znat/ceny-na-gidroizoljaciju-v-moskve-i-regionah-rossii.html .
Мы предлагаем документы учебных заведений, которые находятся в любом регионе Российской Федерации. Приобрести диплом любого университета:
купить аттестат за 11 класс в барнауле
mostbet kg mostbet kg
купить диплом с занесением в реестр украина http://www.arus-diplom31.ru/ .
прогноз на футбол с анализом прогноз на футбол с анализом .
купить диплом занесением реестр купить диплом занесением реестр .
купить диплом с проведением в купить диплом с проведением в .
Портал про авто https://prestige-avto.com.ua обзоры новых и подержанных машин, тест-драйвы, рынок автомобилей, страхование и обслуживание.
Онлайн автомобильный https://avtonews.kyiv.ua портал: свежие автоновости, сравнительные тесты, статьи о ремонте и тюнинге. Обзоры новых и подержанных машин, цены и советы экспертов.
Современный автомобильный https://mallex.info портал: автообзоры, тесты, ремонт и обслуживание, страхование и рынок. Всё, что нужно водителям и любителям автомобилей.
mostbet. com https://mostbet11069.ru/
купить диплом о среднем образовании с занесением в реестр купить диплом о среднем образовании с занесением в реестр .
Строительный сайт https://novostroi.in.ua с полезными статьями о ремонте, отделке и дизайне. Обзоры стройматериалов, проекты домов, инструкции и советы экспертов для профессионалов и новичков.
http://29ru.zbord.ru/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=5120
Строительный сайт https://novostroi.in.ua с полезными статьями о ремонте, отделке и дизайне. Обзоры стройматериалов, проекты домов, инструкции и советы экспертов для профессионалов и новичков.
новости баскетбола https://novosti-sporta-11.ru/ .
скачать бк осталось только найти предпочтение подходящее скачать бк осталось только найти предпочтение подходящее
купить аттестат за 11 класс во владивостоке http://www.arus-diplom22.ru .
купить в сургуте аттестат за 11 класс купить в сургуте аттестат за 11 класс .
интернет магазин сантехники москва evropejskaya-santehnika2.ru .
аттестат за 10 11 класс купить аттестат за 10 11 класс купить .
купить аттестаты за 11 класс спб https://arus-diplom23.ru/ .
купить аттестат за 11 класс владивосток купить аттестат за 11 класс владивосток .
купить аттестат 11 классов в екатеринбурге http://www.arus-diplom22.ru/ .
купить аттестат за 11 классов в кирове купить аттестат за 11 классов в кирове .
тут лучшее бесплатное порно
интернет-магазин сантехники москва http://evropejskaya-santehnika2.ru .
mostbet мостбет http://mostbet11068.ru
скачать мостбет mostbet11072.ru
как зайти на сайт мостбет https://mostbet11068.ru
мостбет скачать приложение на андроид бесплатно http://www.mostbet11068.ru
mostbet kyrgyzstan https://mostbet11071.ru
купить диплом о высшем образовании с занесением в реестр купить диплом о высшем образовании с занесением в реестр .
мостбет казино войти https://www.mostbet11067.ru
хоккейные матчи ставки luchshie-prognozy-na-khokkej13.ru .
я купил диплом с проводкой я купил диплом с проводкой .
Сайт для женщин https://stylewoman.kyiv.ua с интересными статьями о моде, красоте, семье и здоровье. Идеи для кулинарии, путешествий и вдохновения.
Сайт для женщин https://stylewoman.kyiv.ua с интересными статьями о моде, красоте, семье и здоровье. Идеи для кулинарии, путешествий и вдохновения.
прогнозы на хоккей сегодня прогнозы на хоккей сегодня .
Сайт для женщин https://stylewoman.kyiv.ua с интересными статьями о моде, красоте, семье и здоровье. Идеи для кулинарии, путешествий и вдохновения.
Универсальный сайт https://virginvirtual.net для женщин — секреты красоты, тренды моды, советы по отношениям и карьере, рецепты и стиль жизни.