<p>When the story broke publicly, the coach commented that the players were focusing on Saturday's game (which hadn't yet been cancelled) because they were "mature young men." What a joke. I don't have a link but if you read the Chronicle's previous stories his comments between the story breaking and the game cancellations are in there. It's really disturbing.</p>
<p>Soproudofkids: Another example of Duke's problems in my opinion - they paid Harry Belafonte to speak at Duke for Martin Luther King's Birthday. Belafonte has now made it a part of his repertoire to rail against the United States. He recently went to Venezuela to laud President Chavez (Chavez, in his Christmas message to his people made the comment that ""The world has enough for all, but it turned out that some minorities, descendants of those who crucified Christ, descendants of those who threw Bolivar out of here and also crucified him in their own way in Santa Marta, there in Colombia. A minority took the world's riches for themselves"). Belafonte also called Bush a terrorist, that Bush was worse than Hitler, that Jews served in high positions in Nazi Germany, ad nauseum - yet Duke saw fit to pay this man to speak. I'm not talking about limiting free speech but they PAID him to speak.</p>
<p>As for the lax team - my suggestion is to can the coach - and bring in Coach K to coach those that aren't imprisoned for the rest of the season. He's a leader more than a coach - even on the basketball court.</p>
<p>Hard core conservative here, and sorry, but still think you're throwing the baby out with the bathwater. </p>
<p>you go bandcampgirl!</p>
<p>Soproudofkids, What does being a hard-core conservative have to do with this situation? Are you saying that because you are a hard-core conservative you agree with the way Duke has responded to this? Because you are a hard-core conservative, it is OK for students to engage in illegal activities? Help me understand...</p>
<p>I apologize for essentially hijacking this thread/bringing it slightly off the original topic. However, I was just thinking about something and I feel like it should be mentioned here, in light of the previous conversation regarding situations aside from the Lacrosse scandal that the Duke adminstration has handled "poorly."</p>
<p>I am a Jewish, ultra-liberal, feminist, Long Islander. I am Anti-Bush, Pro-Choice, and Anti-Death Penalty. Essentially, I am a complete and total Liberal, and I embody the Northern stereotype. Now, with that said...</p>
<p>I love living on a campus that challenges me to defend my beliefs and stand up for what I believe in. I am Jewish, and I like the fact that someone was able to publish an article that might really infuriate me. I like that we have had speakers that really angered me and made me want to support my beliefs that much more. I was thinking about these past events, and also about the fact that I have a friend here who was admitted despite a past arrest and stint in rehab. Most colleges would have thrown his application out right away. He was accepted, and happens to be one of the most intelligent people I know with a whole hell of a lot to offer any college community. </p>
<p>That's when I really started thinking about how I define Duke - and the answer is, Duke takes intellectual risks. We'll accept students that are "risky" because they may have potential. We'll invite speakers that may really, really, really infuriate a lot of people on this campus because they may encourage students to view the world a little differently or gain a new perspective. But really, is there any better way to be educated? Who would you rather have a late-night intellectual discussion with after class is over - the kid with a sketchy background who can talk to you for 4 hours about philosophy and Physics and open your mind to a completely different idea, or the kid with the 4.0 GPA who's buried in his books all the time and whose definition of "intellectual conversation" involves reciting Orgo formulas? Would you rather leave college holding the same opinions with which you entered, or leave knowing that you were challenged, questioned, enraged, and encouraged to stand up and speak out?</p>
<p>I love the controversy that this campus has fostered. I love the editorials, the complaints, the criticism, the signs, and the protests. I am disgusted by sexual assault, but I love the speakout that took place all day on our quad where for hours on end there were 100 people gathered around listening to whoever felt moved to get up and share his or her opinion about the recent events. This is education, people - this is LEARNING. This is what we're PAYING for. We're paying to learn in AND OUT of the classroom - even if learning means having our comfort zones pushed and knowing how to deal with that.</p>
<p>Granted, this type of atmosphere is not for everyone. There are a lot of people that would much rather be in a place where every viewpoint is not only accepted, but is not questioned. I love being questioned, and I love being challenged. This may make me the most unpopular person on this site, and that's OK - I am completely fine with everyone disagreeing with what I have to say. That's why I go to Duke.</p>
<p>bandcampgirl is my hero - bravo!! :]</p>
<p>Awesome post and very well-said.</p>
<p>The hard-core conservative part doesn't play into Duke's response to the lacrosse scandal at all. But it plays into how I think about the other 2 incidents that have been brought up as examples of lapses in the Duke administration's judgment, i.e. having Belafonte speak and hosting the pro-Palestinian conference. It means that I'm against all 3 of these actions (or lack thereof) of the Duke administration and still think Duke's a great place.</p>
<p>And agree-another great post bandcampgirl.</p>
<p>Since you touched on the Navy QB. Yes, the academies handle their cases because of jurisdiction. The incident happened on the Naval Academy which is federal jurisdiction; therefore, the Uniform Code of Military Justice takes precedent. Unlike civilian law though, if the QB is found guilty, aggravated rape can (and in all unlikelihood would not) result in the death penalty. He is also facing a Bad Conduct Discharge (trying getting a job with that on your record), Conduct Unbecoming, etc, etc. The Academy did not side step the issue but tackled it head on. </p>
<p>The problem is not the academies', Duke's, Colorado's, but a national problem when you mix too much alcohol, bravado, and 20 year olds in a group mentality. None of Duke's players would have been involved in this type of incident if alone, the problem arises when you add peers and no one has the guts to stand up for what's decent and right. Just turn on MTV, VH1, etc and watch a video or two (it doesn't take many) and sex, drugs, alcohol have no boundaries. With freedom comes responsibility and then accountability. We don't teach the responsibility anymore.</p>
<p>Mvljog440 - good post. If I were coach of a helmet sport, high school or college - football, lax, hockey - I'd be passing around articles about the Duke episode, the Navy quarterback, et.al. and doing some talking to my team about individual responsibility and not getting pulled into something bad because of group dynamics. Maybe even have someone come in who had suffered by participating in such activities - kind of like Scared Straight where h.s. kids are taken to Rahway State Prison to hear about what it's like inside firsthand.</p>
<p>Big Green-agree. From what I've read on the Navy board, the Navy QB was a stand up guy, well thought of, team leader, religious and he was alone, no peer pressure to go along with the guys. Alcohol affects our reasoning, and too much alcohol affects our sensibility. He had a great future and now in all likelihood will be spending time in Leavenworth.</p>
<p>bcg, glad to hear intellectualism is alive and well there. oib and soproud - just because the university PAYS someone controversial like Belafonte to speak on campus does not mean they endorse his views. When I was there in the mid-80s, Gen. Westmoreland, who many felt was personally responsible for perpetrating bogus field reports and poor strategic planning in Vietnam that led to 1000s of unneccessary deaths, was paid to speak on campus. There were protests, and he spoke and students/faculty debated the issues his speech raised. If you don't want to attend a university with differing schools of thought, Bob Jones U probably has a slot open for you.<br>
On the thread topic, I see that it has come to light that nearly 1/3 of lax team has had some sort of prior in connection w/alcohol or distrubing the police. What kills me is that these 'meatheads' are getting FULL SCHOLARSHIPS from a university that annually turns away 1000s of incredibly talented and accomplished kids who manage to keep their nose clean and show respect for themselves and the institution they represent.<br>
I know a couple of years ago, Duke publically stated it would increase enrollment slightly to 'admit students with more diverse talents' or something to that effect. Reading between the lines, those talents appear to include running around with a stick in your hand and hosting criminally deviant sex parties.</p>
<p>indydukie- very few, if any, of these lacrosse players are getting full scholarships. Scholarships for lacrosse are limited, and players may be getting 1/4 scholarships and many not money at all- just admission to Duke. It IS a national championship team, and the coach obviously has not been teaching the right values. There is a big problem here- one which requires immediate and strict action by the Duke administration.</p>
<p>MoWC, ok I feel slightly better knowing that they aren't getting a full ride, but the record shows that ridiculously high number (like 16) of team members have priors that have been swept aside or pled out. I am with you - If I'm the coach of a tiddlywinks team where 1/3 of my guys the have fingerprints downtown, I'd have these guys on the shortest leash possible. And as AD, you have to wonder what is going on with the oversight here, not to mention the obvious player stonewalling. fyi - they LOST in the National Championship to Hopkins. If it takes draconian anti-alcohol measures across every team and every sport to stop this, so be it.</p>
<p>Let me understand your position......you are expecting the coach and AD to dictate to wealthy alums? Did I hear/read you correctly? Who do you think funds this program?</p>
<p>I think alums, wealthy or not(me), want a clean program with students and coaches we can be proud of. This is the baseline expectation I have, before winning and losing. I can't speak for anyone else. Yes I do expect the coaches and AD to run a tight ship. That is their job.</p>
<p>Not knowing these players.......how many LAXmen are legacy? Does anyone have the figure on that?</p>
<p>no idea. I don't know why they would be dis-proportionally legacy. Duke doesn't exactly have a storied lacrosse tradition a la Hopkins or UVA. I don't see this as a legacy issue at all.</p>
<p>of course you don't, you didn't bring the question forward. I did.</p>
<p>do u have info that points to the ringleaders being legacies? This would qualify as newsworthy if you did. If not then this is pointless speculation and a red herring.</p>