Invincible or innocent?

There has been a lot to think about when considering the allegations of rape and assault against the Duke lacrosse team. The media have picked it apart and scrutinized it from so many different angles - there's the privileged white boys allegedly abusing their position with a hired black woman, there is the escalated tension in the Durham/Duke town/gown situation, and there is the possibility that this is another case of college athletes losing control.

If the allegations are true, then all of these angles are true as well. Even if the allegations are untrue, so much healing is needed in so many different respects.

Much more information has come out lately which casts a negative light on the accuser. It seems that the media may be realizing that this is not the open/shut case that it originally appeared to be, and they are turning the tables. The team is no longer being tried in the court of public opinion, now it is the accuser's turn. I'm afraid that like so many other highly publicized cases, the public will form their opinion and lose interest before the case is closed.

I've found the following approaches to the story quite interesting - they touch on the effect this case has on fundraising and an unexpected worry voiced by students...

Lacrosse incident could slow down giving at Duke

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12115147/site/newsweek/page/2/
"Most students seemed primarily worried about the stain on Duke's reputation, and whether Duke will get its share, or "yield," of the best and brightest. This was the week that Duke sent out letters of acceptance to eager high-school students. "I've had 800 conversations with people who are afraid it will hurt our yield and make our diplomas look a little less fancy," said Julia Torti, a senior. Paging Tom Wolfe. "

Hey, at least some people aren't going to hide where their real interests lie.