| # | Name | Comments |
|---|
| 601 | Lynn O'Hara | |
| 602 | Clifton Morris | |
| 603 | Channing Morris | |
| 604 | Ernest Costello | |
| 605 | Sally Welch | Duke should support their students. In this country we presume innocence. |
| 606 | Anonymous | President Dick and Dean Sue Waiolek need to relieved of their duties ASAP. |
| 607 | Richard Gutierrez | Since I was at Duke (1969-1973) there was an atmosphere of tension between students and "townies" but never anything this disgraceful happened, a corrupt and despicable DA, a timid administration, and a body of faculty who put their social and political resentments ahead of their own students's interests. This letter is mild but necessary to redress the balance. Duke's reputation will surge again if people learn the lessons of this case. |
| 608 | Anonymous | Yes. It can easily be argued that president Dick's and Sue Wasiolek's inexplicable actions very soon after the alleged attack are at the core of the Duke administration's negligent handling of this case. They will be fired after they are deposed for the civil lawsuits filed by the families of the falsely accused and "sacrificial lamb" coach Pressler. |
| 609 | Richard Nieporent | |
| 610 | M. Simon | It is past time to turn Angry Studies (as my friend Jim calls them) into real studies with real scholarship. |
| 611 | Bill Porter | As a undergrad econ major and a law school grad, I'm proud that the Economics professors have stepped up and voiced a counter to Nifong, the Group of 88 and the rest of the witch-hunters. |
| 612 | Anonymous | |
| 613 | Lee Johnston | The actions of the original group of 88 and the latest group of signatories are unconscionable. Thank goodness my son never took a class from any of these irresponsible and dogmatic antagonists. Those of us who love our Duke experience can hope that the rest of the faculty will follow the lead of their colleagues in the Economics Department. The group of 88 can be marginalized if students avoid their classes and the rest of the faculty demonstrate openness and fairness. |
| 614 | Lisa L. Jorgens | |
| 615 | Sarah Davies | This case shows us how precious our civil rights are, how easily an innocent person could be convicted of a crime he or she did not commit and how willingly a community could collude with that injustice.
It must never happen again |
| 616 | Robert Brown | I have been following this case with growing horror from April or so when it was clear to anyone with eyes to see that this was a cold-blooded frame job and that Emperor Nifong had no clothes on. I simply could not believe that no one would step in and stop this farce. Every morning I can't believe it's still going on, and portions of Duke's facultly continue to perpetuate this fraud on the world that they themselves helped to jump-start with their ad.
As an educator myself I am appalled by the eagerness of these agenda-oriented faculty to throw their own students to the wolves. These young people were ENTRUSTED to their care (for a not-insubstantial price), and the "Group of 88" eagerly breached this trust in the most egregious manner possible. The "listening" ad was an unmistakable green light to Nifong that he had the support of the most obnoxious and vocal members of the Duke community in his legal lynching of Reade, Collin, and Dave. Given the green light, Nifong hit the gas, with the disasterous results we see today.
I can't help making this observation: look at the departments whose members signed this public rush to judgment. Then look at the departments where faculty are coming out in support of the students: engineering (Mike Gustafson), chemistry (Stephen Baldwin), and economics (most of the department). Which half of the facultly does Duke -- or any great university, for that matter -- actually need? Which half deals with the world we live in, and which has its eyes set on some far-off cloud-cuckoo-land?
Reread the "listening" ad and consider the source. |
| 617 | Bryan C. Gee | |
| 618 | Eric Akawie | |
| 619 | Anonymous | |
| 620 | E. Dale Madren | |
| 621 | Richard Lipsky | As a parent of a Duke graduate and current student at the law school, and as someone who received a Phd and taught at the university level, I am proud to asociate myself with the "open letter." For the past twenty years I have been engaged in a unique form of grass roots lbbying in New York that has given me a front row seat into the way in which government can be corrupted. Usually, howevr, it is pure greed that is the primary motivating factor. The behavior of Mr. Nifong is way beyond anything that I have seen in my years of confronting, and often stymying, political malfeasance that would, if left unchecked, have hurt less powerful constituencies. Even more distressing is the behavior of the some members of the Duke faculty who have blatantly subverted what I thoiught were the ideals of free and open inquiry when, as a young man, I looked at a university career as an ideal profession. So, hats off the economics professors and a major shout out to Professor James Coleman, a man whop follows the truth no matter where it might lead and no matter who it might discomfit. |
| 622 | Jon Seskevich | I encourage all the signers of the Listening Ad, or the follow-up statement to sign this petition. To the Duke 3, I know good things can come from difficult life experiences. Time can be the big issue. I hope good things are coming your way now each day. I hope your very bad luck; these legal issues, are completely dismissed in February. This too shall pass. |
| 623 | Evan Goldwyn | |
| 624 | joseph canouse | |
| 625 | John R Gordon | I think that the Duke faculty has let down the institution that employs it and the students whom they have been hired to educate in a shockingly comprehensive manner. Duke makes a big deal of the honor pledge which all students must sign, and live by. Where is the honor of the faculty? Duke is one community and each component of it has to fully support and protect each other component. |
| 626 | George Spencer | |
| 627 | Richard Riley | I have watched this case with growing dismay since it began. I was horrified by the original advertisement by the Group of 88. I realized that my involvement as an alumnus has be just writing one check after another, year after year.
I trusted Dr. Brodhead and the rest of the administration to maintain Duke as an institution not just of higher learning, but of higher standards.
I now understand that I was naive. While I applaud the professors of the Economics department, their brave stand has come very late. They are the equivelant of those millions of Frenchmen in the 1950's who were "part of The Resistance."
In the mean time, 10 percent of the faculty has expressed their disdain for their students, the values of University, the law and simple truth. And the Administration continues to support them, and not the innocent students that the Faculty wants to send to jail.
I pray that Duke even now - months late - the Duke administration will step up and acto honorably. Do the right thing. I pray, but I am not so naive as to hope.
Unless and until it does I will no longer contribute as an alumnus. I will instead contribute to the student's legal fund. |
| 628 | Douglass F. Rohrman | I support an impartial, fair and rational approach by Duke, its administration and faculty to the plight of the 3 lacrosse players. So far I have not perceived such an approach, indeed much of what I have read and seen suggests irrational prejudgment and the presumption of guilt, thus I fully support this petition. |
| 629 | James R. Wilson | |
| 630 | Charles E. Wilson MD | |
| 631 | Nora McCarthy | |
| 632 | Charles Lin | |
| 633 | Daniel Crawford | |
| 634 | Charles Martin | |
| 635 | Samuel George | I am an alumnus of the James E. Coleman, Jr., School of Law at Duke, and a former member of the Duke Medical Center faculty (91-99). I am filled with respect and gratitude to the Economics faculty for their letter, and I strongly support it. |
| 636 | Mike Jarman | As an '84 Duke Law grad and husband of an '84 Trinity (Econ) grad, I was almost as proud of the primary Duke representative of my profession, Prof. Coleman, as I was dismayed by the actions of the district attorney. I know my wife is equally proud of her department for its strong stance in this matter. The NC legal profession has shown, albeit belatedly, an ability to police its own. It's time to encourage the academic profession to do the same. Academic freedom and the first amendment do not allow, and should not be interpreted as allowing, professionals to engage in public condemnation of their professional charges however designated (e.g. patients, clients, customers or students), particularly when those charges are in situations of legal jeopardy. |
| 637 | Peter Wright | As an attorney, I was dismayed by Nifong's initial "hooligan" comments. It was inconceiveable to me that he would go out on a limb that a rape had occurred without powerful evidence. However, the profound problems with his case were glaring early on with the release of the party pics and Reade Seligmann's alibi. The Group 88's most recent statement leaves no doubt what their motive was, and remains. This case is extraordinary because no prosecutor with any sense would have sought indictments in such a troubled case without decent evidence. Nifong threw the dice, and they exploded in his face. I applaud the Economics faculty members' statement for welcoming, rather than expressing contempt for their students, and for saying that what we know looks wrong. Thank you.
Peter Wright, Economics/Psychology '78, Law '81 |
| 638 | Jourdan Gottlieb, MD | This disgrace reflects badly on many. Most unforgiveable is the reaction from Duke administration, faculty, and student body, causing damage to a great institution. But the opportunity remains for reconsideration of this affair by all who prejudged. |
| 639 | doris mathieson | As a (former) prospective Duke parent and independent college admissions consultant, I'm glad to have--finally!--a way of expressing condemnation of the G88 and of showing support for the wrongly accused, outrageously persecuted lax team boys.
I hope, from here on, sanity prevails on the Duke campus. But before that can happen, there must be a response to what was perpetrated by the G88 and the university against the boys accused, the lax team and their coach. There need to be apologies issued--and disciplinary measures taken. Without those, I don't see how anyone in their right mind would send a child to Duke. |
| 640 | Laura Webster | Until the G88 are sanctioned and Brodhead is replaced there can be no "healing" . Some things are just unforgiveable. What a disgrace! I'm so ashamed to be affiliated with this University that persists in tacitly defending its outrageous behavior. I'm grateful for the opportunity to sign this petition but it is much too little and much too late.
I have sent double my usual alumni contribution to the legal defense fund for Reade, Colin and Dave. I urge everyone else to do likewise. It's the only voice we have--and we need to be heard. |
| 641 | Nevin B Fox | |
| 642 | Gary Packwood, MBA | Who shall be the spider and who the fly at Duke Univesity.
The three students or ...the Duke employees of the angry studies departments? |
| 643 | Susan Braun | As a Duke Parent I have followed the lacrosse case closely and have been sickened by the treatment of the players by the administration and faculty. In particular what was done to Coach Pressler was horrific. |
| 644 | David Cathcart | I am glad my son has decided to go to Rice University. Duke sound like a scary place |
| 645 | Steve McMahon | |
| 646 | J. Matthew Mackowski | |
| 647 | H. R. Manning | |
| 648 | Tom French | |
| 649 | Christopher A. Jones | |
| 650 | William Sylvester | |