MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

I love the United States of America and all the freedoms she affords her citizens.  The privilege of Freedom of Speech is an entitlement that millions would die for, but in our country allows false accusers to profit after destroying the lives of others.  It has been two and a half years since the so called Duke Lacrosse Team Scandal occurred and come hell or high water, you knew the false accuser, Crystal Mangum would find a way to eventually profit.  Today she launches the sale of her book with a title I will not name because I refuse to be a participant in the promotion of profit for her publisher, agent, supporters or her as 47 young men are still rebuilding their lives.  

You will have to forgive me if I seem angry or cynical, but when the Duke Lacrosse scandal broke I was sick to my stomach.  Grow up on Long Island and you are surrounded by little boys and girls carrying lacrosse sticks at football, soccer and other lacrosse games.  It is a given that you have some connection to a lacrosse family.  I worked at Hofstra University with John Danowski, who is now the head coach at Duke and whose nephew was married to my boss.  When the story broke, his son Matt was not just a member of the Duke team, he was considered by many to be the best player in the country. Dan Flannery (then Captain of the Duke Lacrosse team) an All-American is the brother of Anya who played high school basketball and soccer with me at Sacred Heart Academy.  (Of course the last time I saw him he was an annoying ten year old who wouldn’t leave us alone at his parent’s house).  Casey Carroll, a then Duke defender (possibly the best in the NCAA) played lacrosse with my cousin at Baldwin High School and became one of his closest friends.  All of these student athletes were from good, hard working, dedicated parents, middle class families, not rich elitist families that the media was attempting to portray.  None of it seemed to make any sense to me and I remember feeling relieved when Matt, Dan and Casey were not among the three accused, but then feeling appalled at my relief, as I knew three families where having their hearts broken. 

As this book is released I implore you to think about the grief this young lady caused the three accused, as well as their team members.  According to the press release by her agent “This book is an important tool to discuss race, class, sex and the judicial process. It also provides very important lessons for any young person trying to make good life-choices.”  Can you say that again please?  I am a bit concerned that her agent believes I would read this book and then attempt to apply life lessons from Crystal Mangum’s insights.  Hmm… I need to make some extra cash, what would Crystal do in this case?  I want to destroy some innocent lives, what would Crystal do in this situation? I need to incite race relations at a particularly tense time, let me think what Crystal would do in this instance.  Perhaps President Broadhead of Duke can award her a Master’s Degree, since she is now published.  After all the support he showed his own students in their time of need and crisis, perhaps the award of a PhD to Crystal would be more appropriate.  I am also wondering if the residents of Durham can sue Crystal directly since she cost them thousands of tax dollars.

As Crystal concocted and changed her story, wrongly accused and innocent team members had their home addresses given out, their pictures posted throughout Durham and their names tarnished forever.  Their transgression was their lack of common sense when they hired dancers to come to their house.  Crystal’s publisher (as he is laughing his way to the bank) is urging people to follow in the footsteps of the great Dr. Martin Luther King and lend a hand to someone that needs help.  Speaking of those that need help, I’m going to presuppose Crystal’s publisher urged her to apologize in her book to all who were affected by her lies and misrepresentations.  (Of course I will never know because I will not read her book).  Shall I also take for granted that she will be donating all profits from her book to the families who had to lay out thousands of dollars in their quest to defend their sons who were victims of her lies?  (I didn’t think so).  Will President Broadhead and the “88” Duke faculty members be present outside the book signing issuing apologies because their actions and poor leadership are now helping Crystal profit?  

It is a shame that when there are so many true victims of abuse, a false accuser has received so much media attention and is continuing to profit from her ulterior motives.  It is the actions of a Crystal Mangum that make it all the more difficult for true victims of rape and abuse. 

For now I urge you not to buy her book and allow her to profit off her blatant lies and dishonesty.