Maybe it should tell us something when the most “prominent” person The Herald-Sun could find opposed to settling with the Duke lacrosse players is Sandy Ogburn:
“While a court case would be costly, it would be worth the money to me as a taxpayer,” Ogburn wrote. “At least then we will be able to hear the entire case — and have the evidence in the public view. All we know right now is what the defense attorneys have parsed out — oh, as well as their million-dollar PR campaign.”
Ogburn — a former director of community affairs for Duke and recent N.C. House candidate — added that she believes “the last thing” the families of the three players want “is for the evidence to be heard.”
This puts Ogburn squarely in the “something happened that night” category. Now I’m wondering where she buys her headgear?
And then there’s Bob Healy, identified as a “former professor in Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment.” He falls into that category of professors at Duke who seem to hate the students they teach:
“I think that this extravagant financial claim is consistent with the general Duke student belief that ‘we’re special’ and ‘don’t mess with us,'” Healy wrote. “I don’t think this should be encouraged, and certainly not at the expense of the population of Durham.”
The Herald-Sun says most of the City Council members say they hear similar sentiments. Well, it’s no wonder. Look who they travel with. If you went to a porch party in Trinity Park that’s what you’d hear there, too. Doesn’t mean it’s right.
Message to all Durham City Council members: I am a Durham taxpayer. I think Durham’s handling of the Duke lacrosse case was incompetent, unprofessional and at times corrupt. If paying a ton of money will make us get our act straight, then it’s well worth it. Don’t take the potbanger wannabe position like Ogburn and Healy. Do what’s right. Pay up, and then clean up.
