Duke lacrosse: Thank you, Bruce Thomas, community leader

A number of Duke professors read this blog. Some are my former teachers. Some I've gotten to know as neighbors or through community and social activities. Many are friends, although I think their number may be fewer now than when I started posting in late March on what was then called "the Duke lacrosse case."

Anyway, yesterday one of those professors made a bet with me. Here's how it started and how it turned out.

We were talking about what was going on here in Durham in late March. The biased, inaccurate and inflammatory reporting by the Raleigh N&O. Ruth Sheehan's "Team's Silence Is Sickening" column. DA Mike Nifong's assurances a gang-rape had occurred and race was a factor. The circulations of the CrimeStoppers Wanted poster and the notorious "Vigilante" poster which the N&O subsequently published and distributed to over 170,000 readers.

Looking back on those March days the Professor, who has the character to admit he was taken in at the time, went on to say something that went like this:

Sure, I was fooled then. We all were. What else could you believe? Look at what the N&O was telling us. Look at Nifong. Everybody believed them. No one was saying anything different.

I said there were people speaking out.

He counted with, "Not any leaders here at Duke or in the community."

I said I could remember at least one community leader who spoke out, and his remarks were published in the N&O.

The Professor asked,” Who?"

I couldn't remember the person's name, but otherwise I was sure of what I was saying.

The Professor said he'd bet I was wrong: no community leader was speaking out at that time against "the howling mob." (the Prof's term)

I said I'd take the bet.

The Professor added that I'd have to show the person had been quoted in the N&O. I agreed.

I said I’d post on our bet and use "Thank you" in the post title. I’d be thanking the Professor for calling an error to my attention if it turned out I was wrong or I’d be thanking the leader for speaking out.

So what happened then?

A search of the N&O's archives revealed the community leader’s name is Bruce Thomas. On Mar. 28, the N&O published his letter to the editor which I republish here in full:

Regarding the March 24 story "DNA tests ordered for Duke athletes" and subsequent articles:

Right or wrong, the Duke men's lacrosse team students deserve a fair and just hearing. The self-righteous "do gooders" have tried and sentenced these boys and have created a vigilante atmosphere.

These self-appointed purveyors of justice show only that they are jumping on the "string 'em up" bandwagon of a bygone era.

Give the school and these students a break -- let the proper authorities sort things out and get the real truth, and not truth by innuendo.

Bruce Thomas
Durham

Bruce Thomes provided Duke and the community with an accurate assessment of what was happening and what ought to be done. That's leadership.

It's not Thomas' fault that very few people in leadership positions at Duke and in Durham spoke out as Thomas did, anymore than it's Duke Provost Peter Lange's fault that President Brodhead and almost no Duke faculty members joined Lange in condemning Professor Houston Baker's racist and exploitive letter of March 29.

Thank you, Bruce Thomas, community leader. I hope you see this post.

And thank you, Provost Lange.

Question to my Professor friend and his colleagues: When will I be able to say "thank you" to perhaps 200 Duke faculty members for signing a statement calling for Nifong's removal?