Talking to JinC Regulars and Commenters – 8-6-06

Readers’ Note: This will be rough, with unproofed items. Unless you’re the occasional troll, you’ll understand and catch on quickly.

John
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First, a special welcome to those showing up here recently who are civilly and thoughtfully critical of what I and others are saying.

Let’s “talk.” Except for occasional trolls, everyone who comments here is the way you all are being.

When I say that about you who are critical I have in mind commenters like Michael, who self-describes as a Duke faculty member and asserts points supportive of President Brodhead’s leadership, with particular reference to Brodhead’s DL related decisions.

I wish I could respond to Michael and those like him in the detailed, thoughtful way Michael’s comments merit.

I hope to soon put up a few posts responding to some of what Michael and other reasonable critics are saying, especially about the university’s response/non-response.

Now, a very important “Good News” item that reflects on the quality of the comments you folks make here.

You’ve no doubt read JinC posts reporting on attorney Alex Charns’ representation of an unindicted Duke lacrosse player. Charns maintains that player and the rest of the Duke Men’s lacrosse team were libeled by a Durahm CrimeStoppers poster telling the community a horrific crime had been committed in the house on N. Buchanan Blvd. the night of Mar. 13/14.

The CS story has continued to grow since I started following it. And now, in my opinion, it’s gotten “too big” for this “pajama blogger.”

So I talked to Charns and historian and blogger KC Johnson.

My point: KC should take over interviewing Charns and reporting to you. He’s a smarter and better blogger than I am.

Charns CS claims and his client(s) need and deserve a blogger who’s a first-rate researcher, knows and teaches the law, writes well and, most important, cares about right.

(“John, Will you please hurry up and tell us what Charns and KC said?” - “Of course, I’ll be happy to. I didn’t realize I was holding things up.”)

Charns said: “Whatever will help my client.”

KC said, “Yes.”

It’s wonderful news, isn’t it!

Folks, You helped bring about how KC will take on CS reporting and publish here at JinC. And I’m not just “PRing” when I say that.

KC and I have talked about how I’ll “hand-off” to him. We looked at whether he would put CS posts at his blog, with my linking there, or post here and then link back to his blog.

I made the case that his blog posts drew interesting comments but the JinC comments came from a very special and well-informed group of people, the occasional trolls excepted.

I had an easy sell because KC has been a regular here for a while and has read your comments.

Of course, I had enough sense to also say to KC that the quality of commenters has nothing to do with the quality of the blogger.

Look for KC to post here very soon.

The synergy of KC and Alex working together will be great for so many reasons that you all know.

I’ll put up a link tomorrow to KC’s CV and his previous DL posts, things I should have done some time ago.

For those of you who don’t know about KC and his work, I’ll just say here what I said to Alex when he said he was fine with KC taking on the CS blogging: “You just traded in your old Chevy for a new Lexus.”

I’ll wrap up my part in CS matters in a few days with two posts.

One will be a summary of my current thoughts on CS matters.

The other post will be a “Thank you” to Charns, an attorney I’ve respected as I read over the years about his work, and who I’ve now grown to further respect as I’ve worked with him on the CS case.

Whoever decided to retain Charns to represent that unindicted Duke lacrosse player choose very wisely.

Another matter ---

So the N&O isn’t saying much about the “fat, bald cop” at Blinco’s.

That gives a whole new meaning to journalists' use of the term "cover" as in: "Don't worry, Sgt Gottlieb, the N&O will cover you just the way we cover oursleves when we're stopped for DUIs. And thank you for helping out with that accident report involving my editor."

But it seems the N&O may not be able to "cover" Gottlieb as fully as he’d like.

Apparently there’s something in the law the N&O hasn’t mentioned. It has to do with police officers being always "on duty" when a crime is being committed and also being responsible to render aid, such as first aid or calling for an ambulance, when someone is, for example, assaulted. Imagine that!

But it makes sense, doesn’t it?

I’m going to try to learn more about all of that. I'm also going to ask KC to “take a look.”

One of us will get back to you soon. And, yes, I also hope it will be KC.

Responding to a critic:

John, When you listed the blogs that give us information about the DL case months before the N&O and the rest of MSM, you should have mentioned Liestoppers.com

Yes, I should have. I’ll correct that tomorrow. Look for a short post with a title like: “Here’s some truth about Liestoppers.”

Also, I should have mentioned Lew Rockwell.com He’s done some fine work.

I’m putting together a major post listing bloggers who are working the DL case within boundries I agree with (by “boundries I agree with” I mean blogs making the case on due process, equity and fact-based issues. The race obsessed blogs, the ones savaging the accuser, etc are not for me.)

If you know of some blogs you think I should have mentioned, please let me know.

I may not list the blog right off. That could be because I just want time to take a look at it for a few months. Or maybe I don’t agree with you. But I will look

The hour is late and this post has gotten too long. There’s more information I want to share.

I’ll let this post sit on the main page for most of tomorrow, Monday, Aug 7.

Then I’ll post another Talking w. Reg & Com.very early Tuesday morning.

Sorry this got so long. There’s a lot happening.

John