Tuesday, July 17, 2007

INNOCENT: “Ethics” & “Open Season” At NPR

"... these three individuals [David Evans, Collin Finnerty and Reade Seligmann,] are innocent of these charges."

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper, Apr. 11, 2007
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Readers Note: This is a 1, 2, 3 post.

1 – NPR’s explanation for why it still refuses to identify Crystal Mangum, the false accuser in the Duke Hoax case.

2 – My response email to NPR’s ombudsman.

3 – A few JinC comments.
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1 ----- NPR STATEMENT:

According to our ethics policy, NPR does not name victims of sexual assaults. There will, at times, be exceptions — such as certain instances when a victim goes public with his/her identity. NPR editors will judge these instances on a case-by-case basis.

While North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper says no rape occurred, and that the young men who were accused are innocent of all charges, we've decided not to air the name of the accuser based on the facts and circumstances of this particular case.

NPR arrived at this decision after much discussion within the newsroom, as well as a review of material prepared by organizations focused on journalism ethics.

In this case, the attorney general specifically decided not to charge the accuser with perjury, or filing a false police report. He went so far as to say that his investigators told him that the woman may believe some of the stories she has been telling. He said the decision not to charge her with making false accusations was also based on a review of sealed court files, including records of the woman's mental health history.

Because of the facts stated above, we decided that there was enough that remained unknown about the accuser and her motivation that we would not use her name on the air.

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2 ----- EMAIL TO NPR OMBUDSMAN:

Dear Ms. de la Rionda:

I blog as John in Carolina and post often on the Duke Hoax, particularly the enablement by much of the media of the witch hunt, attempted frame-up and on-going cover-up.

I'm contacting you regardng NPR’s explanation for not naming Crystal Mangum after NC Attorney General Roy Cooper said the three young men were innocent.

Why did NPR use “victims” when explaining your “ethics” policy ? NPR’s “ethics” policy doesn’t grant anonymity to “victims” of sexual assault.

In truth, your “ethics” policy is to grant anonymity to any woman who accuses a man or men of sexual assault, regardless of how flimsy her accusation is or what her motive is.

NPR will even grant anonymity to a woman who makes false accusations of sexual assault as you did for Duke hoaxer Crystal Mangum.

In contrast to your sexual assault “ethics” policy for women, NPR has an “open season” policy for men so accused. You identify them and report on their backgrounds simply because a woman has accused them. You don't require anything else.

It doesn’t matter to NPR whether a man is innocent or not. You’re going to name him.

But in the case of Crystal Mangum, the liberals and leftists who control NPR tell listeners: “we decided that there was enough that remained unknown about the accuser and her motivation that we would not use her name on the air.”

No doubt man-haters and the ardently politically correct applaud your “ethics” and “open season” policies.

But fair-minded people are turned off by NPR’s gender-biased double standard.

I posted this email at my blog. I’ll post in full any response you care to make.

Sincerely,

John in Carolina
www.johnincarolina.com
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3 ----- Folks, I’ve stopped giving money directly to NPR and my local NPR affiliate, WUNC in Chapel Hill, because they tilt liberal, left and PC.

If you currently contribute to NPR or an affiliate, I hope you’ll consider stopping your direct giving.

We all, of course, contribute indirectly to NPR and its affiliates via the various forms of government support they receive.

Each year at pledge time I contact one of the businesses that support WUNC. I ask the business to consider dropping its support because of the station’s news bias and political agenda.

Again, I hope you’ll consider doing the same.

Mind you, I’m not one of those who wants to put NPR out of business. I think it’s the best liberal/leftist talk radio out there. I listen in sometimes.

It just doesn’t get my support; its sexual assault “ethics” and “open season” policies being two reasons why not.

What do you all think?

Cc: WUNC public relations

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

John

You know the old adage: Shit goes downhill. The person from whom you should be demanding an explanation is that feckless doofus Cooper. Panties should have been charged with a felony. She lied to the grand jury, didn't she?

Black/female privilege goes a long way in US.

Polanski

Anonymous said...

A follow up

I know you like the Cooper quote--but think: Anyone with half a brain would have said the same thing. IMO, Cooper, Brodhead, Nifong, and Mangum are the true scoundrels in this case.

1. Mangum's crime was so vile--and unnecessary--that a just society would have given her a 30-year sentence.

2. By not punishing Mangum, Cooper sent a CLEAR message to all of America that its justice system was incompetent to prosecute the likes of Mangum. Cooper is therefore a scoundrel, and this BS about Mangum believing her own BS is--BS.

3. Mangum. What more needs to be said. She's an unrepentant thug/sociopath.

4. Brodhead should be cast out from the gates of Rome--no water, no food, no help from anyone. He is a monster with good grammar.

Polanski

Anonymous said...

Bullseye, John! I stopped listening to NPR years ago.

Anonymous said...

Check out the portrait of Nifong as victim at the "Leave the Man Alone" blog
http://www.leavethemanalone.com/search?q=
- July 16 post. The "man" seems to think Nifong was disbarred because he called some lacrosse players a bad name.

Anonymous said...

I think this is so funny that it is ridiculous. Sanctimonious NPR refuses to refer to the "victim" ( criminal) by her right name, while every other news media in the country is screaming it. If they weren't so stupid and ridiculous we might take them seriously. But I think more and more, the only people who take NPR seriously are themselves. I just resent having to subsidize it with my taxes. How does that differ from state owned/ controlled media in repressive societies?

Anonymous said...

I think this is so funny that it is ridiculous. Sanctimonious NPR refuses to refer to the "victim" ( criminal) by her right name, while every other news media in the country is screaming it. If they weren't so stupid and ridiculous we might take them seriously. But I think more and more, the only people who take NPR seriously are themselves. I just resent having to subsidize it with my taxes. How does that differ from state owned/ controlled media in repressive societies?

Anonymous said...

I agree 100% with your NPR comments but then I agree with most everything you say!

Over 25 years ago I dated a senior producer at NPR and I was astonished even then (when my politics were more left leaning) at the liberal slant that ALL news took on the station.

It still saddens me though that almost all of the media outlets that got the Duke case wrong still refuse to set the record straight and acknowledge their errors in reporting.

Anonymous said...

There is absolutely no excuse for NPR to receive any taxpayer funds. I have no problem with NPR's existence but why should I pay to support it? Write your congresscritter and demand NPR be defunded.

Ken Hahn

Anonymous said...

I have followed this case closely.

Ms. de la Rionda writes " In this case, the attorney general specifically decided not to charge the accuser with perjury." How could he?

Crystal Gail Mangum was never under oath. She never testified before the grand jury. She gave a written statement to the police and spoke to law enforcement but neither was sworn testimony.

Cooper could've charged her with filing a false police report and I wish he had. If convicted of the misdemeanor, Mangum's medical history would've been considered in sentencing her.

I agree with John that NPR has a double standard regarding the reporting of sexual offenses.