In a post – Mangum’s presser: bizarre, squalid, and the “Big Three” lose - I linked to a video of the news conference at which Duke lacrosse false accuser Crystal Mangum and her handlers announced the availability of her latest swindle, The Last Dance for Grace. The post includes my comments on the event and some parody as well as links to others who commented on the presser and The Last Dance.
Mangum claims to be a victim since childhood of various people, including members of her family, and also of what “activists” who encourage swindlers like her call “social forces.” Despite all the wrongs heaped on her, Mangum says she plans to get a doctorate and open a home for children which will be supported by a foundation.
Judging by comments at this blog and others I read, very few people have been taken in by Mangum’s latest swindle.
But some people are asking how anyone can be sure Mangum hasn’t changed for the better.
How do we know Mangum isn’t the brave, smart, sober, determined, drug-free, forgiving, mature, goal-directed young woman they tried so hard at the presser and in The Last Dance to make us believe she is?
The answer’s simple and sure. JinC commenter CKS provides it on the thread of Reality Therapy for Mangum’s handlers:Her handlers now bear a heavy responsibility having vouchsafed for Ms. Mangum's fine character. Perhaps she has changed - that somehow in the deep recesses of her soul she realizes that the life she was leading was wrong on so many levels. I would like to believe that that is the case - however, I do not think that is the case - given that she continues to insist that she was raped and that everyone conspired against her. Redemption and change only occur when one first admits the error of one's ways. This she has not done nor will she ever - even if, and this is a big if, she wanted to, those who enabled her hoax have way too much to lose to let her. (emphasis added)
As CKS reminds us, if you’re going to turn your life around, you must do two things: stop blaming others and take responsibility for yourself.
The Last Dance and its presser video make clear, Crystal Mangum’s done neither.
But if, as many of us hope, she ever does those two things, she’ll get better.
1 comments:
As I recall, when this literary work first was announced, it was listed on Amazon, although there was no release date. Now, it's not shown on the Amazon, Borders or Barnes & Noble website.
The Know Bookstore in Durham does not appear to have a website, so I assume the book's purchasers will be limited to walk-ins. Therefore, if Ms. Mangum intends to fund her foundation from book revenues, I expect that she will be disappointed. She may receive enough to buy lunch, though.
It appears to me that the same need to be the center of attention and appear noble is driving both her grandiose plans for the future as well as her earlier falsely claiming that she had been raped.
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