Lessons from Durham
By Frank Gado, White River Junction, Vt.
Published on Friday, April 20, 2007
To the Editor:
Bravo, Michael Kreicher '08, for your reminder of the importance of the presumption of innocence ("By Clear and Convincing Evidence," April 17). I have just finished writing a letter to the Duke board of trustees chairman, in which I refused to accept his exculpation of the university for its injustice to the charged lacrosse players. For years, Duke has been fostering exactly the kind of bigotry that recklessly assigns guilt to anyone who is white and rich.
Is the same attitude present at Dartmouth? I would like to think it is not. But at an Alumni Council meeting last fall, Carmen Lopez, addressing the alleged incidents of racism at Dartmouth, cited expressions of support for the indicted lacrosse players as part of the evidence. Sadly, the audience gave her highly emotional, suppositious presentation a standing ovation. I applaud College President James Wright's appointment of government professor Allan Stam to head an investigation of the allegations bundled as an explosion of racism on campus. I trust the report will bear in mind the criteria stated by Kreicher.