Headlines of the Day
Posted on December 22nd, 2014 in Uncategorized | 36 Comments »
Same story, different take….
U-Va.-Rolling Stone e-mails highlight university’s attempt to correct magazine.
—The Washington Post, today
Emails: How UVA Stonewalled Rolling Stone On Rape Story
—Jezebel, 3 days ago
More on this later, but the Post is right and Jezebel wrong; there’s not a lot of evidence of “stonewalling” in the emails between UVa and Sabrina Rubin Erdely.
36 Responses
12/22/2014 12:30 pm
Jezebel wrong
I hope you have a macro for that phrase. As long as Jezebel is around it should get a lot of use.
12/22/2014 12:30 pm
If you are legally restricted in what you can say because of privacy laws, isn’t it common sense that you wouldn’t make people available to a journalist who is asking for information that you aren’t allowed to give them and who might inadvertently give that journalist information that they shouldn’t?
If some of the journalists writing this tripe are graduates of the ‘best’ journalism schools in the country, it makes you wonder about the graduates of ‘lesser’ schools…
Colleges in general stopped being places of higher learning where you developed critical thinking skills years ago. Today they are nothing more than the modern American version of Communist re-education camps, where you are indoctrinated with the party line and punished if you step over the line and don’t act like a lemming following your professors over the cliff into Stupidville.
12/22/2014 12:34 pm
The actual Jezebel article is not as bad as the title suggests though.
Btw, in Canada there has been a scandal going on at Dalhousie University re 4th year male dental students who supposedly had a Facebook group where they supposedly posted misogynist messages. It is astonishing how similar the initial coverage and response are to those re UVa.
There is *very* little evidence publicly available and what the evidence that *is* available actually means / how it is to be interpreted / or even whether it is genuine is awfully unclear and ambiguous.
Nonetheless about 98% of all people commenting on the stories assume the worst (that the students were joking about raping classmates, or even threatening to do so, that they fantasize about using chloroform on women, that they were discussing which of their fellow students they’d most like to hate-f%#k).
There are marches and protests and petitions and social media outrage and talk about the rape culture at Dalhousie etc. Protesters accuse the university administration of not doing enough, of having tried to cover up the scandal, and they demand that the students who supposedly were part of the FB group be expelled. Meanwhile no official complaints have been made by any students.
And it seems at least somewhat implausible that students who have probably invested a lot of time and money in their education should be so careless to say the things they are accused of saying in Facebook posts.
The accusations could be correct but if all the people commenting and protesting have seen as much evidence as I have, there is at this point simply no basis for thinking they are (nor that they are not). But everybody acts as if they are.
12/22/2014 1:34 pm
Jezebel has an agenda..
Even though that rape never happened, they still have to show that Institutions are BROKEN, that the fight against rape has a long way to go and reforms are necessary and urgent. They need a crisis so they can be relevant.
Then these agenda-driven women can get more money for Women studies, can be invited to more events, debates, gatherings and even write books about it…
Maybe you can even go to the white house as an specialist.. like Emily Renda.. what kind of skills, formation or experiences does Renda have to act as an consultant for the White House on a very important topic? NONE.. she was raped and became an activist who would believe any BS the Jackies would tell her.. that’s her whole resume..
12/22/2014 3:12 pm
SRE repeatedly expressed exasperation with President Sullivan’s lack of helpfulness with the RS story. I think Sullivan displayed good judgment.
12/22/2014 3:21 pm
NEW DETAILS
Rolling Stone farms out review of UVA rape hoax to Columbia Journalism School - The Washington Post
12/22/2014 4:04 pm
I’m in agreement with MU and Fabricio. Jezebel is a waste of electrons. I can’t understand why any thinking person would bother reading, just as I can’t understand why anyone still wastes time following Michael Moore or Ann Coulter or other well-established professional liars.
(If I recall correctly, the character ‘Jezebel’ in the Bible tells lies and tries to frame a man for a crime-good choice of name.)
12/22/2014 4:04 pm
Hi Richard,
Appreciate your reporting on UVa case and the reporting of its reporting. Don’t think Rolling Stone has any other option than a re-do and a re-do from Sabrina Erderly - she made the mess so it is hers to clean up (otherwise I don’t think she will be doing any more features any time soon). For Managing Editor Dana at Rolling Stone a lot is also riding on the re-write (so long as it is fact based). For what it’s worth I think events at UVa (in my opinion) might over-take the narrative - meaning what happens there (in terms of the participants involved) will re-define the story. So far that’s what has happened - the gaping holes in the original Rolling Stone story have been more than filled by those Rolling Stone mentioned but never spoke with. I’m guessing that will keep happening. I think it will probably take another turn that will keep vindicating the unnecessary victims here. I posted over at Cavalier Daily as well (the on campus/grounds newspaper), I’m an alum. Here’s hoping the reporting from here on out is less reckless.
12/22/2014 4:10 pm
By the way, at first I was absolutely taken by the story, it really did surface my biases and I think those of a lot of people. For the record I’m glad UVa is handling the issue with some grace and bravery - sometimes as an institution you don’t get a choice in these matters; there is a good chance that most of the parties involved (from survivors groups to fraternities) will win here. UVa is a lot more sensible than it’s given credit for and President Sullivan should not be under-estimated in terms of ability to manage a crisis towards a resolutions that works for everyone, including those that should not have been maligned in the first place.
12/22/2014 4:41 pm
JMil:
I was never taken in by the story.
My BS detector went off because when I was in college and going to a party (not at a frat house) one of our friends talked about getting a certain girl drunk and taking advantage of her.
To a man the other four of us all said no, he can’t do that. This was in 1975! Now none of were saints and we did a lot of stuff that we aren’t 100% proud of today. But almost all of us knew some things were wrong and off-limits no matter how hard our hormones were working.
And the idea of doing it in front of each other on a broken glass table is a big turnoff. Yech! None of us ever let anyone else watch us do it with our girlfriends or wives.
12/22/2014 4:46 pm
I wonder if Erdley’s intense desire to speak to Sullivan one-on-one had anything to do with Erdley’s predetermined plan to have the people she interviewed say exactly what she wanted them to say — i.e. that she was already planning to make up quotes and versions of stories, if that’s what it took to tell the story the way she wanted….
Does Erdley have a future in journalism, other than at Jezebel or similar blogs?
12/22/2014 6:24 pm
Sabrina has a job waiting for her at Jezebel. She can switch places with Anna. Anna to Rolling Stone.
12/22/2014 6:36 pm
Lifelong progressive and I’ve quite seen the liberal mainstream fumble a story/issue so badly. It’s getting to an almost Benghazi level of delusion.
12/22/2014 7:13 pm
Is there any information what happened to Erdely? And regarding the RS rewrite, isn’t there a strong conflict of interest? Not to mention that they get publicity again for the correction?
12/22/2014 7:22 pm
Daniel,
I will read the re-write with interest, and given that the conflict of interest is so manifest that any person of ordinary intelligence can evaluate the product themselves, I can live with it.
This whole business of SRE automatically inferring “stonewalling” when a body under federal investigation is guarded in what the say to the press strikes me as the height of conceit.
Memo to SRE - no one has to take your calls, you self important entitled baby.
12/22/2014 7:41 pm
This might be a low point for Jezebel and Gawker Media. I’m disappointed in them. I can only assume they owe Erdely some kind of odd favor.
12/22/2014 7:55 pm
mtnmul,
Why would you be disappointed in Jezebel and Gawker? This is exactly the kind of behavior the entire organization has displayed since its inception.
12/22/2014 9:13 pm
For me Rolling Stone is using the same tactic used by Roger Goodell in the Ray Rice fiasco:
Hire an respected, external independent 3rd party to prepare a report on why you failed hard when the reasons are quite clear why it all happened
But it gives an impression you really want the truth to come out.. It gives you time to breath.. The interest and the anger of the public will fade away
Look.. Two months ago people were asking for Goodell’s head.. Now if a former FBI Robert Mueller report states that Goodell was guilty and mishandled the case and saw the video, no one will care about.. If it comes just before the Super Bowl.. No one will even discuss it
Rolling Stone and the rest of us know exactly where they failed.. WaPo did all the job Erdely didnt… We dont need Columbia professors to tell us
12/22/2014 9:14 pm
Ama:
Eh, they usually know when it’s time to sound the retreat. Their coverage was normal Gawker Media fare until this latest Merlan post, which is pretty deep in Infowars/Benghazi territory.
12/23/2014 8:21 am
Richard, thank you for your continued coverage of this story. I can’t believe they keep trying to rehab it in the face of overwhelming evidence that it’s a fraud.
I want to make bumper stickers to sell in C-ville that say “Convict Haven Monahan”. I want that rapist in prison :-)) I like a good snipe hunt! And the sad thing is the rape hustlers wouldn’t even get the joke. They’d hold a rally with signs saying that.
The Daily Progress has the 45 minute interview recording between Teresa Sullivan and SRE available for your listening pleasure - not posting link, but easily found through Google. SRE started the interview by expressing her concern over Hanna Graham. I only made it through about 20 minutes - it’s very dry, and SRE spends most of her time asking about UVa’s reporting procedures. And yes, I do think SRE was disappointed she couldn’t ambush Sullivan.
“Rolling Stone’s Sabrina Rubin Erdely interviews University of Virginia President Teresa A. Sullivan on Oct. 2 with UVa spokesman Anthony de Bruyn and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Susan Davis taking part.” The Daily Progress, published Dec 20, 2014.
12/23/2014 8:22 am
What I don’t get is if the University was aware of the substance of the article and objected to the content prior to its release, then why did they come down so severely on the fraternities after the article broke? Was this just a PR move or something more sinister?
12/23/2014 8:42 am
With the holidays approaching I haven’t been following this as closely as I had a few weeks ago. I read about the emails yesterday. I got angry at SRE all over again. But then I woke up this morning with a realization that made me infuriated. SRE’s complaint about access to President Sullivan was sent the DAY AFTER Hannah Graham was reported missing. The campus was in shock and everyone was deeply concern for a missing student. Of course as we know now that concern became a tragic — and true — story of rape and murder. I keep thinking about the Grahams and their loss and can’t help but feel like they are another one of the “victims” of this fabricated story. It’s diverted sympathy and attention away from their real loss. What a shame. My prayers are with them this holiday season. To think that SRE stomped her feet and complained about an unresponsive administration during this time period is just inexcusable.
There were plenty of stories to tell at UVA during that time period but most were about collective fear, support and a unified spirit, but that wasn’t the story that SRE wanted to tell.
This is the email excerpt I’m referring to (Graham was reported missing on the September 14th):
In a Sept. 16 missive, she wrote to her handlers: “As for the presence of other people in the interview: If that’s the only way I’ll be allowed to talk to President Sullivan, then so be it. But I imagine a university president is fully capable of getting through a phone conversation, without help. My article will obviously mention the way UVA has sought to restrict and pad my access to its administrators.”
12/23/2014 9:05 am
MU78 you must have a great detector. I was taken by the discussion of the social calculus by the friends - thought wow this is like a biblical betrayal, so callous - status seeking “personified”. I thought wow, has it really gotten this bad, trading your friend’s welfare for yours in such a moment of need? I guess it must be given that this is Rolling Stone…
So I am disappointed in the low evidence standards for Erderly , not questioning a dialogue that is less a treasure trove than fools gold. As for the tale itself, wow what tale has been spun! The student has enormous problems and apparently very little integrity. I hope there is some kind of apology given that sure, Erderly ran with a story but presumably she has it on tape - signs point to her subject to close the loop on this disaster.
Amazingly those that have gained through the process have been the UVa administration and the fraternities . I dont think their reputation will suffer.
Given the Columbia University review of Rolling Stone I am sure Rolling Stone will be ok long term also.
12/23/2014 9:13 am
As for Erderly again, hard to want to contract with her for any legitimate publication. She told the story she wanted to rather than the one that existed. The tie in within the Rolling Stone piece felt weak, connecting Jackie and victims and Hannah Graham. Unfortunately that one really was a case where a lot of people let her down - from those with her at parties to things far beyond her control, such as proper investigation of the virginia tech student’s murder. The only thing I can say about the Graham case is that it solved the other disappearences, a significant impact but one that leaves a trail of sadness.
12/23/2014 9:39 am
By the way, at first I was absolutely taken by the story, it really did surface my biases and I think those of a lot of people. For the record I’m glad UVa is handling the issue with some grace and bravery..
UVA as an institution is handling it with dishonesty and vindictiveness toward the innocent. Greek life is still shut down and Sullivan still hasn’t abjectly apologized for smearing the fraternity and abetting actual criminality including cinderblocks being hurled through their windows.
12/23/2014 10:15 am
1styeardad-
I, too, was sickened by the timing of this journalistic attack following Hannah Graham’s abduction and murder. The fact that Erderly campus shopped and pushed through her completely false narrative on a school that had just suffered a horrific loss is despicable.
Perhaps the mourning of Hannah helps explain the bizarre stick-by-Jackie philosophy on the grounds. Friends, vandals and the Administration all seem to willing to ignore facts and protect Jackie.
The Administration’s rush to judgment and continued failure to apologize to the wrongly accused are disheartening. UVA administration could have united this school and pulled together as one strong institution. Instead it absolutely condemned fraternities and put the members of Phi Kappa Psi at risk. Did the Administration ask the police to investigate the vandalism? The Washington Times managed to find the vandals. If the University or the police had any interest in pursing justice, it seems arrests would have been made already.
I am glad the students are home now, away from the mob mentality that the Administration helped create. I hope the Administration recognizes it’s mistakes and issues a public apology to the falsely accused. I also hope the fraternity sues Rolling Stone for creating this fiasco.
12/23/2014 11:18 am
FYI — I understand your perspective. It seems like the administration it cutting a lot of slack to people who clearly did wrong and even illegal things — namely the frat attackers and Jackie. I can see why they’re treading lightly. We really don’t know exactly where this is going to end up. It could still be true that Jackie as assaulted in a frat. Although that seems highly unlikely with the most recent info about the fabrication of Haven Monihan.
I’m not angry at the UVa administration. I think it’s reasonable to take the high road and handle things somewhat differently when someone drops a journalistic bomb that leave a crater in the center of campus.
This past semester for President Sullivan was filled with emotionally charged issues and I think she did a decent job trying to walk a thin middle line. I don’t think they helped create a “mob mentality”. As you can tell from the email exchanges, they were doing what they could within the established guidelines, rules and laws. The “mob” was fueled by the media.
But with all of that said, I’m can’t argue with your perspective. In any other context, the frat attackers would be pursued immediately and probably kicked out for at least a year for destruction of property and hate speech. Maybe that will happen. I won’t be angry if it doesn’t. At this point, I’m hoping for a “normal” second semester with college-like activities — studying, sports, parties, friends and good memories that will last a lifetime. Lord knows they’ve already had more than their share of bad things.
12/23/2014 1:35 pm
Frat attackers would come before the all student judiciary committee if the fraternity has reported it to them.
12/23/2014 6:32 pm
Jeffrey Scott Shapiro has a good article in the Washington Post on the actual Night of Broken Glass on the UVA campus that Sabrina Rubin Erdely’s hate fantasy touched off. Just Google
“Unpunished vandalism rampage inspired by Rolling Stone’s U.Va. rape story”
This was a genuine campus hate crime intended to terrorize and humiliated a hated group, unlike so many of the hoaxes we’ve seen on campuses over the last couple of decades.
12/24/2014 12:03 pm
Steve Sailer, that would be the Washington Times. The Post hasn’t yet started to give a crap about crimes against the falsely accused fraternity.
12/24/2014 1:45 pm
Washington Times coverage has a bit of an edge that is not entirely responsible reporting, either. For the most part I think Washington Post has been “solid” but if you read Wemple’s reporting there is an agenda here (at least on his part): this is a war versus Rolling Stone. Read anything by Wemple, the media observer and every time he is playing the role of “Punisher in Chief” (I guess someone has to do it, and he’s doing a fine job of it). But you can sense somewhat of a sinister pleasure on Wemple’s part.
The better job is being done by the new investigation from the Washington Post, by Shapiro. I have no doubt they will also cover how the fraternities come out on top here. It will be a lot better than the Washington Times’ reporting for sure.
12/24/2014 2:43 pm
As all of this continues to unfold, I’m softening my opinion of the student activists like Renda and Pinkleton. Take a look at the video interview Sharpton did with Renda and Wendy Murphy…you’ll see what I mean. Seems a lot like the Dalhoussie stuff above.
I keep having the same experience in discussing this mess with former Hoos, old and young, male and female…It’s amazing that a big story like this that seemed to strike such a chord also contained at the same time many details that simply don’t ring true. Like the Rugby Road song that hardly anyone has heard of, the all-male cocktail parties, et., evil deans, etc. Btw, I’m hearing a lot of good things abot Eramo. Seems her problem was she , like Sullivan, remained committed to inconvenient, arcane ideas like due process and the presumption of innocence.
Glad to see UVa’s image starting to improve.
12/24/2014 3:03 pm
Seems her problem was she , like Sullivan, remained committed to inconvenient, arcane ideas like due process and the presumption of innocence.
You’re kidding, right?
12/24/2014 8:53 pm
No…Take a look at that supposedly damning interview with Eramo-the one posted in all the attack sites targeting the uva administration. The interviewer can’t even comprehend what Eramo is talking about when she’s discussing the rights of the accused. It’s just how come all the accused are not expelled right away? What else could be at stake?
Go ahead, take a look at the video.
12/25/2014 1:07 pm
Re Female Uva Grad 86
I’ve always been curious about snipe hunts. How come we seldom have artistic images of them, like we do with all the hunt country paintings hanging in all the bars?
Fox hunting has been banned in England, I think, but these paintings seem to be raucously entertaining in parts of Virginia, anyway.
12/27/2014 7:45 pm
Erderly should issue her own apology as well and show where she went wrong. The disclosure would allow her back into journalism rather than barring her from features. She obviously is a talented writer. But her credibility is over is she does not apologize.