Pushback

I can't believe this news article! How can anyone think that these young men won't be impacted by the last year? True -- they are no saints -- are you Mr. Moran free from mistakes? Does that mean that you too would be unharmed by false allegations? That your family, no matter how wealthy, deserves to go through this experience and endure the emotional and financial impact it clearly must have taken on everyone in their family.

These young men acknowledged that they were blessed to have the ability to afford lawyers and others are not so lucky. But what are you suggesting Mr. Moran that they didn't deserve yesterday? They most certainly deserved it! Their pictures were splashed all across every news outlet for months. And today -- only hours later, depending on the media source, you can hardly find the headline indicating their innocence. Even these young men that are not perfect were eloquent enough to address the fact that changes need to occur so that everyone is presumed innocent.

Mr. Moran, it is a shame that you took this HORRIBLE event and created a headline that says don't feel sorry for them. Right now, I feel sorry for them and sorry for you! And yet -- I still pray that you and no one else have to walk in their shoes.

This idea that people of privilege aren't caring and thoughtful is ridiculous. Your article continued to feed into the stereotypes of our nation. It's disappointing that you, a "respected" newsman couldn't see the big picture and realize that despite their flaws -- no one, black or white, deserves to experience what these young men and their families endured.

Lastly, what was said about the Rutgers woman was outrageous and wrong! But, for you to compare these two cases is insensitive and outrageous. These women had horrible words said about them. These three boys were handcuffed, falsely accused, spent 13 months wondering if the better part of their lives would be spent in jail….etc. The Rutgers woman will most certainly be impacted and my heart goes out to them. It is a shame that your heart can't see the challenges these young men faced and the lasting impact it will have on them too.

great article

Terry Moran, I think there's a talk-radio spot opening up if you want it. No, seriously. Don't feel to bad for them. Their names and their university have been irreperably smeared by a group of race pandering liars for a year and we should not feel bad for them because "they come from rich and connected families." Do rich and connected families not have eyes, subject to the same diseases, healed in the same means.
They had the resources to fight him off, but now they are victims of a recless 'journalist' and unfortunately, don't have Al Sharpton to call for his resignation.

I think if you had just deleted the words "don't feel too sorry" for these boys, then people wouldn't get so angry. You made EXCELLENT valid points that should be recognized, but often people don't get past the emotion to see and understand those points.

Psst. J - it's not a "news article"...its an editorial - pure commentary and opinion...happily disagree but don't pretend he's "reporting"

Wow, talk about blaming the victims (the Dukies in case you were wondering). While you want us to remember "a few things" about that night, you should take note that everything you mention was legal.
Filing a false police report was not.

It sounds like this blog was written to help you sleep better at night. No doubt you were one of the many who presumed they were guilty because of your own white guilt.

This article is almost comical. I have now lost any and all respect I had for ABC News. This is nothing but a classic LIBERAL response from an undeniably LIBERAL slanting news media. I wonder what would have happened if these were three RICH black men accused (and basically tried in the media) of raping a white woman. Had they then been found innocent I bet the tone of Mr. Moran's article would have been slightly different. It probably would not have been "Let's not feel too sorry for the rich guys", but would have decried the racism and injustice that led to the whole debacle in the first place....as a good LIBERAL media member would do.
The fact that these boys come from rich families makes them targets of the LIBERAL media....a media that jumps to conclusions and then when proven wrong tries to downplay the injustice done simply because the accused weren't members of their favorite minority groups. When will Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton be apologizing for their role in the injustice done here? Probably never...because they are opportunists and have distanced themselves from this in a typical cowardly manner. Besides, Terry Moran has already written what would be their likely response.

The liberal media stikes again. This never would have been blown so out of proportion if it were not three whites boys that looked like they might be wronging a black women.....the media and prosicuter jump to convict in the press without all the facts. Do I hear any appologies from Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson???? Or are they along with the sick liberal media too busy hanging a shock jock who was just using freedom of speach??? There are lots of in justices that occur every day and the press MUST stop convicting people in the media. Terry Morin is way short sided on his views....he doesn't slur people, he only implies. Sooo ABC is that OK or should you hang him out ot dry? Why is his oponion important? He is surposed to report the news NOT make the news.

Ahh, so b/c these kids are rich then we shouldn't care about their misfortune? That makes sense. I'm glad you and many of the posters on this site are not judges. Dirty rich people. What were they thinking. They shouldn't have been ambitious. Sure, there are a lot of evil rich people, but just b/c you're rich does not mean you don't deserve justice or compassion!!! Are you sure your name isn't Terry Moron?

I presume that this would continue to be your view should you or your children someday be indicted for a crime of which you were innocent?

TC,

Hats off to you...you NAILED IT!

TC.........Spot on could not have said it better myself

The key to this whole thing is in Terry's last paragraph. "They aren't heroes. They aren't boys. They are young men who were victimized by a reckless prosecutor--and had the resources the fight him off." This whole incident was a hurdle for the boys, not a brick wall. Yes, it 'sucks' that they had to go through a whole year wondering how the case would turn out, but it's over with. Either they can use this experience to build character, or they use it to weedle sympathy. I think things eventually turned out alright, their innocense proven, Nifong's BIG mistakes exposed...Now learn from it. Figure out WHY it happened, and find steps to prevent it from happening in other places, to ALL other people. Perhaps the media did overexpose and propell the case, but it helped flush out a flaw, opened it, and gave us room to work.

Can you really be that stupid ?

Unbelievable. These young men deserve less attention simply because they come from privileged backgrounds? Does having money make any of them any less of a victim?

True, there surely are countless cases of injustices in the country every year in which the falsely accused do not get the attention that these three young men are getting. However, those wrongly accused probably didn't have the intense media coverage and public protests thrust upon them like the Duke students did. In the court of public opinion, they were already convicted!

Will the heads of the major news outlets, Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and everyone else who assumed guilt in this case now offer public apologies to these kids?

Imus got fired for saying what they thought they were paying for. These young men choose to have what they thought was a great party. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time doing the wrong thing. The crime was and still is defending that behavior.

Let's be honest with what this article REALLY is...it's about getting attention. It's an article meant to provoke, not to say what's true and right. And why would we want such attention? Mmm, to get noticed, to make more money, etc. And, if Terry Moron wants more money then how is he any different than these "rich Dukies?" Such a double standard. Envious of those that have, while being conniving to get more.

I'm sick of the news, b/c it's not reporting, it's propoganda made not by the government, but by those who need more money, more viewers, and more attention for more ad money.

Wow, there are alot of opinions out there.
Terry, I have to agree with you.
Now regarding responses that include racism, get over it!
I wasn't here back in the days of slavery and most likely most of you weren't either! You want racism to stop, then stop throwing it in our faces. As long as the good reverend's are on their soap boxes, it will never end.
The Duke guys will be fine. They will reap the rewards with being known for something.
I will never be famous for anything but I am good enough for the life I live!

Terry, although you make some valid points about the justice system, your comments advocating that we all not concern ourselves with the plight of these young men because they are "rich" and have "connections" are absurd and disingenuous. Do you not use your connections daily? Would you not use all of your resources to protect your children from false accusations that had the potential to ruin their lives? Of course you would. And you would feel similarly agrieved by such a case.
Further, you indicate that there are many less fortunate people out there who the system has failed and continues to fail. Last time I checked, you worked for a NEWS ORGANIZATION. So, go out there and report on those cases. Become their advocates. Shine the light you have been afforded to illuminate the problems you so rightly identify. The fact of the matter is that you will not do so because it is not marketable. You will not find advertising buyers. So before you lecture the public on their morals and ethics, look at home first.

I find this appalling. All of it. I especially find it unsettling that Mr. Moran believes that students attending Duke or other similar schools are cushioned from the real world! Give me a break. These young men obviously have the brain power to get into Duke and to stay there. My parents graduated from Duke as did my two nieces. My father was the son of missionaries and my nieces are the daughters of a minister and a school teacher. Both of these families have/had limited funds but felt education was a priority. Before one pigeon-hole's everyone, he should conduct the necessary research. Mr. Moran is sorely wrong about this.

Is this surprising to anyone that a news anchor for ABC news is spewing the standard liberal bias that they have become so famous for? Moran should be making a personal appearance at the homes of thses three kids to apologize for the one sided coverage his network provided for this case. Pitiful, but not a surprise.

This is absurd. I think these young men should be given an apology from all those who prematurely condemned them. I agree with the poster who stated that I was not around during the time of slavery and neither were most who still use slavery to throw in our faces. Yes, what happened the night of the lacrosse team party was unseemly and repulsive, but the accuser's story was never very believable. Revs. Sharpton and Jackson must be ecstatic that they have a new controversy to protest or else they just might have to apologize to the young men they wrongfully accused. Are Sharpton and Jackson going to apologize to these boys? Is Oprah going to invite them on her show to speak of the legal injustices they have been subjected to because they are wealthy white folk? Probably not. The "Dukies" and their families did not ask for an apology from Sharpton, Jackson and all of the others that prematurely proclaimed their guilt, but I think that we should demand that they get one, just like others demanded that the RU women's team get one.

I would never, EVER hire such men. Individuals like these who show such utter disrespect to women and minorities would never even hope to get a job working for me no matter how "well-connected" or "educated" they are. Treating people like objects or property is not the kind of character trait I would want in anyone I would employ. No, they shouldn't have been falsely accused of rape, but they shouldn't have treated these women like they were soulless pieces of meat, either.

The fact that these three men come from wealthy backgrounds has nothing to do with this case. It's comparing apples to oranges. They were wrongly accused and the arrogance of the prosecution had to be addressed and must be punished. Maybe this case will have a positive outcome for all races. Maybe, just maybe, prosecutors will now take a closer look at all the evidence before they judge the accused. That's assuming prosecutors have evaluated the outcome of this case and have learned something from it.

Well, as long as we're so closely scrutinizing these young men's pasts and risky behaviors as an indication of their guilt, what was the alleged victim in the habit of doing? -- STRIPPING her clothes off and doing sexy dances in front of rowdy groups of young males.