Just Sayin'

I listened to Rutger's president, Barchi yesterday with my mouth open...  wide open.  "I want to be clear.  I did not fire him (Mike Rice) for cause."  He further stated that there was nothing in the Rutger's University policy that would allow him to do that.  (That last sentence is a paraphrase.) But here's the thing, at least for me.  When I look at these tapes there appears to be numerous incidences of assault taking place. They are violent and they are repetitive.  Even if we examine them contextually, they are over the top.  

An even larger issue is the statement of Barchi as it attempting to explain why he never viewed the tapes.   Why he relied so heavily on the inside and outside counsel; why he relied on Pernetti.   It was because no one else:  not the players or "anyone else in the gymnasium" that witnessed any or all of these acts complained.  Although there was some question from reporters if others were in the room,  Barchi insists there were.  He also insists that no one complained or brought this to his attention.  That's pretty frightening.  Because what I take away from that is that this abhorent behavior is more strongly a part of the culture and in keeping with the Rutgers' way than not; and that no one will stand up to it. (unless they are denied $950,000)  This is pretty scary stuff, especially at a public institution.  Either folks thought that this was just what we do here or there was some level of fear in reporting it.   For all we know, going to watch basketball players be trashed and humiliated may, for some,  have been part of the entertainment for the day.  Am I supposed to  believe that professors allowed to use books, rather than basketballs, when attempting to get students to understand course material?

And President Barchi has a record of being sensitive to minority issues; especially those of the LGBT community.  So it really puzzles me that when hearing that "homophobic slurs" were used repeatedly at basketball practices, by school leadership; and knowing that these practices were open; and knowing that there were other members of the school community present  that there was no desire to take a few minutes to look at the video tapes.    It takes more than building a Tyler Clementi Center to create an accepting culture a reality.  It’s a great gesture.  It’s a step in the right direction; but it really isn’t about a building.  It’s about the hard stuff: addressing destructive behaviors 

“Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.” 
― Martin Luther King, Jr.