Three weeks ago, unbeknownst to me, ABC's local affiliate, WTVD, decided to run a short piece investigating (so they claim) the apparent "controversy" surrounding my column addressed to "Armed Durham Residents."
Apparently, I didn't get the memo about this alleged outrage sparked by the letter-which the "reporter" (and I use this word as loosely as humanly possible) somehow tied to the lacrosse case and racial polarization.
Anyhow, our eloquent correspondent goes on to point out that "people on both sides are sounding off." Both sides, I thought to myself. Hmmm, were they going to interview Abhijit Mahato's suspected killer, or a local Blood leader?
Let's proceed.
The first two sheepishly aloof contributors were recognizably Duke students who both, and I thank Jesus, understood what I was going for in the column. However, the tide turned significantly when the "other side" began to sound off. At this point, I was hoping for a cut to the jail, maybe Pettigrew Street after dark or at least something reminiscent of the "Welcome to Durham" documentary.
No. Apparently, according to WTVD, the "other side" of the controversy they had just fabricated is local, seemingly well-to-do African-American young people.
Does anyone else see something horribly wrong with this situation?
What in God's name do these people have to do with those individuals who have been robbing the Duke community? Are they suggesting that the supposed armed Durhamites I addressed in my sarcastic letter to the Duke community are in fact your average black Durham residents?
OK. Hold on. We're getting ahead of ourselves here.
The newsreel first takes us to a black woman-presumably in her 20s-who is apparently quite irate. "Every time it's a problem it's blamed on the gang members," she explains. "It's blamed on the youth and I work for the youth, I work for Durham County teen corps, so I take offense to that."
This statement perplexed me on two levels. First, when are gangs a good thing? Second, never once did I myself blame gangs or youth. I did, as the newsman points out, make mention to guns and bandanas. This, however, was simply a reference to the appearance of certain East Campus muggers. I didn't even specify a race.
Next, the piece cuts to a sharply dressed young man who goes on to state that, "Robbery is wrong, but allowing individuals who are poor is wrong too. We should reach out to those people and bring them up so they don't have to be out there robbing."
In principle, I agree. And I think my letter makes reference to the abominable minimum wage here in North Carolina. However, to insinuate that as Duke undergraduates we are somehow "allowing" or perpetuating the city's poverty is ludicrous.
In reality, neither of these responses bothers me much. Sure I may not agree, but their reactions were clearly goaded by a group of ABC11 employees attempting to pose as journalists. It is the irresponsible and sensationalist (well, attempted sensationalist) actions of this television station that should be looked upon critically.
During the nearly one-month span from when my column was published until today, I have not received a single angry e-mail, Facebook message or phone call regarding the controversy I apparently enflamed. Most notably, the good folks down at WTVD failed to contact me for comment. You would think maybe attempting to reach me for my thoughts would be... I don't know... a responsible and fair thing to do?
I guess maybe they didn't go to Duke.
Regardless, I would just like to thank the lovely folks down at ABC11 WTVD. Because, in reality, all publicity is good publicity.
The video can be found by simply googling "Dan Belzer" and "ABC."
Dan Belzer is a Trinity senior. His column runs every Thursday.
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