A FRATERNITY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA WHICH WAS
THE SUBJECT OF A SUPER QUESTIONABLE AND INCORRECT
ROLLING STONE PIECE ABOUT CAMPUS RAPE HAS SETTLED THE DEFAMATION
LAWSUIT WITH ROLLING STONE TO THE TUNE OF $1.65 MILLION.
THIS
OF COURSE HAD TO DO WITH THE VIRGINIA ALPHA, I'M SORRY
THE VIRGINIA ALPHA CHAPTER OF ALPHA PSI.
THAT WAS THE FRATERNITY
THAT WAS WRITTEN ABOUT IN THE ARTICLE AND IT ALLEGED THAT
THERE WAS A GANG RAPE OF A FEMALE STUDENTS WHO WENT BY THE
NAME OF JACKIE.
THE ISSUE WITH THE PIECE WAS THAT THE WRITER
DID NOT TALK TO ANYONE EXCEPT FOR JACKIE, THE WOMAN WHO
ALLEGED THAT SHE HAD BEEN GETTING RANKED BY THIS
FRATERNITY AND SO WHEN THE STORY CAME OUT THERE WERE A NUMBER OF
PEOPLE INCLUDING THE ALLEGED VICTIMS OF FRIENDS WHO CAME OUT
AND SAID THIS IS NOT TRUE.
AT THAT POINT ROLLING STONE HAD TO
RETRACT THEIR PEACE AND OF COURSE THEY FACED SOME
DEFAMATION LAWSUITS BECAUSE THEY RUN TO THE REPUTATIONS OF
INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE PART OF THIS REPORTING.
THE VIRGINIA
ALPHA CHAPTER OF FIVE Aside FRATERNITY HAS AGREED TO SETTLE
AND DISMISS ITS DEFAMATION LAWSUIT AGAINST ROLLING STONE
AND SABRINA HURRIEDLY, THAT IS THE WRITER, RISING FROM THE
MAGAZINE'S PUBLICATION OF THE NOVEMBER 2014 ARTICLE A RAPE ON
CAMPUS, A BRUTAL ASSAULT AND STRUGGLE FOR JUSTICE AT UVA THE
FRATERNITY SAID IN A STATEMENT.
THE MAGAZINE ALSO SETTLED
ANOTHER LAWSUIT EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH THE FORMER UNIVERSITY
OF VIRGINIA ASSOCIATE DEAN NICOLE AROUND THE CLAIM SHE WAS
TO PAY BY THE STORIES WELL.
THE ARTICLE CLAIMED THAT SHE DIDN'T
TAKE THE ACCUSATIONS SERIOUSLY, THERE WASN'T A PROPER
INVESTIGATION DONE AND SO RIGHTFULLY SO SHE WENT AFTER
ROLLING STONE FOR DEFAMATION AND THEY SETTLED THE CASE AS WELL.
EVEN THOUGH I COMPLETELY AGREE THAT ROLLING STONE DID NOT DO
THE RIGHT THING AND THAT WAS INCREDIBLY UNETHICAL AND
IRRESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM, I DIDN'T WANT THAT ONE STORY TO
DESTROY THE PUBLICATION BECAUSE ROLLING STONE HAS REALLY GREAT
WRITERS INCLUDING MATT AND I DIDN'T WANT TO SEE THE ENTIRE
PUBLICATION GO DOWN THE DRAIN BECAUSE OF THE IRRESPONSIBLE
BEHAVIOR OF A FEW EDITORS AND A WRITER SO I AM HAPPY TO SEE THAT
THE SETTLEMENT IS NOT, IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT IS
GOING TO BREAK THE BANK FOR THEM.
$1.65 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW, DIVING INTO THIS, THE COLOMBIAN JOURNALISM
REVIEW DID A REALLY GOOD PLAY-BY-PLAY OF WHAT EXACTLY
WENT WRONG AND IT IS REALLY FRUSTRATING TO READ THROUGH
BECAUSE IT CALLS INTO QUESTION UNFORTUNATELY FOR A LOT OF
PEOPLE HE GAVE THEM LICENSE TO QUESTION THE TESTIMONY OF SEXUAL
ASSAULT VICTIMS AND THAT IS WHAT IS SO HEARTBREAKING ABOUT THIS.
I THINK OF THE PEOPLE AT ROLLING STONE, THE EDITORS AND THE
WRITER THEMSELVES HAVE ONLY KNOWLEDGE THAT.
THE
IMPLICATIONS AND RAMIFICATIONS OF THE STORY ARE SO TRAGIC JUST
BE ON THIS FALSEHOOD AND I KNOW WHAT THEY WERE DOING, THEY WERE
ACTING IN DIFFERENCE IN TRYING TO RESPECT WHO THEY THOUGHT WAS,
WHO PRESENTED THEMSELVES AS A SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIM AND I
UNDERSTAND THAT THAT IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE HAVE TO QUESTION
OKAY, IF I WERE IN THESE SHOES, WHAT WOULD I DO BECAUSE YOU HAVE
THIS PERSON SAYING I'M A VICTIM, PLEASE DON'T THINK OUT FOR
JUSTICE PEOPLE AND THEN DOWN THE LINE AFTER THE STORIES ARTIE IN
THE PIPELINE READY TO BE PUBLISHED IN SOME QUESTIONS COME
UP WHERE SHE CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER THE SPELLING OF THE
PERSON THAT SHE IS SAYING INSTIGATED THE WHOLE EVENT.
THAT'S REALLY FISHY BUT WHAT YOU DO?
THE STORIES ARTIE GOING TO BE PUBLISHED.
IT'S POSSIBLE SHE'S
FORGETTING SOME DETAILS.
ALL THE SNOWBALLED INTO SOMETHING
THAT, THE EFFECTS ARE STILL THING TODAY BECAUSE WHENEVER WE
COVER A STORY EVEN ON THE STORY OR CHANNEL ABOUT RAPE OR SEXUAL
ASSAULT THEIR PEOPLE WHO WILL CITE BOGUS STATISTICS BECAUSE
PEOPLE ARE SAYING WHAT ABOUT THE UVA CASE?
THEY MUST BE
LYING.
THAT IS WHAT THIS DATA.
IT IS CONSEQUENCES 101 FOR THIS AS WE SAID MANY TIMES THAT
YOU DON'T WANT TO POISON THE FIELD FOR ONE SOMETHING REALLY
HAPPENS BECAUSE EVEN BEFORE ANY FALSE ALLEGATIONS EVEN ARISE,
THERE IS ARTIE SUPPRESSION OF VICTIMS OF RAPE ALREADY JUST
BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS SOCIETY THAT WANTS TO DEMONIZE SOMEONE
WHO IS A VICTIM OF A CRIME LIKE THIS ALREADY FOR SOME REASON.
THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS AND WE KNOW THOSE BUT THEN AFTER IT
WAS ALL SAID AND DONE, THIS IS WHAT STRUCK ME IN THIS AS WELL,
THE JOURNALIST FOR THIS WHO, I WANTED TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED TO
HER, I FIGURE SHE WENT AWAY, SHE WORKING AGAIN.
WHEN IT COMES
THE CONSEQUENCES FOR ROLLING STONE, WHAT HAPPENS TO HER AS
WELL AS HER CAREER SHE WAS FORCED TO GO INTO HIDING
WHILE RECEIVING THREATS OF COURSE I WONDER WHAT KIND
OF THREATS SHE RECEIVED AS A WOMAN?
EVEN AFTER IT IS ALL SAID AND DONE IT YOU ARE IN THE WRONG
FROM ROLLING STONE TO THE WRITER OF THE PIECE, THEN SHE STILL
GETS THE SAME THREATS THAT LEAD TO THINGS SHE WAS WRITING ABOUT
THE FIRST PLACE OF BOTH SIDES AND OF HAVING TO RE-CREATE THE
BAD SIDES OF THIS WHOLE THING.
WHEN IT COMES TO FALSE ALLEGATIONS OR WHEN IT
COMES TO SHOOTING DEATH THREATS AT WOMAN JUST BECAUSE SHE
IS A WOMAN AND I WOULDN'T WANT TO SEE THE KINDS OF THREATS
THAT SHE RECEIVED FROM THE START.
SHE WAS VERY CLOSE TO THIS.
SHE ABOUT GOT VERY CLOSE TO
JACKIE, THEY SPOKE AND MET A NUMBER OF TIMES I ALSO THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT TO CALL HER EDITORS WERE LESS CLOSE TO LOOK AT THE
SUSPECT CHECKERS.
SHE SAYS THIS, CAN WE DOUBLE CHECK THIS
AND MAKE SURE THAT HE WAS A LIFEGUARD AT THIS POINT IN TIME.
WE NEED TO LOOK AT THIS OBJECTIVELY.
TO CERTAIN LEVEL,
YOU HAVE TO BE A LITTLE COLD ABOUT IT AND CYNICAL, MAYBE SHE
IS LINED I THINK HER EDITORS DIDN'T DO THAT JOB AND I DON'T
THINK IT IS WRONG TO TREAT PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY HAVE
BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED RESPECTFULLY AND TO TREAT
THEM, I DON'T KNOW, IT'S A DELICATE SITUATION BUT
SOMEONE SHOULD IN FACT CHECKING ALONG THE WAY.
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE WITH YOU AND I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S MORE
COLD AND CALLOUS TO DEPICT THIS BLEAK CRIMINAL PICTURE OF IT AS
INDIVIDUALS AND THAT IS ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENED WITH
THIS PIECE WHICH IS WHY IT IS SO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO NOT RELY
ON ONE SOURCE AND ONE SOURCE ONLY.
YOU HAVE TO CORROBORATE
IT AND THAT PERTAINS TO EVERY TYPE OF STORY.
IF SOMEONE IS
LEAKING SOMETHING TO YOU, YOU CAN'T JUST SIMPLY RELY ON WHAT
THAT ONE LEAKER SAYS AND I KNOW A LOT OF PUBLICATIONS, THE NEW
YORK TIMES, A LOT OF ESTABLISHED PUBLICATIONS MAKE SURE THAT THEY
COOPERATE WHAT THAT SOURCES SAYING BEFORE THEY PUBLISH THE
PIECE BECAUSE ANYONE CAN SAY ANYTHING AND IF YOU JUST TAKE
THAT FOR FACE VALUE ARE AT FACE VALUE WHEN YOU PUBLISH IT THAT
IS NOT ETHICAL AND RESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM AND LOOK, I THINK THE
FACT THAT THE SETTLEMENT CAME ABOUT TODAY IS REALLY
INTERESTING TO ME BECAUSE IT MADE ME KIND OF GO BACK IN TIME,
2014 WHEN THIS WAS A BIG STORY AND IT MADE ME REALIZE THAT
JOURNALISM AS A WHOLE HAS EVOLVED SO MUCH, EVEN IN
THE SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME SINCE THIS ENTIRE THING BLEW UP, RIGHT?
YOU SEE ALL KINDS OF DEFAMATORY STUFF IN THE MEDIA ABOUT ANYONE,
ABOUT ANY POLITICIAN, ABOUT ANYONE WHO IS IN THE NEWS OR WHO
WAS IN THE HEADLINES AT THAT MOMENT THAT YOU SEE A BUNCH OF
SO-CALLED JOURNALISTS TRY TO MAKE THE STORY ABOUT THEM
BECAUSE THEY ARE TRYING TO MAKE A NAME FOR THEMSELVES AS A POST
TO ACTUALLY JUST REPORTING THE FACTS AND INSTEAD OF PUSHING
THEIR AGENDA, THEY SHOULD BE FOCUSING ON STORIES THAT MATTER
TO THE AMERICAN PUBLIC SO THEY CAN BE WELL-INFORMED
PARTICIPANTS OF A DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM AND WE HAVE MOVED SO FAR
AWAY FROM THAT.
IT IS NOT JUST TELEVISION MEDIA THAT IT IS
NOT JUST ESTABLISHMENT MEDIA.
IT IS MEDIA IN GENERAL NOW TO
DOESN'T MEAN IF YOU ARE IN DIGITAL MEDIA OR TELEVISION OR
PRINT.
I SEE DISHONEST ACTORS EVERYWHERE AND IT IS JUST REALLY
DEVASTATING TO ME BECAUSE I REALIZE THAT YOU, IF YOU ARE A
PUBLIC FIGURE, YOUR REPUTATION IS NOT IN YOUR HANDS ANYMORE.
YOUR REPUTATION IS IN THE HANDS OF EVERYONE ELSE WHO DECIDE WHAT
THE NARRATIVE IS, WHO DECIDE WHAT KIND OF PERSON YOU ARE,
WHO DECIDE TO COVER YOU IN ANY WAY THEY DECIDE TO AND THAT IS
THE WORST PART ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU ARE
A GOOD PERSON IT DOESN'T MATTER IF YOU HAVE THE BEST INTENTIONS.
LOOK IT WHAT HAPPENED TODAY WITH BERNIE SANDERS.
HE IS GETTING BLAMED FOR SHOOTING AT A CONGRESSIONAL
BASEBALL PRACTICE AND HE HAS NEVER ONCE CONDONED VIOLENCE.
HE HAS NEVER ONCE ENCOURAGED OR INCITED VIOLENCE BY OTHER PEOPLE
GET THE JOBLESS NARRATIVE OF HIM AND HIS IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR.
WE ALREADY IN OUR CORNERS AND I THINK JOHN TWEETED IT, HE SAID
THESE TYPE OF THINGS ALLOW PEOPLE TO COBBLE IN THE
CORNERS AND THEN ONCE THEY ARE THERE THEY USE IT FOR THEIR
OWN PERSPECTIVE AND THEIR OWN ANGLE TO PROVE THAT THEIR
CORNER IS THE BEST CORNER AND NO ONE IS EVER GOING TO SPEAK THE.
WE RELY ON JOURNALISTS TO BE THE WATCHDOGS FOR THIS
GOING WITH THE DOG ANALOGY BECAUSE I LOVE THEM, IT WAS
SORT OF LIKE ROLLING STONE GOT CUT CHASING THEIR OWN TAIL.