Brodhead's response inexcusable, damaging

I was uneasy with President Richard Brodhead's initial actions to the lacrosse rape allegations. As an alumnus, I read the news and noted Dr. Brodhead's decisions. I cautioned myself to wait to see if there was sound basis for his judgments, telling myself that for me to rush to judgment would be doing precisely what raised my doubts over his actions.

My first instincts were that his early responses reflected a premature condemnation, which at the very minimum would enflame emotions against these young men and complicate their defense. It now seems my concern was well founded. While the president has gingerly back-pedaled from his early posture, I have watched and waited for him to apologize to the Duke community. To my knowledge, he has not.

Indeed, though his recent actions betray a sense of regret over his earlier hastiness, he appears to stubbornly avoid admitting error.

I believe President Brodhead failed miserably to rise to the challenges this situation presented. His actions (and those of many of his colleagues within the Duke community) have done immense damage to this great university.

Instead of cautioning those rushing to condemn, instead of staunchly maintaining the great principles of justice and constitutional law that are among the most fundamental bases of our national ethos, he raced to posture to the crowd noise.

Whatever the ultimate outcome of the case against the young men, the President's actions were unworthy of his office. Dr. Brodhead, posturing amid the political extremists around him, is himself the greater problem. His action was the one that was anti-intellectual and unprincipled. His action was the one that cannot be tolerated within the halls of a great university. His was the action of a coward not fit to lead a great institution of learning.

He should resign as president. He should do so today.

Craig Andrews