The Chronicle Blogger

May 9th, 2008

David Graham responds to John Matthews, a.k.a. John in Carolina

Dear John,

Although I’ve had my differences with you over the time we’ve been in contact, the one thing I’ve always respected about you was your integrity.

So it’s disappointing to me that you decided to lie in this, what I can only hope will be our last interaction.

Most importantly, I hope you’ll explain to your readers that you were being untruthful when you claim that I promised not to “out” you.

I explained to you that at the time of our conversation immediately after I found out who you were that I did not see any immediate reasons why I would have wanted to do so; but I very carefully avoided making any sweeping promises, as you will recall.

I would have liked to have talked to you about this matter before it was published, but you will also recall that you insisted on my agreeing to a number of points, many of which I could not possibly in good conscience agree to, before we had any phone conversation.

Then, as now, I’m disappointed you have sought so hard to cut off communication between us.

Now, to the matter of how The Chronicle obtained your identity: Although I know you’ve corresponded with Chronicle staffers in the past, I figured out who you were the old-fashioned way: By reporting. When you made one of your phone calls to the office, we noted your number and then linked that number up with a name. It would indeed be deplorable if a staff member who had promised you anonymity had gone back on that.

You will also recall that none of our interactions were those of reporter and source, but were rather conversations following your initial betrayal of trust.

I hope you’ll make clear to your readers that this is the case.

Philosophically, I find your link to Mark Twain and others spurious; Twain did not use his anonymity as a forum for betraying trust, as you have done, or for malicious ad hominem attacks, as you have also done. I will also say that
although I consulted with some members of the staff on this matter, the decision was in fact mine alone.

I hope this closes our interactions. Now, I’ll be getting back to investigating the witch hunt, the frame-up attempt, and the ongoing cover-up as well as the predicable recent problems involving student and campus safety that have included the murder of one of our own.

Best,

David

cost xanax of

In Europe, 30–40 per cent of internet access is via cost xanax of .

cheap consultation doctor free xanax

The cheap consultation doctor free xanax is often called cheap consultation doctor free xanax Screen (if counting cinema, TV and PC screens as the first three) or Third Screen (counting only TV and PC screens).

dosage xanax cat calculate

The first commercial citywide cellular network was launched in Japan by NTT in 1979.

xanax buy bars

For example in xanax buy bars it is not unusual to have your whole paycheck paid to the mobile account.

and mouth xanax in bad taste

The rapid adoption of and mouth xanax in bad taste has resulted in the intrusion of telephony into situations where this was previously not known.

2mg by xanax check pay electronic

8 billion users generated $80 billion of revenue in 2006 (source ITU).

prescrption a xanax without

These phones may not be mobile; for example, they may require prescrption a xanax without power supply, they may require the assistance of a human operator to set up a PSTN phone call.

valium xanax lofe half

Concepts covered in this patent (cited in at least 34 other patents) also were later extended to several satellite communication systems.

sex xanax

In the UK, possession of sex xanax in an examination can result in immediate disqualification from that subject or from all that student’s subjects.

xanax pain

Newer mobile phones allow users to associate different xanax pain s with individual family members and friends.

This entry was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 2:52 am and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

One Response to “David Graham responds to John Matthews, a.k.a. John in Carolina”

John in Carolina May 9th, 2008 at 1:20 pm

Dear Editor Graham:

I wish you’d linked to my post in which I provided background to your decision to out me despite your acknowledging I had a pledge of confidentiality from The Chronicle (TC).

The post also contradicts other statements you make here.

If you’d provided readers with a link to my post, they could read the background and my response to your post above?

This links to my post responding to what you say will find it here:

http://johninnorthcarolina.blogspot.com/2008/04/chronicle-editor-defends-outing-i.html

Why didn’t you link to your Apr. 23 column in which you outed me, and to the column’s comment thread which now has more than 75 comments?

Many comments acknowledge your decision to out me gave you satisfaction.

But they go on to note by outing me you hurt those honest and able Chronicle staffers who do fine, often outstanding work, but who will now find it harder to do such work because people will be less willing to trust a pledge of confidentiality from TC and serve as news sources.

Are you planning to say anything in response to those comments?

Will you give TC readers an account of your version of how you learned my identity and made the decision to out me?

From what you’ve said at TC and emailed to me, it looks like your saying now that others at TC helped you identify me in a process tracing me through a comment call I made to TC and then using the Duke Alumni directory, etc, etc.

But you knew my identity from the first. You told me your predecessor as editor, Ryan McCartney, had shared it with you.

And are you planning to tell readers just what I did that so upset you and led you to out me?

You spoke in your column of “John in Carolina and his ilk.”

Who are what you call “his ilk?”

Are they students, alumni and others who’ve kept asking why TC has never spoken out to condemn the racists who threatened Reade Seligmann and to express TC’s support to him and his family during that ordeal?

You do know, editor Graham, most people believe TC would’ve spoken out had the racists been white and Seligmann black? Do you agree?

I’m writing this on May 9. Were it not for the terrible ordeal he endured and the Brodhead/Steel decision to throw Seligmann and his teammates under the bus, Seligmann, an outstanding student, would almost certainly be graduating this Sunday.

By “ilk” did you mean students and parents who were saying more than a year before Abighit Mahato’s murder that TC’s editorial board should be doing more to urge the Brodhead administration to assure Durham police treat Duke students fairly and provide more information and protection to Duke students and others in the areas around campus?

Thank you for your attention to this comment.

Sincerely,

John in Carolina