Web Letters: A Hoax Exposed at Princeton

To my knowledge, Mr. Blumenthal did not talk with anyone in the Princeton University administration before unfairly and without evidence accusing Professor George of "attacking Princeton's administration" for its handling of this incident.

To the contrary, Professor George was helpful at each step of the investigation, as were the students who, like Professor George, received the e-mails that we now know to have been a hoax.

Professor George encouraged the students most affected by these threats to remain calm and to trust the University officials who were responding to this matter. We are most grateful for his help.

Kathleen Deignan
Dean of Undergraduate Students

Princeton University, New Jersey

The lack of balance between pointing to the mistakes made by prominent right-wing figures and an account of the actual event--and an exposition of how it turned out to be fictional, a rather crucial part of the story one would think--make this potentially solid piece a rant.

Also, it is unclear what the "history of self-injury" refers to, gathering from the context it is an alluion to previous, unrelated incidents. Self-injury and mutiliation are serious and private matters of mental health and should not be used by any journalist to support his political agenda. Blumenthal's previous work clearly indicates that he is capable of much better and that attacking this troubled young man's mental health history is a cheap shot unfit for this publication.

Lucia Bill
NorthStar Writers

Tempe, AZ

Evan Garcia (and The Nation) Is Orangina French? I didn't know, and it's a symbolic stretch, albeit a good one (smiley). I did dig the voice Nava heard whil banging his beanie, though. "STFU! STFU!" How symbolic is that?

Sid Thomas

Binghamton, NY

I'm surprised that Nava's initial defenders did not immediately lunge and pick up something from his account that jumped out at me: being attacked with a bottle of Orangina.

A beleaguered conservative literally beaten by a French symbol! Considering Nava's creativity, I cannot believe that the drink was an accidental choice for his tale.

Evan Garcia

Santa Monica, CA

I am glad that this hoax was exposed before much harm was done. Yes, we can fault the current silence of Francisco Nava's original defenders. However, I do not feel the outrage that I did over the Duke University lacrosse player rape case. The inexcusable conduct and accusations of numerous professors and university activists defied the imagination. It was a reverse Selma. When are we going to hear those professors speak up? I wouldn't hold my breath.

At least Francisco Nava didn't name names.

Steven Kalka

East Rockaway, NY

This article would carry much more weight if Mr. Blumenthal covered the dozens of fake hate crimes perpetrated by liberals on college campuses across the country.

Since he didn't deem those stories newsworthy, one can only conclude that this particular article is less about hypocrisy of the right and more about Blumenthal's own double standards.

Rick Moran

Algonquin, IL