Say hello to the new Mary Rosh

[1a2b3c]

http://www.emorywheel.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2003/10/10/3f86484674de4

What do you do when you are about to lose a tenured job, your employer is investigating your fraudulent research and you've alienated a small cadre of supporters in an academic scandal over the explosive topic of guns?

Perhaps you invent an online persona to defend your work.

Since Emory launched that investigation in the spring of 2002, the most vocal and intemperate online supporter of Bellesiles has been a man who goes by the handle "Benny Smith." Smith has posted seven times on the Wheel's Web site and on countless occasions at History News Network, a site run by George Mason University, at hnn.us. On our site, Smith identifies himself as a Detroit-based database administrator.

In a Dec. 15 post to an HNN discussion board, Smith wrote that Bellesiles should have "retained appropriate counsel early on." Mysteriously, Smith knew both that the professor had recently hired a lawyer and that he was previously without one. Remarkably, no newspaper had reported on Bellesiles' legal representation before (or after) Smith made his post. It's peculiar that someone with Smith's credentials would have any knowledge of the matter, particularly someone who insisted in a March 20 HNN post: "I do not know Bellesiles personally."

It's telling that whenever Smith is questioned, he disappears or dodges, occasionally choosing to rant about the National Rifle Association and partisan politics that he claims ruined Bellesiles. For the record, I've called all of the listed Benjamin Smiths in the Detroit area. None had heard of Emory, much less Bellesiles.

As for Bellesiles, who also uses a Yahoo! e-mail account these days, he did not respond to questions for this column.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that one of two scenarios exists: Either Bellesiles and Smith are in cahoots and Bellesiles is using Smith as a mouthpiece in order to garner self-respect in the wake of his downfall, or Benny Smith is Bellesiles.

Either scenario is a disappointing turn for an already sad story.

This comes straight out of Emory. Too funny. I am just gonna have to mention old Benny Smith every time i see the Mary Rosh thrown out. :-) Atleast Mary Rosh didnt loose a job because of fraud.

[MrBenchley]

1. Gee, what's even funnier is

that it never occurs to this boob that the guy might be shilling for the obscure "Soft Skull" publishing house.

[jody]

2. Now 1a2b3c, don't destroy the fantasy world created by gun-haters. eom

:hi: :-) :D :7

[1a2b3c]

3. I know

but it was just too funny of an article to pass up.