Document text
http:// --> Ashland, Oregon HOME Valley & State Sports Nation & World Opinion/Editorial Classifieds Business Columnists Local Issues Obituaries Weather Archive Revels Etcetera Backpage Hot Topics Most Viewed Forum Photo Galleries Video Readers Polls O-Zone Online Games Movie Preview Special Sections Real Estate Guide Menu Guide Shakespeare Subscribe Contact Us Rate Card Place an Ad Featured Galleries: April 21, 2007 Pathway to truth is rocky Earlier this week we wrote an editorial about the more unsavory responses to the massacre of 32 students at Virginia Tech on Monday. "But part of our collective unconscious," we wrote, "is eroding in a pattern of blame, opportunism and sheer shucksterism that makes a Godzilla-like march each time we face a tragedy." At the time we twice nearly deleted the phrase, "sheer shucksterism" wondering if it pushed the point too far, adding to the insensitive jousting from politicians, journalists and pundits across the country. The phrase now rings of an eerie prophetic truth. Now, right here in Ashland, seemingly millions of miles away from the gut-wrenching tragedy of Blacksburg, Va., we see first-hand the most blatant con since Redford and Newman played in "The Sting." Southern Oregon University's Brandi Freeman, who is running for student body president in an election to be held next week, wove an intricate story about her own personal grief in the episode. She stood before a crowd of 75 or more Thursday night, tears running down her face, and spoke of the lessons learned from the death of her cousin, who Freeman said was one of the 32 victims at Virginia Tech. Friday morning, we sent our front page to the press, complete with a story about Freeman's grief and reflections, including the photo on today's front page. Moments later we learned that Freeman's cousin was not listed as one of the victims in any published report. After 30 minutes of trying to confirm or discount the accuracy of Freeman's account, we removed her photo and re-wrote the top of the story, removing Freeman from the account of the vigil. Within an hour, Freeman's story unraveled. It continued to spiral throughout the day. At one point Freeman called a Tidings' editor and said her cousin was killed, but that she had changed her name as part of a federal witness protection operation. The new name Freeman gave us was that of an actual victim. Of course, the victim had never lived in Oregon, was only 19 and most certainly is not the cousin of Brandi Freeman. Throughout the day, a portrait of Freeman emerged: a popular, attractive and ambitious student who many considered a favorite to become the next SOU student body president. In recent months, Freeman had been the poster child at many media events, even traveling to Salem to lobby for education funding. News reports of the Salem event quoted Freeman as paying her own way through school because both her parents were incarcerated, a "fact" she admitted Friday is at least partially untrue. She told the reporter she was $50,000 in debt. She was pictured in a story by the Salem Statesman-Journal, and another by SOU's newspaper, The Siskiyou. Thursday night she helped lead the vigil, again garnering media attention from both the Mail Tribune and our reporter. But the media push was a fabrication, a house of cards built on a myth. Friday it fell. Finally, at 4 p.m. Friday, Staff Writer Robert Plain held a lengthy phone conversation with Freeman, encouraging her to stop the spiral and simply tell the truth. With compassion not normally a trademark of a reporter, Plain asked Freeman to clear the record. Thankfully, she agreed and another portrait emerged, a painful one of a student who says she suffers from bipolar personality disorder and is not taking her medication. One sad story merged into another. Freeman called Plain to tell him she would see her doctor immediately. TV news anchor Brian Williams said it best on Wednesday he said there are some days it is plain ugly being in this business. Friday was that type of day for all involved. Still, even on ugly days, the truth is worth the effort. Current Comments: while i appreciate your dedication to truth, i must admit it is a little strange to me to see this as the lead story two days in a row.... elizabeth bretko - jacksonville or - April 21st, 3:25 PM i forgive her. dustin - jacksonville, or - April 21st, 4:07 PM I find it low of people to use things to their advantage, but I have to say this is the lowest. Lying about having a cousin killed to gain more student votes? Has she no feelings for the families who really lost a loved one? Has she no guilt about lying? Obviously not since she only came out with the truth after being caught. I'm also a student at SOU and I feel she has greatly embarrassed our school with what she has done. I can't help but wonder if her bipolalor disorder is another lie. Jessica - Ashland, OR - April 21st, 8:10 PM The best thing for her to do now would be to resign from her current office. Her actions have only made it more difficult for those who actually suffer from depression or bi-polar disorders to speak about them. I suspect she is lying about being bi-polar. Brandi isn't sick, she's just a liar. I know it's less sexy, but too bad. What's more disgusting is that her only concern now appears to be if she can still run, and not the damage she's caused. SC - Ashland - April 21st, 10:43 PM I went to high school with Brandi, and College, we use to live together and lying is no new thing for Brandi. She has a long history of mental illness, several run ins with the law, not only in Ashland also in Portland. She is the fakest person I have EVER met in my life. I think SOU should take serious action on her. Lying about something so tragic like Virginia Tech is outragous. I'm glad that you guys uncovered the thruth and made her accountable for her actions. Its about time somebody did Annoymous - Ashland Oregon - April 22nd, 9:57 AM Brandi Freeman has always been a liar. I have known her since elementary school and it's unfortunate that she thinks she can gain from the loss at Virginia Tech. Christina - Portland, Oregon - April 22nd, 12:10 PM I cannot believe what you did and if it were up to me (which, keep in mind, it isn't) you would be stripped of any future political career and should have F***HEAD tattood on your cheek Thank you James - Vancouver, WA - April 22nd, 12:20 PM hey, i lived with brandi for a few weeks and then she moved out. since i have moved out of state and was shocked to here she was running for anything at school!!! she used to work at circut city and steal stuff from then all the time. she also smokes tons of pot all the time. bipolor i wouldnt doubt it, she can be fine one second and then go crazy the next. and to be honest it doesnt suprize me she did this shit... just to bad she picked a topic as sad as the VT shootings. -unknown joe dean - unknown - April 22nd, 12:35 PM Where is YOUR compasion or is it all put behind you in order to get a story. Brandi will suffer and is suffering enough in the future for her mistake. Have none of us made mistakes that we wish to be forgiven for? Which of us can throw the first stone. Is it to difficult to help her rather than condem her? How long and how many negative articles have to be written before it's enough. If she takes her life, will that be enough?? We pray that doesn't happen. no name - Oregon - April 22nd, 1:59 PM Why have we become a nation of liars from Presidents Clinton and Bush on down? Why is telling the truth becoming such a seemingly difficult thing to do? What has happened to the national character that that we make excuses for those who lie and do not punish the miscreant? Are we becoming so craven and politically correct that we do not practice honesty, even if it hurts? We need to decide which is the more important; honesty, character and honor; or lying and cheating. It is our call. Libertarian - Ashland - April 23rd, 12:17 PM Does anyone know if she commited suicide on Saturday after texting many people and was it not yet another ploy to go from disgrace to pity? One would say she would make a good politician but a good politician doesn't get caught. Does anyone know about her attempt for symphathy and the 911 dispatch to her text? cynthia - Medford Oregon - April 23rd, 1:41 PM To cynthia above me...she didn't commit suicide and it wasn't a pathetic pity attempt. She was saying goodbye to her friends that she was leaving. She left town because she is so ashamed of her actions. Give her a break.. yeah she made a huge mistake, but we've all made mistakes. And if it was a text message that she was going to commit suicide and if she did...wouldn't you feel like crap for ridiculing her for saying goodbye to her friends? anonymous - Ashland, OR - April 23rd, 3:39 PM sounds like should she have been running for with the New Ashland City Council instead. Get paid and health insurance to boot. Any means to any ends is okay if you are P.C. anon - Ashland, OR - April 23rd, 5:21 PM Yes, we should value honesty, and this kind of deceit is punishable, but how? Already I've seen vandalism to a car with her name painted on the windows. That's even lower. Those of you running around accusing her of stealing from work and smoking loads of pot should be ashamed. That has little to do with the matter at hand. All it shows it some personal vendetta you have against Brandi. She disrespected the student body with her lie, but don't stoop to the same level of disrespect. Dan - Ashland, OR - April 23rd, 6:38 PM As a student at SOU, I feel betrayed. As a compassionate American, I feel horrified for the VT victim's families. As a human being, I feel compassion for a person so utterly lost. I agree completely with Dan's statement. It saddens me to see this incident tarnish the reputation of SOU, but as students, lets rise above the name calling and act with integrity. Thank you Dan - the voice of reason, and thank you Ashland Daily Tidings for protecting our student body by uncovering the truth. Dawn - Ashland, OR - April 23rd, 8:29 PM This whole thing reminds me of the movie 'Shattered Glass' about the New Republic writer Steven Glass who made up a bunch of news stories and then lied to cover his tracks. And by the way, we haven't all made mistakes like THIS! I honestly hope she uses this "mistake" to stop all the lies and deal with her issues. Sometimes the best thing that can happen to a liar is to call them out, so they can stop the madness and begin to be honest with themselves (let alone everyone else). Kent - Portland - April 24th, 11:04 AM I'm waiting to see which sympathy card she will pull next. She should have been expelled from SOU and have this go on her permanent academic record. No universiy or student body should be subjected to this garbage. Britney - Medford - April 24th, 5:04 PM As mama used to say: one lie leads to another. I think she got caught up in the whole limelight. What about exaggerating? Tons of pot? Did you weigh it? All of you so called friends: she was a liar, thief, and druggie yet you claimed to be friends with her. What does that say of YOUR character. We coddle and over pay the athletes that drink, use drugs, date rape, etc. They aren't an embarrassment to friends and school. Move on. A Reader - Medford Oregon - April 24th, 8:05 PM She is a lieing whore! She should not be forgiven and made given a written apoligy to everyone. I am Bi-Polar and do not blatenly lie like that! Michael - Sebring, Florida - April 24th, 10:36 PM When I read the disclaimer at the bottom of this page it says that the Daily Tidings will determine if the comment should be printed and abusive language. You have allowed people to call this person a liar, druggie, thief, and now a lieing (misspelled) whore. Great journalism - and great public forum. It has allowed the really classy people of the country to voice their opinions (all the way from Florida)! A reader - Ashland Oregon - April 25th, 10:02 AM To A reader.If the forum discussion is disgusting,why do read it and take part? It is best if we allow people to speak(write) what they want and how they feel.Again Brandy isnt forced to read this. rw - ashland - April 25th, 11:13 AM Uh ... you should have gone ahead and deleted that "eerie prophetic truth" in your use of "sheer shucksterism." Have you folks a dictionary, or a firm grasp on the proper use of the English language? Please, help us out and define "shucksterism" using your stoner dictionary, because as Inigo Montoya once said in another eerie prophetic truth, "You keep using that word. I do not think it means, what you think it means." Oh, and while you're at it look into the meaning of "hubris." Webster - Ashland - April 25th, 11:29 AM "Moments later we learned that Freeman's cousin was not listed as one of the victims in any published report." An where, pray tell, did you learn this fascinating fact? "After 30 minutes of trying to confirm or discount the accuracy of Freeman's account.." You tried for a whole 30 minutes? That's dedication. Kudos. Annabelle - Ashland, Oregon - April 26th, 3:47 PM Leave a Comment: Advertisement: Advertisement: Paid Advertising: Debt Help Inkjet Printers Payday Loans Free Ringtones Debt Consolidation Security Systems Debt Relief New Hampshire Primary Advertisement: Copyright © 2007 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers. All Rights Reserved. Del.icio.us