Ed Block: Rolling Stone apology not enough

Regarding the April 6 news brief “Rolling Stone retracts story on gang rape at UVa”: I find it incredible that Sabrina Rubin Erdely, the so-called journalist who wrote this fabricated tale of a fraternity gang rape at Virginia, goes unpunished. She claimed she has learned her lesson and won’t do it again. What hogwash. Of course she’ll do it again. Why not? There are no consequences for her sloppy reporting.

She apologized to Rolling Stone readers but not to the people she really hurt by repeating totally unsubstantiated allegations. She failed to apologize to members of the fraternity she has scarred for life, nor did she apologize to the University of Virginia.

It is the university, Thomas Jefferson’s great university, that has been tarnished, suffering immense harm. And by damaging the reputation of our beloved school, Erdely has harmed everyone associated with UVa, including its proud alumni like me.

I am outraged by this despicable act of “gotcha” journalism. This woman should be fired and so should her editors. And I hope Rolling Stone magazine is sued into bankruptcy.

This story was originally published April 8, 2015 at 4:36 PM with the headline "Ed Block: Rolling Stone apology not enough."