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Kiwi Camara and GMU Law: Maybe They Found This Video?

Kiwi Camara KAD Camara Above the Law blog.jpgYesterday we issued a request for information about what really happened between controversial legal scholar Kiwi Camara and George Mason University School of Law. GMU was on the verge of hiring Camara, until something weird happened.

Today one of you emailed us the video clip below, and asked: "Could it be because of this video?"

Seriously, we're pretty sure this video -- a promotional spot for the debate team Camara coaches, and NOT a homemade sex video -- had no impact upon Camara's job search. But it's still weirdly amusing. And we don't think that Camara, of all people, should be caught on camera saying "Yo whassup!" in an accent reminiscent of the "jive talk" scene from Airplane.

                
          
From the description of the clip on Google Video: "Kiwi Camara, Mountain View/Los Altos Debate squad coach acts a little weird..."                

Kiwi Camara Acts A Little Weird [Google Video]

Earlier: Kiwi Camara and GMU Law: What Happened Here?

Comments
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1 Posted by HLS '04 | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 10:07 AM

This guy was in my class. I can't believe he's in the academic market -- I figured he'd be blacklisted for life (no pun intended) after the racist outline episode.

Above and apart from that, he's an arrogant prick and is definitely a bit off. He also lied and told everyone at HLS that he had gone to Princeton undergrad, when in fact he had gone to a college no one had ever heard of. He was, however, 17 years old when he started at HLS.

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2 Posted by test | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 10:34 AM

test

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3 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 10:41 AM

Why would somebody who graduated from college at 16 feel the need to lie about it? That's really weird. Also, princeton? not exactly the kind of place where you wouldn't expect other harvard students to be from. Seriously, if you are gonna lie, say something really exotic... like Paris 2.

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4 Posted by Um hello??? | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 10:48 AM

LAT--

HAVE YOU SERIOUSLY NOT POSTED REGARDING THE LAWSUIT THAT WAS FILED YESTERDAY AGAINST DEALBREAKER? WHAT GIVES?

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5 Posted by anon | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 10:57 AM

10:48

See March 30 at 4:35

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6 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 11:02 AM

He previously covered the case:

http://www.abovethelaw.com/2007/03/looks_like_our_big_sibling_blo.php

http://www.abovethelaw.com/2007/03/will_our_big_sibling_get_sued_1.php

If he's silent now, there is probably a good reason.

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7 Posted by Um hello??? | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 11:58 AM

Thanks 1057 and 1102 for your extremely insightful links. I am well aware of the previous coverage. But if you don't realize that there is a huge difference between a two paragraph c&d letter and an actual lawsuit in federal court, you both need to either (1) go back to law school, or (2) drop out while you can. For a blog that covers every possible rumor relating to some litigation, does it really not strike you as odd that there is no mention of an actual complaint being filed? The only real argument for not posting isn't b/c there is previous coverage. It's because as a party to the suit, ATL doesn't want to flame the fire (or can't) by posting the complaint and discussing the matter further. Considering its previously incredibly confident position in this suit and its right to publish the document, however, it does seem rather odd that at this juncture it has decided to play it safe (although, if it is electing that route, that is just more evidence of the difference and power of a federal complaint as compared with a c&d).

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8 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 12:09 PM

Um hello, what do YOU think of the lawsuit? Clearly you have opinions.

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9 Posted by 10:57 | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 12:09 PM

Wow. Last time I offer a pointer. Get a grip.

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10 Posted by Also HLS'04 | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 12:21 PM

Camara is definitely eccentric (I was at HLS with him), but he is also one of the most brilliant people I have ever met. Really the speed of his mind is in a class of its own. He is being treated very harshly. He deserves better.

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11 Posted by What is happening in law schools? | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 12:30 PM

What troubles me is that GMU would even consider a 22 year old who is obviously immature and who has had absolutely no experience as a lawyer as a potential hire. Yes, yes, I know that the elite and elite wannabe law schools don't care if their hires, who are preparing students for the practice of law, have any first hand knowledge of what lawyers do. But it's troubling nonetheless. I hope he does not have a better offer. He clearly needs to get a real job.

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12 Posted by Um hello??? | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 1:06 PM

1209--What I think is that I would love to see some news coverage of this juicy lawsuit on my favorite legal blog. Call me crazy.

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13 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 1:33 PM

12:21:
That's the problem with child geniuses. The quality of cognition is high, the maturity, not so much. Classic Dougie syndrome.

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14 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 2:47 PM

No matter how brilliant he is, he is not mature enough. He should do some legal work for 3 or 4 years, and then come back and apply for a teaching position. It would do him a lot of good to take that time.

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15 Posted by HLS '04 | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 3:04 PM

From classes I had with him, I didn't find him "brilliant." Inclined to rudely assert to much smarter and more experienced professors that they were wrong or stupid, yes; able to come up reasoned argument backing this up, no.

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16 Posted by Camara groupie | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 3:21 PM

I agree with a few of the points above that perhaps Camara should get a few years experience in practicing law before he attempts to teach. I do think that criticisms of him being egotistical are a bit disingenuous when most law professors are egotistical. Regarding his outline, of course it was in bad taste, possibly racist, but HE WAS 16!!! Seriously, I don't want people to hold me accountable for stupid things I said as a 16 year old. Lastly, I actually lived in the Philippines for a few years, speak Tagalog fluently, and have a strong understanding and love of its culture. When I heard of the incident regarding the outline, I wasn't too surprised...there is a lack of race-consciousness in that culture which is most likely attributed to the homogeneity of the people there. I'm not excusing his outline, just trying to put his behavior in context.

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17 Posted by double standards | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 5:19 PM

1. Obviously HLS '04, the guy is fairly smart. He graduated from your law school magna cum laude despite probably almost every teacher having an inherent bias against him for those classes that are not anonymous grading.

2. Lets be honest, if a black prodigy had said honky in an outline to describe that white students and had apologized repeatedly and had no other blemishes on his transcript, he would have his choice of law schools to teach at. Obviously a double standard.

3. There is reason why if you are convicted as a 16 year old, it does not go on your permanent record, the law distinguishes between juveniles and adults and so should law schools.

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18 Posted by Mr. Harvard | Permalink Wednesday, April 4, 2007 5:47 PM

Kiwi = Racist Immature Fuck. End Of Story.

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19 Posted by Camara groupie | Permalink Thursday, April 5, 2007 9:23 AM

Mr. Harvard,
Your comment bespeaks immaturity. And Kiwi is Filipino, so I wonder if you could be considered what you have labeled Kiwi. Besides, if he is as you said, what bearing does that have on whether he should teach law as a profession? I'm sure there are plenty of those in the field of law teaching.

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20 Posted by Jenn | Permalink Saturday, April 7, 2007 6:30 PM

My boyfriend is a 1L at GMU law, and apparently there was a huge outlash from the students and other faculty there when his hiring was proposed. The school called a town hall meeting to discuss it, but ended up deciding not to hire him before the meeting ever occurred. From what my boyfriend told me, the bigest problem was the racist comments in the class notes and outlines that he posted on bulletin boards while at HLS. He's obviously a very smart man, and GMU was seriously considering him because they view their faculty as a set of misfits who are all smart and capable, but were rejected from prime institutions basically for non-conformity reasons. In this case, however, it seems like the non-conformity was a little too much for people. I'm not sure how much of this speaks for GMU as a whole, but one of my boyfriend's professors allowed a discussion on it in class, and this is basically what came out of it.

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