Saturday, December 8, 2007

The "Duke 3" vs the "Jena 6!"


First of all let me say that I am not passing judgment on whether or not any of these young men are guilty or innocent. I am simply laying out some parallel observations.

The Duke 3 vs the Jena 6!

Duke 3: all white males
Jena 6: all black males

Duke 3: all students at Duke University
Jena 6: all students at Jena High School

Duke 3: all from affluent families
Jena 6: all from poor families

Duke 3: accused of a crime against a black female
Jena 6: accused of a crime against a white male

Duke 3: arrested and charged
Jena 6: arrested and charged

Duke 3: post a $400,000 bond within 24 hours
Jena 6: all struggled to post bails from 70,000 to 138,000 and Bell could not

Duke 3: Prosecutor allegedly made inflammatory remarks
Jena 6: Prosecutor made inflammatory remarks-i.e. "with this pen!"

Duke 3: North Carolina Attorney General intervenes, wipes all crimes away
Jena 6: Federal Attorney for Louisiana says, "At the end of the day, there are only certain things that a United States attorney can do."

Duke 3: Duke University receives record levels of gifts amounting to $341.9 million
Jena 6: High School is burned: tree cut down

Duke 3: DA disbarred, threatened jail
Jena 6: DA at his desk

Duke 3: Players back on the field with a League Championship to record crowds
Jena 6: Bell in Jail and the rest waiting their turn

Duke 3 vs Jena 6