Monday, March 03, 2008

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Last week we heard the reports about the students in South Africa fooling the poor black staff into performing stupid games and tasks and making them eat and drink items that were urinated and defecated upon. All this done without the staff realizing what was being done to them and the fact that the film would end up on Internet sites around the world to showcase their humiliation. Apartheid may have been disbanded but racism is alive and well.

The link below continues the saga of a black woman that was victimized by six white people (and I use that term VERY loosely) who sexually assaulted her, men and women, beat her and kept her captive. Even if any of those involved were privy only to what was happening and did not actually perform any of the acts, they should be held in the same way was if they were her tormentors themselves. I cannot remember the term but if you go and watch The Accused with Jodi Foster and Kelly McGillis, you will see that they did not have the evidence to convict the actual rapists BUT they were able to prosecute and convict those guilty of complacency to the crime and egging on the rapists during the act. The exact same thing should happen in this case. By not calling the authourities and allowing the abuse to continue, those involved are as much to blame as those who actually committed the rape and stabbing of this young woman.

Those involved are trying to drive home this point in peaceful demonstrations. Should this farce of a trial continue as it is, just how long do you think it will remain peaceful? Further to that, just how do you expect the community to heal from this when a section of that community will feel as if they are back in the 1800s and concerned for their safety when no one else in power is? These are very sad times indeed and the fallout may be as bad for everyone else as this experience was for this poor innocent lady.

May cooler and smarter heads prevail.

Peace.

Charleston Daily Mail - News - Williams family says sentences too light, calls for protest march

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