Throw the book at her!

So, I just read a story about two 19 year old, seemingly affluent white girls who robbed a bank and were then captured after a brief car chase. The mother of Ashley Miller (one of the alleged robbers) went on Good Morning America to tell America that her daughter was not a bandit, but simply a "little girl that made a bad choice." Funny, just last week four black kids (ranging from ages 14 to 17) were arrested in DC for a stabbing. Why did I not see one of THEIR parents on Good Morning America? Were they just little boys who fell in with the wrong crowd?

By even having this woman on their show, Good Morning American was supporting this double standard we have in society that when white kids (especially females) commit crimes they have been somehow corrupted and are not at fault. Meanwhile, when black kids (especially male) commit crimes they are dangerous criminals who must be removed from society so all those white girls can walk the streets safely once more. I think it's disgusting that a 14 year old black boy will probably go to prison because his friends stabbed someone while these two LEGALLY ADULT young women will likely be treated like mischievous little rascals and be given a slap on the hand so they can get on with their lives at some nice, mostly white, university.

We can't have it both ways. We can't expect minorities to embrace mainstream American mores if we are going to apply different standards of behavior to them. We can't claim to support women's lib and then treat young women with kid gloves when it comes to the legal system. I will wait to hear about the outcome of both of these cases. I sincerely hope that I am wrong and that justice will be done - justice that punishes the crimes fairly and protects the rights of the accused. I hope this is done using the same standards in both cases. I am hopeful, but not optimistic.