On the fifth of September, 2008, I did a column about the double standard that passes for justice in this country; something which often occurs when whites and blacks face the system against identical or similar charges. I totally anticipated doing another column on this issue before the end of the year: so here it is.
In that column I spoke about the former mayor of Detroit, a black man named Kwame Maleek Kilpatrick. He pleaded guilty to two counts of obstruction of justice; in a situation emanating from issues surrounding his adulterous affair with his female chief of staff. I compared his dilemma to the one former president Bill Clinton faced during the Monica Lewinsky scandal. I suggested that at various points, and in various places/situations, there was a double standard of justice for black electeds when compared to their white counterparts.
Kwame Kilpatrick was sentenced to four months in prison and later five years probation after serving his time. He was forced to resign from the mayoralty, agree to refrain from running for public office during his sentence, and pay a million dollars in restitution. For someone who once practiced law, it must have been really disheartening for Kilpatrick to be forced to surrender his law license too. Upon all this he also lost his state and city pension: all of this over a lil piece of pussy.
Before I go forward with this column, let me delve into a little history for you readers. In 1909, a congressman names James Robert Mann from Illinois, introduced legislation which Congress passed a year later. It became a crime for anyone to “transport women across state lines for the purpose of prostitution, debauchery or any other immoral purpose.” It has been historically known as the Mann Act. It was passed during a strange time in American history when puritanical feelings ran deep. It was a legislative response to sensationalism (women being kidnapped off city streets and forced into a life of prostitution), unrealistic fears (white slavery), changing social mores (women were going out into the work world and becoming independent of men somewhat), and pressure from America’s religious right (again). It was a reactionary piece of legislation that the Supreme Court has upheld over the years.
The Act itself, has been used for many a purpose -good and bad. It has also been used discriminately against individuals who were deemed radical or troublesome. And further, it has been used racially: as most American things tend to be.
In 1913 Jack Johnson -the black heavyweight boxing champion of the world- was charged with transporting a white female prostitute from Pittsburgh to Chicago under the Mann act. Truth was the white so-called prostitute, turned out to be his white girlfriend – who he supposedly later married. He was still sentenced to a year and a day in prison.
In 1959 another black (mixed with native Indian) celebrity named Chuck Berry, was charged with transporting an underage Indian girl across state lines, for what was deemed immoral purposes. She also was said to be a prostitute. Berry -who achieved fame as a guitarist, singer and entertainer- eventually served 20 months in prison.
Along the way, Charlie Chaplin -another famous person- was also charged under the Mann act. He won his case. And lore is that he was charged more for his leftist political views than for his supposed immoral behavior. Along the way, Frank Lloyd Wright was another famous person charged under the Mann Act also. Further along the way, Congress has modified the act to include things like child pornography, child sex-slavery and other such objectionable conduct. The history of this Act is right there for anyone willing to do a web search; very interesting stuff.
This brings me to New York’s former governor Eliot Spitzer. Earlier this year, details emerged that clearly showed Eliot Spitzer was involved with a prostitution ring (as a client). He was obviously a rich “John” who patronized call-girls from time to time. In at least one particular case he ordered up a girl to travel from NYC to Washington, DC. for a tryst at a renowned hotel. It has been suggested that there were more than one such liaisons, with some possibly involving other whores; so much for speculation and rumor. At the end of a hard day’s night Eliot Spitzer resigned in disgrace.
There were many questions of illegal monetary transactions, and also other acts of law breaking, that seemed to necessitate charges be brought against the former governor; but instead the feds dropped everything. Eliot Spitzer got a pass. He became Eliot Ness in one fell swoop -getting away with a lot of questionable stuff. You see, the federal prosecutors recently decided that there wasn’t enough evidence to charge Mr. Spitzer with any lawbreaking. Unbelieveable!
Prima-facie (and I am no attorney) it is ostensible that Spitzer broke many laws. And as a teacher who has taught in many juvenile detention centers and prisons I am appalled. I have seen and heard of convictions achieved from less evidence than what appeared in the mainstream media about his proclivities. Even the prostitutes have already said more than enough to warrant charges be brought. But as alluded in my earlier column: the rich always seem to get away with big shit; don’t they?
People often wonder why so many blacks seem to so totally disregard the laws of this land; they shouldn’t. All they have to do is look at the long history of racism and the double standard of justice that passes for equality in this country to get the picture. Lawbreaking is hardly ever condonable; but sometimes you get the sense that there are deeper things in the recalcitrant mind.
As I write this column today, there are roughly one and a quarter million black men behind bars. There are about a quarter million black women similarly situated. Roughly three percent of the black population is incarcerated on any given day; because they don’t get free passes like the Eliot Spitzers of the USA. What a friggin country of hypocrites and deniers!
And whenever I write about things like this, I go up and on some search engine or blog site, only to see the diatribe against me, from those who seem to suggest that I make this shit up. As if writing this isn’t painful enough.
And then yesterday -both in mainstream media and on the blogs- they began floating Eliot Spitzer’s name as the next senator from New York, to replace Hillary Clinton; if she goes on to become the new Secretary of State in the Obama administration. And NYC council member Lew Fidler thinks I am just a “conspicuous cynic”!
Do you guys remember that when I wrote about the fact that after all the allegations of corruption in Brooklyn’s politics, only a black man (Assembly member Clarence Norman) went to prison? I argued that he alone could not have been responsible for all that was said and claimed to be wrong with Brooklyn’s cesspool. Some of those who criticized my column are still around today: they just don’t get it. Or maybe, they just don’t want to get it.
Look; I am sure that there are many of you reading this and getting all the points I am attempting to make. If you are one, then stay tuned-in: please.