Ode To Tony Montana

Familiar formula

Money + Power = Respect (to some degree). The money that was lavishly exhausted on the lacrosse defense represents old money spent strategically: One portion went to legal expenses while the other went into a public relations campaign. According to ESPN, Bob Bennett, an ex-Clinton lawyer, headed the external public relations campaign for the accused. Duke University followed suit retaining their external public relations firm, Burson-Marsteller, whose clientele include McDonald's, BP, and Cisco. Further, with the lynching of Mike Nifong there are still questions outstanding. His methods were clearly reprehensible. Yet could it be that he knew something we refuse to recognize -- the negative equity of African-American women in the presence of white men of privilege? Was he attempting to employ the same tactics in reverse frequently used to demonize black rapists? Why is it that the accused in this matter were allowed to surrender under the cover of darkness, completely prepared for the "perp walk," as opposed to being apprehended and drug into jail like the folk from lower castes of this country we see on "Cops?" Was Nifong attempting to beat the Joe Cheshire defense squad to the punch of media deflection and misdirection as they vehemently inundated the press by painting the accuser as the stereotypical black jezebel? Rush Limbaugh called the woman a "ho" but still has a job. Cheshire and others are riding the horse of justice. I wonder whether they plan on doing any pro-bono work for others in jail who have been wrongfully accused? W. RUSSELL ROBINSON Durham July 2, 2007 Originally published in Durham Herald Sun July 2007