To my ear...
Fabulous said:
The very first tv reports, (can't remeber the channel, probably 7, or 3)several students came forward to the cameras and said they knew about her promiscuity, that she was a willing participant because she flaunted about it. That's why the students/parents at that school are so outraged. Some of the arrested students claim they didn't even know the girl. I'll try and find the broadcast on the sites.
...this ring slightly closer to the truth.
As some else mentioned, virtually anyone who has played team sports knows of (or can tell stories of) "team mascots"...girls who for whatever reason (self esteem, social climbing, whatever) were very promiscious with team members (as though any of us are actually in a position to judge what "very" or "promiscious" is). Having played football in both high school and college, I saw plenty of this. Didn't indulge (much)...I was sort of a straight arrow kinda guy (good grades, dated the head cheerleader, bible study back in the day), but I sure as hell knew about it and saw it.
If you had told me 3 boys...and it was a one time incident, or something that took place over a few weeks...I'd wouldn't question it (much). But 14 boys...and 2 girls? Over 18 months?
I am reminded of a case back in the U.S. that got some national attention. Real nice kid...good grades...played sports...planning to go to some state university on a scholarship...gets arrested for and later covicted of raping a white girl (kid was Black). Kid had NEVER been in any trouble at all...suddenly he is a rapist. He goes to prison (though techincally not for rape...that was what the girl claimed)
Because enough people cared enough about him (including Oprah Winfrey when she heard the story), the whole case was further investigated. While there had been edvidence of consenual sex, there was no edvidence of rape. Seems the girl dad was a known bigot - and where things landed was that she felt she could NEVER let her father know she had consensual sex with a Black kid...so once th story made it around school, she decided to claim rape. And - becaue the justice system in the south is completely color blind - he was quickly convicted without a meaningful investigation.
Fortuately, the convictionw as overturned...after the boy lost a year of his life in prison, and presumably was changed forever.
http://www.louisianaweekly.com/weekly/news/articlegate.pl?20040510r
Note: I might have some of the details wrong, since this was awhile ago, so there is the link so you can read it for yourselves.
My point - I know from both observation and experience that white society, both in the U.S. and Canada, has issues with Black men and white women being sexually involved. Not all people, and hell, I'd like to beleive not most. But certainly some. And I also know from observation that these people also exist in the justice system.
For what it is worth - there was apparently a meeting last night at the school. 250 parents showed up. MANY said that what going on appeared to be clearly "biased" if not "racist". And based on what I heard on CBC this morning, most of those raising this concern were white, not Black.
Bottomline - if this is true, then I feel very sorry for that girl. It is a terrible tragedy. But at this point there are too many details...the timeline...the number of accused...the fact that the accused are both male and female...that do not ring true to me.