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The John White case is a heartwrenching one for the loss entailed. John White's life and family are going to be largely destroyed by the aftermath. The family of the slain youth has suffered a needless loss and the foolish friend who's MySpace prank set this tragedy in motion is going to have to live with himself. Its mostly heart wrenching because it was so avoidable, so unnecessary. To my understanding, White had ample time to call the police. The youths called his home in advance of their arrival and rather than call police, White and his son armed themselves, waited for them to show and then confronted them on arrival. Even after the shooting, White never called police. It was reckless, unnecessary self help with horrific results. It has reopened the racial wounds of double standards because it comes on the heels of the Joe Horn case in Texas, where a white man, in no physical danger, gunned down from behind two black hispanic thieves fleeing the scene of a next door home invasion, despite repeated directives from the 911 dispatcher to remain in his home. The 911 tape is clear regarding his animus and intent when he walked out the door armed with a shotgun. Unlike White, he has yet to be arrested and it seems even money as to whether there will be any consequences to pay for his actions. The disparate treatment of similarly situated blacks and whites by the justice system in these two cases will further fuel black anger and resentment if one results in punishment and the other does not.

Sent by Aaron Laramore | 3:57 PM ET | 12-29-2007