Like a figure out of tragic story-I’m thinking of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart- certain character flaws on the part of Kilpatrick have manifested themselves in Kwame’s downfall .

But what I find even more tragic is a breathtaking double standard that exists with respect to sex, lies and racial politics. Isn’t true that the Governor of New York used state paid guards to accompany him from NY to Washington on what became a trip to a brothel? What happened to the investigation about the source of the money to pay the prostitute. Clearly Eliot could have been investigated and no doubt indicted. It was expected by many. He was allowed -forced -to resign but that was it. No ankle monitor, No jail time.

The difference is not only punishment . Kwame was not only jailed he was demonized.

The problem I have with all this is that i think there is a cultural divide between the blacks in the suburbs and those inthe inner city. The cultural divide is not merely economic, it is social and ti is cultural. What has happened here has less to do with scandal than it does this growing rift between these two Americas. Kwame – the hip-hop mayor- was alienated from both blacks and whites in the suburbs began way before he was indicted, and is part of the reason he was vulnerable. Kwame was viewed as ghetto, a boor, thug. He stole no money. Not any more than Elliot Spitzer. He hurt noone except himself and his wife. They went after him because they viewed him a disgrace. After pointing out the disparity in treatment between the two politicians some have replied, “But Kwame was stupid.” He may have been but being ghetto, having weak character, being stupid are not offenses.

If Kwame had been named Wally, had no earring, went to an Ivy league school, and courted the suburban blacks and whites it is inconceivable that his tryst would have been considered criminal. The criminal case is a vehicle for disapproval more of who he is-an embarrassment- than what he has done.