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Monday, May 21, 2012

Justice in the Dharun Ravi/Tyler Clementi Case? « Student Activism

Justice in the Dharun Ravi/Tyler Clementi Case? « Student Activism:


Justice in the Dharun Ravi/Tyler Clementi Case?

Dharun Ravi was sentenced late this morning, to 30 days in jail, three years probation, community service, counseling, and a $10,000 fine.
Is this justice?
Many people are saying no. Compared to the ten years (or, depending on who you ask, several times that) which he could have received, it certainly seems light, and it’s left a lot of folks I respect quite angry. But I’m not sure I’m among them.
Let me start by saying that I consider what Ravi did a serious crime. He spied, he attempted to spy again, he tried to share private sexual acts with the internet. He did all this in such a way as to tip off his victim to the abuse, and he did it with a giddy indifference to the pain he was causing. In the wake of Clementi’s suicide he compounded his crimes by attempting to destroy evidence and asking others to do the same. And even after he