6 rapists slapped on the wrist in australia

"Judge Sarah Bradley told them that the victim 'probably agreed to have sex with all of you".

probably? no, i think it's whether or not she actually did agree. that's one of the big issues whether or not it's considered sex or rape, consent. so, either she consented or didn't. which is it?

"Judge Bradley later defended her sentencing, telling The Australian that the sentences were "appropriate" because they were the penalties sought by the prosecution."

well, then the prosecution are idiots, too. what does the law say should happen in this case? i doubt that the law says that convicted rapists should be given sentences ranging from probation to six months in jail.

at least activists have some sense about them, exhibited here:
"There is nothing culturally, there is nothing morally, there is nothing socially and there is definitely nothing legally that would ever allow this sort of decision to be made," she said, the she being Boni Robertson.

now, i agree with the last statement, but this case does demonstrate some of the difficulties of living in a society that is made up of different cultures. i don't know if australia is considered a "melting pot" like the u.s. fancies itself, but i do imagine that they do have a fair amount of diversity. and, it seems that this is a little bit (big bit) of cross-cultural dilemma,
"The case comes six months after a high-profile inquiry into child sex abuse in remote northern Australia said it found problems in every Aborigine community visited by researchers."

so here we have a case of sex between 6 males, 4 of which were minors, and one female. one ten year old girl. let me say that again, a ten year old girl. it seems that we may have some issue in aboriginal cultural of when is the appropriate age of sex. i although i admit to my ignorance here, i'm going to go out on a limb and say that ten is too young, and would imagine that their culture would agree, too.

so, ask yourself, judge sarah bradley, was she:
1. consenting?
2. able to consent?

if you can't answer both of those with a legal yes, than it's rape. and they should be punished appropriately, even if the prosecution isn't asking for it.

one fnial quote to throw into the mix,
"The offenders came from some of the most powerful and prominent Aboriginal families in Cape York, while the victim's family had a lower status, the Australian reported."

ah, yes, this may not actually have anything to do with cross cultural values. it's got to do with justice being blind for the right price, now isn't it?