Friday, February 26, 2016

Weasels of the Week: Ariel Agudio, Alexis Briggs and Asha Burwell

Last month, three UAlbany students alleged they were assaulted by white men while on a CDTA bus bound for the university's campus, I believe. The case got national attention, including a tweet from Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. However, the evidence which had been presented from the beginning of the case wasn't completely clear as to exactly what happened.

Within the last 48 hours, the accusers, Ariel Agudio, Alexis Briggs, & Asha Burwell, have become the accused. Accused of falsely reporting an incident, that is. UAlbany police now claim the three students made up the entire story. For what, I can't be sure, but in the wake of a number of incidents across the country, including in Albany, where unarmed African Americans have been shot and killed by police, over the last year and change, racial tensions have been inflamed to the point where, as this case has demonstrated, you really can't tell who's right or wrong in a given situation.

I'd not be surprised if by the end of the weekend, someone invoked the name of Tawana Brawley.

Brawley was the teen who claimed, 30-odd years ago, that she was attacked by six white men, only to have it come out that she made up the whole story. Her case also got national attention before it was exposed as a hoax. It makes one wonder if today's Weasels were thinking about that case when they decided to concoct their little tale of woe.

Some things just can't change.

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