There has been nearly a full week’s worth of issues of The Daily Tar Heel, UNC-Chapel Hill’s student newspaper, since the spring semester started. But still there is no word about the allegations that over the break three UNC-CH students who were robbed and sexually assaulted at knifepoint.1

In fact, the only mention in DTH archives of one of the accused, Michael Troy Lewis, is a “Police Log” entry from 2006 which mentions his arrest for attempting to sell ecstasy and resisting arrest.

A cynic would have good reason by now to suspect campus activism in the Triangle over sexual assault is based in the same old tawdry leftist politics of race, gender, class, ad nauseam. A gay man is beaten on Franklin Street, and that leads to loud protests and demand for new laws, but other violent assaults on Franklin Street (even shootings) never register any protests, and worse, a woman is raped on Franklin Street just days later and not one compassionate activist says a word.

A group of white athletes in Durham is accused of sexually assaulting a black stripper, and the whole world knows about it (a notorious hoax, it turns out), but 39 other reported rapes in Durham occurred during the first half of that year2 without mention. A group of white athletes3 in Chapel Hill alleges they were sexually assaulted by two black women with a black male accomplice, and even the campus newspaper doesn’t find it worthy of mention.

Notes

1. WRAL reports that many of the initial charges have been thrown out, but one count of sexual assault remains. Still, it is important to follow the case as it develops:

Coleman found no probable cause to allow all but one charge against Tnikia Monta Washington to proceed, according to court records.

Washington, 29, was one of three people charged in a Dec. 16 incident in which three UNC players were allegedly tied up and robbed at knife point. Police said two of the players also were sexually assaulted.

Coleman ruled there was no probable cause against Washington for three counts each of criminal conspiracy and first-degree kidnapping and one count of first-degree sexual offense. She still faces a charge of resisting a public officer.

The judge also found no probable cause for two counts of criminal conspiracy and one count each of first-degree kidnapping and robbery with a dangerous weapon against Michael Troy Lewis, 32, of Durham.

Lewis is still charged with three counts of attempted felony larceny, two counts of first-degree kidnapping and one count each of criminal conspiracy, robbery with a dangerous weapon and assault on a government official.

Two charges each of first-degree kidnapping and criminal conspiracy were thrown out against the third defendant, Monique Jenice Taylor, 28. She still faces one count each of criminal conspiracy, first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sexual offense and resisting a public officer.

2. In 2006, there were 98 forcible rapes reported in Durham.

3. Two of the alleged victims have now been identified by WRAL, and both are white.