The latest news about the bias-related incident that spurred Monday’s campus rally: The as-yet-unidentified victim found alleged assailant Philip Cooney (MSB ‘10) not just on Facebook, but also in an MPD photo line-up. Here’s Sam Sweeney’s web exclusive. Be sure to keep an eye on the blog and Thursday’s edition of the paper for more news on this developing story.

- Tim Fernholz, Editor in Chief

Look, I don’t want to be “that guy”, but how are we all forgetting what happened at Duke University last fall? I shouldn’t have to remind anyone about that case, but I will. Three innocent students were prematurely indicted by an out-of-line rogue attorney, and his manipulation of evidence captivated the entire country while completely destroying the lives of those kids.

And though this is to an admittedly smaller degree, at least on the national scale, it seems like the same kind of case. It’s the accused’s word versus the word of the accuser. How can we arbitrarily side with the accuser just because the media has so willingly done so? And as for using Facebook as a way to identify someone who attacked you in a flash in the dark of night? Please.

Despite what this looks like, I’m not taking sides, but it seems I’m about the only person remaining neutral. As far as I can remember, people in the United States are always innocent until proven guilty, and nothing at all has been proven. While hateful slurs have no place in our society, due process does, and we need to heed the lessons learned from the Duke case and wait this out before we destroy the potentially good name of one of our own.

-Justin Scott, staff writer

GU Pride held a rally in Red Square today in response to the hate crime allegedly committed by a Georgetown student in early September. Thursday’s Voice will have more coverage of the rally, as well as any developments with the alleged assailant, Phillip Cooney (MSB ‘10). Until then, why not enjoy some pictures from our Flickr account?

This poster was hung up during the rally. It’s not clear through the paint, but underneath it says, “Why Can’t You Just Be Normal.”

On the left, a speaker at the rally.

-Will Sommer, blog editor