Would a Black Person Get Away With This?

Every now and then a scandal comes along that makes you wonder what would happen if the circumstances were the same but the skin tone changed. The Root takes a look at a handful of brow-raising incidents and asks if race and privilege influenced the outcome.

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  Caroline Giuliani

  AP

  Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's daughter, Caroline, is no Winona Ryder (remember, Ryder stole $5,500 worth of merchandise from Saks Fifth Avenue in 2002). You could say it's merely a matter of powerful connections, but we wonder how likely it is that a young black woman accused of shoplifting $100 worth of makeup from Sephora could have her charges dismissed as long as she completes one day of community service?

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  Laura Bush

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  Think Barack would have become president if Michelle had ever killed a man, as Laura Bush has?

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  Roman Polanski

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  Would a black man in the entertainment business be allowed to avoid sentencing for having sex with a minor after 30-plus years, even though he had already pleaded guilty? (Remember that guilty plea before you say R. Kelly or Michael Jackson.)

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  Johannes Mehserle

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  What are the chances that a black cop would only get involuntary manslaughter for shooting an unarmed, handcuffed white man in the back at close range?

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  Dick Cheney

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  Think any black man would have been able to remain vice president if he had shot an old man in the face, like Dick Cheney did? (And then having the man apologize to him? Now, that's gangsta.)

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  Nadya Suleman

  Think they'd ever make a reality show about an unwed, unemployed black mother with 14 kids?

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  Joe Wilson

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  Yelling at the president of the United States of America in the middle of his address to a joint session of Congress? Think a black lawmaker could get away with publicly disrespecting the big boss like that?

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  Eliot Spitzer

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  Would we give a black former politician a CNN anchor position after he had suffered the public disgrace of a prostitution scandal?

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  Bristol Palin

  Justin Sullivan/ Getty Images

  Would a 16 and pregnant Malia or Sasha Obama have been invited to make public appearances during a presidential primary and act as a (sometimes) spokesperson for abstinence after giving birth?

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  The Tea Partiers

  Think an angry black militia armed with guns and touting anti-government propaganda could get away with hurling hate speech at the president and members of Congress? Hell no!

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  George Huguely

  Would a black collegiate athlete be able to continue playing for his team after being involved in more than one alcohol-fueled scuffle, verbally assaulting a police officer and testing positive for cocaine? Think he'd even be back in school, let alone on the team? Note: This same "all-star" athlete would later be charged with murdering his girlfriend.

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  Glenn Beck

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  Think a black talking head could keep his job as a mouthpiece for FOX News after repeatedly disparaging a white president -- and his daughter? Well ... it is Fox ...

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  Marion Barry

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  But then again, there is Marion Barry.

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