A week ago, conservative golden (brown) boy Claude Allen was charged with multiple counts of shoplifting.

Allegedly, he was buying merchandise, bringing it to his car, re-entering the store, picking up another item of the same type, and getting a refund for it. According to authorities, Allen had bilked more than 5000 dollars from 25 local stores. Of course, Allen insists that it’s all a big mistake that will be cleared up in the near future. Right.

The controversy is interesting to me for several reasons.

First, I’m interested in how this will be used as a media smokescreen for the growing dissent among Republicans against the Bush Administration.

Second, it exposes the hypocrisy of a party that spends the bulk of its political life “getting tough” on crime through zero tolerance policies, three strikes laws, and mandatory minimums, but is scrambling to explain away the “shocking and disappointing” actions of one of its own. Suddenly, context, social conditions, and individual circumstance are important factors to consider. If only they could be that sympathetic to people who steal and don’t make $160,000 a year.

Third, this provides Black people with yet another “embarassing nigga moment” with which to contend. I mean, damn, he squandered a stellar career for 5000 dollars? At least White Republicans steal millions. Talk about the soft bigotry of low expecations.