“You would think, ‘Is this Beirut?’”

Beirut is being used as a defense strategy in the US:

Comparing the streets of New Bedford to Beirut, defense attorney Kevin Reddington said jurors should consider the city’s history of gang violence in weighing the fate of murder defendant David “Crunchy” DePina.

“It’s a case about what happens on the streets of New Bedford,” said Reddington, arguing that DePina, a reputed Monte Park gang member, feared for his life because he had been shot twice and had several friends killed by gun violence.

“You would think, ‘Is this Beirut?’”

“This is a case about self-defense and self-preservation,” Reddington said.

So basically, the defense strategy rests on the idea that New Bedford, i.e. Beirut, is in a bad neighborhood and therefore the residents need to resist the violence with violence. Are you seeing the deeper connection to Beirut?

Check out these great posts:

• “Lincoln Street a year ago, it was like Beirut”
• “It’s Like Living in Beirut!”
• When in Lebanon…