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  • From: Gene GeRue <genegerue AT ruralize.com>
  • To: homestead AT lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [Homestead] So many things wrong with this situation
  • Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:18:05 -0500


On Apr 23, 2008, at 2:23 PM, Lynda wrote:

Gene, I think you are much too inclined to trust the printed and spoken
word.

I read MSM skeptically. What trust I have is colored and earned by sources that have proved dependable. My views on this subject are evolved from decades of observation, reading and thinking. You are ignoring my long-standing and constant admonition to be skeptical of what is written. If not printed and spoken words, from where else do you get your information on this subject?

Yes, our criminal justice system is flawed. However, exaggeration isn't
going to fix anything. I'm quite sure that the vast majority of American
citizens, including those currently incarcerated would much prefer our
system to that of China (470 *acknowledged* execution in 2007)

Happy to see they are ahead of Texas.

I am not at all sure that execution is a worse fate than being sentenced to spend the rest of one's life in jail. I personally would prefer execution. Which would you prefer?

The *supposed* war on drugs is not simply something that is happening in the
U.S.

I care about the comparison with other countries only as a measuring point, not as a comparison of punishments.

#1 - I don't think being unhappy is or should be an excuse for committing a
crime.

Of course not. My probe is for reasons for our horrendous incarceration rate, a laundry list about which to think. So, among the reasons, I wonder if our citizens are more unhappy than the citizens of other, seemingly civilized countries.

#2 - Could you clarify this one.

We have many laws against victimless "crimes," those acts that do not violate the rights of others, such as smoking marijuana, public drunkenness, prostitution, sodomy, attempted suicide.

#3 - I don't think this one applies. I think we simply have far too many
stupid criminals!

So do you feel that our criminals are more stupid than the criminals of other countries? On what do you base such a conclusion?

#4 - As to harsher laws? I think that would be all in how you define
harsher and whose laws you are comparing to. Do you really think juvie is
harsher than caning?

Depends on the juvie sentence and how many strokes and how hard the cane.

#5 - I odn't agree with that one at all. Our laws are rarely followed as to
length of sentence and are far below those of other countries.

#6 - That isn't an excuse for committing a crime.

Not cavalier attitude by the citizen, but by the government, ignoring obvious and long-standing social inequities. How else shall we understand the high percentage of black men in jail?

#7 - I agree that EMPLOYED *first-time offenders* should be treated with a
different set of rules (weekends, community service, fines and stiff
probation/parole) but only if they aren't repeat offenders.

#8 - Compared to who?

The other countries that have lower incarceration rates.





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