[GCFL-discuss] Pink Sheriff

[Discussion of the Good, Clean Funnies List]

Jeanene, when people tell me "that's your opinion" I respond "which is
the only opinion that comes out of my mouth." I have no reason to argue
for anyone else's. It doesn't mean I am necessarily right, but until
someone convinces me otherwise, I think I am, and I don't have to speak
for anyone else's view. You do a perfectly passionate job of representing
your own thoughts. (John puts it rather well -- I read that after I
started writing this. Yes, seeming to have knowledge sometimes does
degenerate into arrogance.)

OK, your brother is in the Maricopa County jail. That does tell me
something new. Now, without intending any sarcasm, taking you at your
word, that means you believe all the measures Arpaio has implemented are
appropriate treatment for your brother, or they are exactly what he
deserves, and you are proud to have a sheriff who treats him that way. It
is not, as I had thought, that you are happy to see strangers you never
met treated that way. I don't know your brother, so I can't argue with
that. Maybe you even love him dearly and truly believe that this
treatment is going to make him a better human being and a better family
member. Maybe it will. Maybe he will even come home and say it did. That
would be the most powerful evidence of all.

Most people I know and love, and many other people I have met and have
some friendship or respect for, if they had committed a misdemeanor and
were in jail, would do better with a different course of treatment, and
in my opinion, deserve somewhat more respect than what the regimen we
have been discussing seems to provide. Ditto for people I know who have
been in jail or prison, or are in jail or prison, or people I know who
have family members locked up. There are some awfully nice people in
prison or in jail, mostly they do learn something from the experience,
depending on what the experience is, and often, it was an unfortunate
incident in a worthwhile life that put them there. There are also
incorrigibles, but after 20 years or so, they can improve enormously too
-- depending on how they are treated.

I remember a woman in New York who was exonerated of a murder charge
after 17 years in prison -- but she said the FIRST 6 years DID save her
from a life of drugs and prostitution.

Siarlys

P.S. I was Voltaire who said "I may not agree with what you say, but I
will defend to the death your right to say it."
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://gcfl.net/pipermail/gcfl-discuss/attachments/20050617/480eab81/attachment.html