Government Shenanigans (cont.)

So, the prosecuting attorney in my mom's case, in the Pre-Sentencing Report, has made the FALSE statement that, in another courtroom back in the 90's, my mom turned to the jury and said she wanted to stab someone, and also called that someone twice leaving threatening messages.

The attorney, who wasn't even there, says, "We're still looking for the transcript."

This lie is such an obvious attempt to throw us off while we're trying to write another motion, as well as to give my mom either a higher fine or more time in jail, it's disgusting.

Come on, government, have some tact.

How many more must die? - reaction to James Foley video

Following the release of the video depicting the alleged beheading of American journalist James Foley by ISIS, I’ve seen many governments and corporations advocate the banning of said video.  This is to be expected; such violence “encourages more violence,” “gives the terrorists what they want,” and is “too disturbing and disrespectful for the public eye” (not actual quotes, but similar sentiments to those given).  It makes sense that a video in which the victim seems to accuse the US government of being responsible for his death would not be one of the US’ favorites.

However, while the banning of the video by governments and corporations should be no surprise, I’ve also seen, disturbingly enough, outcries by members of the public for disallowing posts such as this.  Of course, it is graphic, and it could be said to be disrespectful to Foley’s family to view it, but no one is being forced to watch it.  The decision of whether or not to do so should be made on an individual basis, not enforced by some outside party.

Furthermore, are we so isolated and pretentious as to think that the words and demonstrations of clearly dangerous people ought to be disregarded?  Of course, by no means do I advocate allowing ourselves to be swept into the fray on the chariot of rash actions and mere retaliation, but should we not at least take in the information?  Unless we do, how are we to properly address it?

By the way, according to the video, the way to address it is to leave the Middle East.  Shockingly enough, they want to be left alone.  Naturally, if they brought the fight here, we would respond accordingly, but, just as I doubt many Americans would appreciate foreign interference in one of our conflicts, they do not appreciate our involvement in theirs.

Now, before you accuse me of not having a heart, let me say: of course I mourn the innocent lives being lost in this conflict.  I don’t like it any more than you do.  However, this war, in one form or another, has been waged for centuries.  How long will we stay involved?  How many of our own people must die in this never-ending conflict before we bring them home?

Thomas Jefferson said it best: “Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none.”

A Eulogy for Justice (poem)

A Eulogy for Justice

Let us pray.

O, Justice, you beauteous creature, lost to us at the hands of those who swore to protect you!

Your fathers warned us, told us to take care, to keep our minds sharp and our senses keen,

But did we listen?  No.  For a time, we watched and listened and thought and remembered…

But soon, like sands upon the beach, our memories were washed away in waves of new events and fine distractions.

Justice, meantime, was locked away in a gilded rusty tower, a distant gleam on a dreary horizon.

Too soon, the tower was all we remembered, forgetting what great beauty lived inside.

And the protectors we’d assigned, in their long dark robes, realizing that the tower was so much easier than the beauty to tame and corrupt, did so, blood-stained quills scratching furiously to seal her fate, etching wall after wall of leather-bound chains, so that shortly, even the tower fell out of our minds.

And they, the black-robed traitors, with every pound of their hammers, raped and ravaged what was left of darling Justice until she was torn and trembling on the floor of her crumbling keep.

She may not yet be dead, but who can tell?

And so, this day, let us bow our heads, and think of Justice, the light of civilization.

May she rest in peace until she finds her way back home.