Scottius Maximus says, "Don't do da crime, if you can't do da time." However, the idea nowadays seems to be, do the crime, then try to cop a plea for a reduced sentence. Scottius presents us with the case of the 72-year-old ex-Governor of Illinois, George Ryan, who received six and a half years of jail time for corruption. His lawyer gave a sob story of how his client needed time to be with his family before he dies. Well, he should have thought about that before he lined his own and his buddies' pockets, shouldn't he?
Recently in this area, a man had the stones to stand before a judge to try to get his two-year sentence reduced. He was convicted of dumping his newborn son's body in a quarry. The mother only received six years for killing her son. I think they both got off easy. Stabbing and beating your newborn son to death, then dumping his body, requires a heartlessness I can't understand. Old George Ryan up there is getting worse, and there were no lives lost in his case.
Then, a man on his twelfth convicted DUI kills two teenagers and leaves another to suffer physically, not to mention emotionally. Yet Mr. DUI tells the judge, "I'm not the monster I am made out to be." Fortunately the judge didn't buy it and gave him the maximum sentence, 38 years before being considered for parole.
Wanting to escape punishment is normal, starting as a toddler caught "red-handed." But when you get older, you are supposed to learn to face the consequences of your actions. Aren't you?
4 comments:
Well said!
When you are taught that "it takes a village", then it's always someone else's fault. Accountability must be taught at the home, by parents who are accountable. It's quite a problem.
Barb!
Thanks for the mention. But I do want to make something clear. Mr. Ryan's actions did cost lives. One of his schemes while he was Secretary of State of Illinois was a "license for bribes" deal. If you paid enough money, you could buy, without any qualification, a license to drive a semi. But guess what? One of those highly trained folks killed some other folks with his semi out on the highway. Funny how that stuff happens.
At any rate, I'd have a lot more respect for anyone who just would say, "Yeah I did it, I'm sorry, I'm ready to accept whatever punishment you throw at me, and I throw myself on your mercy."
I'm sure anyone not trusting in Christ for the forgiveness of their sins thinks they will bargain with God, the ultimate judge, in a similar way when the time comes.
Thanks for the clarification, Scottius. Very unfortunate that this guy's greed did cost some people their lives.
Interesting point about facing our ultimate judge. I suppose a lot of people do feel the same way.
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