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Much as I am generally against the War On Some Drugs and particularly the crazy sentences meted out for nonviolent offenders, I'm feeling a bit of devil's advoc

by ufmace 11y ago

Much as I am generally against the War On Some Drugs and particularly the crazy sentences meted out for nonviolent offenders, I'm feeling a bit of devil's advocate on this one. The title tries to paint her as a ordinary user, but it sounds like she was actually a mid-level dealer, or at least some kind of participant in a drug ring. And who carried a gun while making deals. Who entered the business hoping to make even more money than the hair salon, burger joint, and restaurant she started with unknown degrees of success, according to the article. It also sounds like she managed to get hit with a particularly bad set of federal sentence enhancements - maybe she got into this without the right kind of help telling her what to do to minimize sentences given arrest in the current legal climate. I tend to feel the most sympathy for the end-users who get huge sentences for simple possession of modest, personal-use amounts of drugs, particularly when they're addicted. It's much harder to feel sympathy for those who enter a highly illegal market looking to make big money. Yeah, prohibition is kinda bullshit, but as long as we're stuck with it, remember that the reason the prohibited market is so profitable is that you risk doing hard time if you get caught, and enforcement is aggressive and vigorous. You wanna make that money, I don't hate you for it, but don't ask me to cry for you when you get busted.

dalke 11y ago
You are not acting as a devil's advocate but Pontius Pilate, willing to wash your hands and let the system be. Some of the jurors who convicted her were "dismayed": > “Life in prison? My God, that is too harsh,” said James J. Siwinski, a retired worker for a glass company. “That is too severe. There’s people killing people and getting less time than that. She wasn’t an angel. But enough is enough already.” which means you have less sympathy than some of those who know the full facts of the case. Moreover, > "The Justice Department announced last month that one of Colombia’s most notorious drug traffickers and a senior paramilitary leader will serve about 15 years in prison for leading an international drug trafficking conspiracy that imported more than 100,000 kilograms of cocaine into the United States." No matter how little you may cry over her imprisonment, no one else is crying over that either, but rather the injustice of the length. Why does a mid-level dealer get such drastically higher punishment than a high-level dealer? Is it because the international drug trafficker could afford "the right kind of help"? If so, do you shed no tears over a justice system where the rich can easily buy freedom or leniency?
vonklaus 11y ago
we all have a contract with society and when you break that contract you have a tariff imposed. I don't think the article is arguing she should have been given a thumbs up and the entrepreneurial citizen of the month award but how about equitable treatment? This happened in 99 so she has been in varying levels of court/jail for 15 years and will likely be for the REST OF HER LIFE. The article is making the point that justice is malleable which is a scary thought for everyone even if they aren't the people you: > tend to feel the most sympathy for

by ufmace 11y ago

dalke 11y ago

You are not acting as a devil's advocate but Pontius Pilate, willing to wash your hands and let the system be. Some of the jurors who convicted her were "dismayed": > “Life in prison? My God, that is too harsh,” said James J. Siwinski, a retired worker for a glass company. “That is too severe. There’s people killing people and getting less time than that. She wasn’t an angel. But enough is enough already.” which means you have less sympathy than some of those who know the full facts of the case. Moreover, > "The Justice Department announced last month that one of Colombia’s most notorious drug traffickers and a senior paramilitary leader will serve about 15 years in prison for leading an international drug trafficking conspiracy that imported more than 100,000 kilograms of cocaine into the United States." No matter how little you may cry over her imprisonment, no one else is crying over that either, but rather the injustice of the length. Why does a mid-level dealer get such drastically higher punishment than a high-level dealer? Is it because the international drug trafficker could afford "the right kind of help"? If so, do you shed no tears over a justice system where the rich can easily buy freedom or leniency?

vonklaus 11y ago

we all have a contract with society and when you break that contract you have a tariff imposed. I don't think the article is arguing she should have been given a thumbs up and the entrepreneurial citizen of the month award but how about equitable treatment? This happened in 99 so she has been in varying levels of court/jail for 15 years and will likely be for the REST OF HER LIFE. The article is making the point that justice is malleable which is a scary thought for everyone even if they aren't the people you: > tend to feel the most sympathy for