Tuesday; February 21

Here is one of the basic challenges of a system built on civility: do we primarily seek to hold offenders accountable for their actions or are we more apt to offer mercy for crimes and seek to rehabilitate offenders? While I believe there is probably a way to strike a balance in the justice system, we spend a lot of time and effort trying to find it. Now, while I understand the value of a discipline-based rehabilitation system, we must not overlook the need for punishment – but maybe not for the reason many people might attribute to me. In all honestly, it isn’t everyday citizens who most benefit from accountability, it is the vulnerable population. Most of us who are physically, financially, mentally and emotionally stable have a pretty good defense mechanism that can help us avoid becoming victims of crimes, but even if we are victims of crime the vast majority of us can bounce back. The people who are at greater risk of criminal activity is the vulnerable population. By definition, the vulnerable population – those who struggle to protect themselves against those who prey upon them – are those who have the most to lose when we reject criminal and social accountability. The elderly, the physically and mentally challenged, the young people, the poor are going to be one ones who are hardest hit by a softer approach to crime.
I understand the need for a rights-based approach to the justice system and I believe that some who find themselves on the wrong side of the law have issues that need to be addressed; however, let’s not forget to protect those who have the most to lose. In a civil society, we have to find the line between punishment and permissiveness. Remember, long before the Constitution of the United States was ever written, the Old Testament noted, “Thus has the Lord of hosts said, ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother; and do not oppress the widow or the orphan, the stranger or the poor; and do not devise evil in your hearts against one another.’” (Zechariah 7:9-10)
Think About It!

Popular posts from this blog

Thursday; May 3

I have a fish tank that allows my three Bettas (Larry, Darrell and Darrell) to live in the same structure, but remain hidden from each other – well sort of.   When I go to feed the fish, I believe that one of the Darrell’s can sort of see that the other Darrell is getting fed and he will linger over on that side of the tank even after I put his food in his tank.   I have to tap on the side of the tank where his food is floating to help him refocus and eat.   I get the impression that he is so interested in what is going on in the other Darrell’s tank that he can’t enjoy his own food. I have been told that the brain of a fish is pretty small – which explains their inability to process “blessings”, but are we guilty of the same malady as Darrell?   Are we so worried (or consumed) by what happens to the people around us that we fail to realize what is going on with us?   Are we envious of the blessings that others are receiving and end up missing out on what we have been given?   Are w
Read more

Thursday; February 14

         While most of us are familiar with today being Valentine’s Day, there are some who actually refer to February 14 th as “St. Valentine’s Day”.  This title is often affixed to a criminally historic event known as “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” on February 14, 1929 in Chicago, but that is another story for another time.  Not knowing much about the history of “Saint Valentine” I did a little research and found out he was a Roman religious leader who was martyred in 269 AD.  According to my limited research Valentine was killed because of his encouragement of Roman men (especially soldiers) to marry which was in violation of Claudias’ edict that prohibited marriage to keep their minds singularly focused on their task of defending the Empire.  Somehow, from this beginning – and possibly embellished by Chaucer – St. Valentine became intertwined with the concept of romantic love.           I am not really sure how February 14 th became connected with love, but inspired by thi
Read more

Wednesday; December 6

What does it mean to be a leader? I subscribe to the belief that a leader is someone who seeks the best for others and works with them to achieve their potential. There are others; however, who define leadership as the ability to have a vision and the tenacity to get their own way. Leaders who are this way are often portrayed as having developed the maturity to manipulate people to do things their way. However, is the ability to drive people in our direction mature or is it childish? The Christians of the 1st Century came from a lot of different backgrounds and had to work hard to work together. As the Apostle Paul challenged Christians in the city of Ephesus he challenged them to accept individual differences, “… until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. “ (Ephesians 4:13). Bossiness was not to be viewed as a sign of maturity, a willingness to wo
Read more