www.byzcath.org Forums General Discussions Town Hall American injustice

This morning Fox news reported that there was going to be a party at her mansion this weekend...she can't go out but it don't stop anyone from visiting...

james

In all fairness I don't remember any public out cry when black super model Naomi Campbell, who has a history of violent behaviour, received just 5 days community service for splitting her maid's head open.

Alice,

Since O.J. was found not guilty by a jury of his peers, there is really nothing that the D.A. (or anyone else) can do. And Phil Spector posted bail. Bail is a constitutional right unless the defendent is judged to be an impending threat to the community.

Personally, I make no judgment regarding Paris Hilton. Since I don't know her personally; and since I know that the media never reveals the full truth; I don't feel qualified to issue a judgment about her case. That is why we have judges and juries. I will say that it does seem to be the case that rich, white, pretty girls tend to have it easy in all things, including the justice system. My wife will testify to that. It is much easier to get young, teenage, white, middle class, cute, girls admitted to the right hospitals and treatment programs, than poor, welfare, black women and men. I don't feel too sorry for Paris. With all of the money and power she has, she is the maker of her own destiny. At the most she spends 45 days in jail. If she wanted to, she could turn into a book or movie ("Heiress Jailbait Gone Wild?!?"). If she really is suffering then my hope is that it will be a moment of grace and redemption for her. I wish her no ill will. I've nothing personal against her and I would be as pleasant to her as anyone. For all I know she could be a great person. But, the law is the law and she has had plenty of chances.

Joe

Dear James,

Do you know that according to the Geneva convention, a person can not be held in solitary confinement for more than 28 days? Now how many days did the judge say Paris Hilton was to stay in solitary confinement? Was it 45 days? Amazing how some politicians want the terrorists freed, but have someone in solitary for a misdemeanor.

Since when is a sentence placed on someone because of who they are, rather than the offense. Also who can say what she is or isn't, or what she has gone through or not? Each person has different experiences, and each person has different sensibilities. So no one else can place judgement on another, other than according to the crime. The sentence must be fair and relative to the crime.

Now if she were in Hong Kong, and (let's say), everyone that had a suspended license, (that is what she is being charged with), goes to jail for ten years, then she should go to jail for ten years. If though she is in a place where no one is in jail for a suspended license, (as in California), and she is told to go to jail for 45 days for a suspended license, then there is something wrong with that judge...and instead of concerning himself with his image to the media, or the politics of the district he represents, he shouldn't be on the bench.

The sentence is going to be appealed to a higher court, and no doubt it will be changed. What a farce our courts have become!

God Bless,

Zenovia

Zenovia,

There are times when I think that all of reality is a farce. I was going to say more but now I don't remember what I was going to say.

Joe

True enough.

And, believe it or not, I have actually prayed for Ms. Hilton for mercy on her. But, sometimes the most merciful thing is to be given all that one needs to endure one's suffering in order to make it redemptive.

-- John

Dear Zenovia,

I suspect the appeal will fail: for two reasons.

First, she isn't kept in solitary confinement continuously. She is released for an hour everyday to watch tv, bathe, walk, etc. Also, she is in solitary confinement to protect her from the general population: who would probably eat her for lunch.

Second, let us remember the underlying crime in her case: d.u.i. Driving under the influence of alcohol is a crime that kills lots of people in this country every year, and it is treated strictly by courts. That is why Ms. Hilton's driver's license was suspended, and that was why she was given 3 years of probation. Yet, she disregarded all that by driving after her license was suspended. Thus, she was not jailed because she was a tawdry celebrity. She was jailed because she committed the crime of D.U.I. and because she failed to keep the terms of her probation.

-- John

The really sad thing is that Ms Hilton had options. She could have called a taxi or limousine to transport her where she wanted to go. She presumably has enough money to have hired a private chauffeur for the duration of her license suspension. Instead, she chose to drive in direct contravention of a signed agreement promising she would not drive again on her suspended license.

The legal system, which stepped in after her arrest for DUI and reckless driving, said she couldn't drive. She then chose on two later occasions to go ahead and drive. If she were a juvenile who violated curfew on multiple occasions, she could be be judged "incorrigible" and locked up for months. And that's exactly what she is - incorrigible. She obviously has never learned impulse control, doesn't understand the seriousness of a written commitment, and thus cannot be trusted.

There are hundreds of people, women included, who have been jailed for violating probation. Here in Arizona, they don't get a nice cushy private cell. They live in Sheriff Arpaio's "tent city," with no air conditioning in temperatures that last week hit 110 degrees.

Ms Hilton needs to learn what it means to be a responsible adult; that there are consequences to our actions and that you can't flaunt the law repeatedly and expect not to be punished.

We were not the jurors who heard all the testimony in the cases of OJ, Michael Jackson et al., so we cannot say why they weren't convicted. Thankfully, in Ms Hilton's the verdict was in the hands of a judge. It may be that this will be the wake-up call she needs.

Pardon me friends, but do you really think this is important to keep talking about Paris Hilton?

I am astounded that there have even been 3 pages on this already.

This is one of the things wrong with America, I think, that we pay attention to Paris, Lindsey, Britney, Michael J., et al, and we do not pay attention to real issues.

This case brings up issues about our penal system in general, but I do not want to engage anymore this thread.

lanceg,

The problem is with the American penal system, but more with Hollywood's promotion of its self. These events are what makes Hollywood and its bizzare culture tick. Never before has a particular culture failed to contribute to society as teh non-productive people it employs. They have a lot of time on their hands and now someone is actually going to do time. I am sure the women at the jail will provide Ms. Hilton an education. Maybe there will be a book or better yet a movie forthcoming? She certainly looked different without her hair extensions.

Ed

PS: The sheriff will have to pay for taking the law into his own hands, working contrary to the judge's instructions.

Lance, this is Town Hall. We get to post anything we want here. We can speak our minds, communicate our opinions, and we don't even have to worry about citing scripture or Church Fathers!

Besides, we did 2 pages on Hogzilla and 6 on Irish jokes. Are they more important?

Sophia,

Please do not take personally, Of course, you have a right to talk about her, and I have a right to think it is a waste of time talking about this situation; but I do not thereby think you or any one else is being silly talking about it, I have too, talked about it with other friends. It is hard not to do so.

And I am interested in a lot of things that people here probably are not interested, like my favorite classic rock bands. I would not want anything to be off limits on our forum.

Actually, I do have some opinions about her, the penal system, and people's attitude toward both, but I felt I did not want to post about them.

I am just making a commentary that we as a culture spend too much time on items that are less newsworthy than others.

Blessings,

Lance

And I think that is a worthwhile point.

Gordo

Lance. I tend to agree. mayb eall our expendable time should be in prayer? I now have some time to read "Domostroi" It looks very interesting. Do you think we should send Paris Hilton a complementary copy? one of my favorite bookstores has at least a dozen on the shelf.
Eddie

Ed I think that would be an excellent idea. A friend of mine gave a minor celebrity a book written by Benedict Groeschel, and he took it and read it. Never hurts, and may help someone set upon a new path of life.

- Lance