One of the things that bothers me the most these days about politics and the general mood sweeping our country is this:
“”I don’t apologize for the investigation and the conduct,” [Miami County Prosecutor Gary Nasal said,] “The result speaks for itself.” — AP Story, “Agents use woman’s identity in strip-bar sting” (April 10, 2005) Akron Beacon Journal.
You see a similar attitude on just about everything pertaining to the law these days — and from just about everyone from the President of the United States to my next-door neighbor.
When people wonder how I could possibly want to be a criminal defense attorney — why would I want to defend murderers, robbers, pornographers — this is why. I’m not about the business of “trying to put criminals back on the streets.” I’m not interested in letting murderers or child molesters off scot-free. I’m aiming to preserve the shreds of the Constitution that still remain semi-viable for as long as I can.
Because the prosecutors of the law in the United States have lost track of what they are supposed to be doing.
Their jobs are to enforce the laws. But that’s to be done in a way that does not, itself, do damage to justice. Mr. Nasal may get his nose bent out of joint by my saying this, but he’s an unethical man unfit to hold the position he holds.
When an officer of the government of the United States decides that you are nothing more to them than an object that they can appropriate at will, then that officer has shown that he, himself, is of exactly the same mindset as the criminals against whom he is supposed to protect us. He just happened to pick a different team, is all.
Fact is, folks, the ends do not justify the means. If you want total peace and total compliance with the law, we can stick cameras on every street corner, in every building, spies in every church, or in any group that claims to advocate for peace, or in…oops! We’re already doing that!
And now, when they want it, the government has decided it can appropriate your identity.
What next?
6 responses so far ↓
1 Linda // Apr 13, 2005 at 3:54 pm
I understand that you don’t like George Bush, but there was this thing held back in November called an “election”……your side lost. Seems most of the country actually prefers someone with morals, who will laugh at silly ideas, who can stand up for himself and have dignity, and who doesn’t look the other way when we’re being attacked. Maybe you should find another country in which to live if you cannot find your way to be tolerant of the christian values and morals upon which ours was founded. GOD BLESS AMERICA!!
2 Rick Horowitz // Apr 13, 2005 at 8:19 pm
Uh…apparently you haven’t done any reading. And I don’t just meant of my blog, but of the news.
I personally think that christians embracing George Bush is proof that there is no God. If you watched what he did, you’d realize that it fits better with the biblical description of Satan, or the Tim LaHaye version of the Anti-Christ.
You mention that there was an “election” — it’s telling that you put that in quotes.
If you studied history, you’d know that the combination of Christianity and government was considered by all the Founders of the United States — even those who were actually Christians (and that was damn few of them) — to be one of the most dangerous things on Earth.
I will not abandon my country just because you don’t like following the path of Christ. Your hatred of God notwithstanding, I plan to stick around and — even though I’m a Jew and not a Christian — try to honor the concept that Jesus apparently honored.
We Jews call it tikkun olam.
You’re another living example of what’s wrong with 21st Century Christianity.
All this, of course, ignores the fact that your comment sits in the relation of a non sequitur to my post.
Thanks for playing!
3 LQ // Apr 14, 2005 at 7:43 am
Linda, I feel sorry for you and other Christians who have been duped by George W. Bush. As a Christian myself I have been absolutely appalled by some of the very un-Christianly actions the Bush administration has taken. Would Jesus tell people that if they don’t like it they should just leave? No, he wants us to stay here and stop the radical Bush agenda that is consistently attacking the poor and underpriveldged. There’s nothing Christian about Bush’s agenda.
4 Bob // Apr 14, 2005 at 11:32 am
Funny, one of the primary, fundamental values of Christianity (when practiced) is tolerance. Inviting someone to leave seems to go against that.
IF Christianity were as important to Linda as she claims in her post, would it be more important to be Christian, or on the winning side of an “election”?
Does Christianity change based on the situation? I’ve never been taught that but it does appear to be a common thread in Bush supporters.
Really, let’s be truthful here — if being against your president is anti-christian, then he’s not an elected leader in a democracy, he’s a king of a very intolerant and frightened kingdom.
Tolerance is not only a Christian virtue but an American tradition. It was once one of those “morals” that Linda alluded to.
And just for the record, Bill Clinton was, and still is, a Christian. I am not saying that he is a perfect Christian or that he was a great president. Treating others as you wish to be treated was once the “golden rule” that Christians followed. So was “hate the sin but love the sinner”. Clinton’s unforgivable sin is not his extra-marital affair or his lying to Congress, it’s being a Democrat.
Bush followers have a problem making the distinction between Christian and Democrat. A Christian is someone who agrees with you; a Democrat is not deserving of any respect.
That kind of behavior is not Christian.
Why should he when we Christians can’t even get the basics right? He must be hanging His head in disappointment that so many invoke His name but so few follow the example.
5 Mark // Apr 14, 2005 at 11:17 pm
Linda:
Have you researched the “results” from Ohio? Places where there might be, for instance, 18,000 registered voters, but 29,000 votes tallied for Bush?
It’s pretty obvious that we don’t have “elections” any more.
Do you really think Jesus would alter the tabulating machines? Really?
6 One Nation Under My God // Sep 17, 2008 at 8:15 am
[…] I understand that you don’t like George Bush, but there was this thing held back in November called an “election”……your side lost. Seems most of the country actually prefers someone with morals, who will laugh at silly ideas, who can stand up for himself and have dignity, and who doesn’t look the other way when we’re being attacked. Maybe you should find another country in which to live if you cannot find your way to be tolerant of the christian values and morals upon which ours was founded. GOD BLESS AMERICA!! Posted by: Linda at April 13, 2005 03:54 PM http://unspun.us/law-and-legal-issues/team-players/#comments […]
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