Post by Fredo on Feb 13, 2012 9:06:28 GMT -5
We all know our resident editorializer and constant opinion writer Brenda Washington. Usually, she's just rambling on about the man keeping those poor thugs down, but today she actually made a bit of sense and I thought I'd share.
chattanoogan.com/2012/2/12/219297/No-Way-Out-For-Chattanooga-s-Homeless.aspx
It's been my observation for some time that it's dang near impossible to go about one's daily life without running afoul of the law in some way great or small and once your in that system, it's nearly impossible to extract yourself easily, quickly or cheaply. I think it's very likely that a lot of folks with criminal records have them because it was outside of their means to fight an unjust or incorrect charge. The difference between a $100 fine and a $5k lawyer is a pretty daunting one for someone of limited resources.
Now, when we see a drug charge, what usually comes to mind? Some drug dealer/user out there slanging drugs, right? Well, a charge of drug possession isn't always what it appears to be. As in the case of one individual with such a charge. The individual had a loose pill (meaning not in a bottle with a label) in their pocket and cash money. That immediately led to a charge of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drugs for resale. The reality is the individual had been doing odd jobs to earn money since having been laid off from work where their hands had been severely burned and became infected. They'd also hurt their back. The individual worked in the restaurant industry. You can't handle food with infected hands can you? The pill was for pain. I had a quick education and learned, if you're stopped, even for a minor traffic violation, and you have a pill inside its container...it's just a pill inside a container. If that pill is loose, in your pocket or has fallen on the floor, that can become a felony drug possession. Of course, left up to the "discretion" of the arresting officer. Whatever cash money is on your person, you immediately lose it because there's now a drug charge. The money this individual had earned doing odd jobs or whatever, was lost. The money was for utility bills. The wife, girlfriend(a student attending college/working a small low wage job) whatever who was dependent in part on that second income to keep their head above water is now left struggling alone. Because of course, the officer arrested the individual on the spot.
It's not that people are more criminally prone today than they've ever been. America was much more crime-ridden than it is today. The problem is every step we take, word we speak, every traffic stop, no matter how minor, can lead to an arrest. Now, some people have said if you're not breaking the law you have nothing to worry about. How naive, can one get. They don't realize just by going about their daily lives they break laws every day. Those laws are just not enforced where they live because of who they are, who they know and their class status. However, if those laws were enforced across board and not used to prey on only the most weak and vulnerable in society, they'd have criminal records too. And eventually, if not sooner, their livelihoods and ability to survive would disappear as well. The next thing you know, they'd be out there doing whatever they could just to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads just like everyone else.
It's not that people are more criminally prone today than they've ever been. America was much more crime-ridden than it is today. The problem is every step we take, word we speak, every traffic stop, no matter how minor, can lead to an arrest. Now, some people have said if you're not breaking the law you have nothing to worry about. How naive, can one get. They don't realize just by going about their daily lives they break laws every day. Those laws are just not enforced where they live because of who they are, who they know and their class status. However, if those laws were enforced across board and not used to prey on only the most weak and vulnerable in society, they'd have criminal records too. And eventually, if not sooner, their livelihoods and ability to survive would disappear as well. The next thing you know, they'd be out there doing whatever they could just to feed their families and keep a roof over their heads just like everyone else.
chattanoogan.com/2012/2/12/219297/No-Way-Out-For-Chattanooga-s-Homeless.aspx
It's been my observation for some time that it's dang near impossible to go about one's daily life without running afoul of the law in some way great or small and once your in that system, it's nearly impossible to extract yourself easily, quickly or cheaply. I think it's very likely that a lot of folks with criminal records have them because it was outside of their means to fight an unjust or incorrect charge. The difference between a $100 fine and a $5k lawyer is a pretty daunting one for someone of limited resources.