Day 2 trying again with today's headlines

Today's headlines: Atlanta,GA; Criminal mastermind robs wing shack & gas station next door to each other. Now that is a ballsy move. But this super genius forgot one small detail. Don't commit felony armed robbery from the back of a taxi. That's right. He took a cab to the target & afterward the driver took him to his home. After several hours & tear gas canisters the police finally arrested him barricaded in his own attic. Brilliant!

 And now that we've all had our astonished chuckle I'd like for you to look at this from a different perspective. What made this man commit this crime & how should he be punished? Times are hard. As hard as it has ever been. Great Depression hard. Would you re-consider throwing him under the jail if you knew he did it to feed his children? How about to keep the heat on. Not to buy drugs or a pattern of behavior but because it had become so difficult to provide what most of you take for granted. Food & shelter. Would he then be worthy of mercy? What if he were a veteran? I'm not saying walk away scott free. I'm saying to have those extenuating circumstances taken into account & find this guy an opportunity to repay society in other ways beside incarceration. Would you be open to that?

Here's my point. Most "criminals" in jail for an extended period of time are not there for violent crimes. Trust me I know. Most are there for drugs & most of those are minor possession charges. In fact, most people in jail are regular people who have fallen on hard times. Does it sound like I'm soft on crime? Well I'm not. But I do believe that the laws are written to expedite the court process and in that process alot of people (most with court appointed attys) are sentenced just as if they had commited violent crime. Don't believe that? Go sit in court for one day & watch. Then come talk to me.

 I think the better idea is to have this man repay what was stolen by working it off & simultaneously provide him with the help & resources he needs to find a job. In the process you create jobs to assist the public. Guess what? the unemployment figures that are so high do NOT include the people in jails. So, in fact, there are much more than 10% unemployed. But if the government gave that figure then people would be devastated to know the real figure of people unemployed in this country is closer to 20% of the total population. That figure approaches 50 MILLION people in this country. BUT, the prisoners have food & shelter. Did the lightbulb go on yet?

 How about this? You become unemployed. The fact is that for every 10k in salary you expect to receive you must look for a job for 4 months. Most well-off people who handle their money correctly should have 6 mos. to a year of income in savings. Do you? So if I'm underprivileged living paycheck to paycheck & become unemployed I must immediately find a job that doesn't exist. When that doesn't happen then I have a few options. Some of which most of us believe we wouldn't even consider but those of us that do have never been truly without. Argue all you want about what you would do but when the time comes you will do whatever you have to to feed those babies & yourself. Here's the catch you would actually be better cared for in prison than on the street. Food, shelter, medical & dental. All taken care of. What must you do to receive such benefits free from the government? That's easy. Armed robbery should get you taken care of for quite some time. How's that for a different perspective?

Next Headline; London, England: A distraught girl with over 1400 friends on FB posts her own suicide note & attempt. Instead of her "friends" lending a helping hand or supportive ear they argue online about how wrong she is or what a drama queen she was. They have an online attack/debate but no one...NO ONE lends a hand. She was found dead the following morning. No one came to her aid. Instead they chastised & mocked. It was a subject which the masses talked & argued about for hours online yet still no one came or called.

  Don't ask yourself what would I have done. The answers are all the same & you dont really know til it's upon you. Don't ask yourself what kind of friend am I or what kinds of friends do I have. Instead ask yourself HOW can I be a friend today, tomorrow & the rest of your days. There are people out there that need you. That need someone, anyone, to break the cycle. There are some on my friends list that would jump at the chance to be of assistance to a total stranger. And some that bury their head in the sand & wish away the problems.

 From a personal perspective, I have been in both places. I have been on the brink. I have been without  food & heat while being evicted. I have considered death as a viable alternative. And let me tell you something. Strangers helped more than any of my so called friends. Not all of you knew of my trials & tribulations. Some did. Some were there as much as possible & I will defend them til the day I die for there compassion. Some of you passed judgment & left me to rot. I forgive you. I will not forget. And if & when the tables are turned maybe I will help you. Then again, maybe I'll wait til you're face down in the mud & step on your neck. Some who I consider friends were not aware. I couldn't bring myself to ask for assistance. That's on me not anyone else. But,lose everything and then try to admit that & swallow your pride to ask for assistance. It's hard to do. To admit failure & need. But the response I got when I finally reached the edge & cried uncle was less than inspirational. I found myself judged privately & publically. And apparently found undeserving.

 EVERYONE is deserving of compassion. Can you empathize? Do you? I mean really detach yourself from your life & for one brief moment place yourself in someone else's shoes. Can you avoid judgment of another and just feel what they feel? Without the thought of this is what they should do or that is the way they should handle the crisis. Next time someone is in need maybe you become the hero for no other reason than you were observant enough to realize someone's cry for help. And then ACTED on it. Next time maybe you don't feel disdain for the man on the street corner with the sign for help but instead pull over & talk to the guy before just tossing him the $0.18 you had in your pocket. Next time maybe it's you with the sign, crying for help. Now, should I pass judgment or the fucking potatoes?