Too much mercy… often resulted in further crimes which were fatal to innocent victims who need not have been victims if justice had been put first and mercy second. ~ Agatha Christie
I, like many people am absolutely horrified that once again our justice system has failed us. While social media and journalism have tried to play it up as white privilege. This is a much deeper issue then someone who buys an expensive attorney.
It has to do with a justice system that prides itself on the concept of innocence until proven guilty, yet fails to consider the ramifications of that when it constantly revictimizes the victim. This is about a society and generation that feels they are infallible and do not have to be held accountable for their actions.
This is about a system, that makes the victim relive every moment, second by second, over and over, because well they just aren’t a victim unless the courts prove it.
While the defendant can just sit there looking smug, not having to answer for a single questionable action because he is being persecuted. He is the real “Victim.”
Bullshit.
Should we live in a society where it is an eye for an eye and anyone can call wolf?
Probably not.
But should we continue to live in a society where the victim has to jump through hurdles just to proof a crime was committed against them?
Hell no.
What occurred in a California courtroom, unfortunately, isn’t an anomaly.
But it SHOULD be.
What kind of system do we live in when it is okay to put a “victim” through hell? Repeatedly. And then give the perpetrator a slap on the wrist because oh he made a “Drunken mistake.”
Yes, people do make mistakes.
Unfortunately, sometimes those mistakes, have dire consequences.
This country can not be based on mistakes. Do people screw up?
Most certainly.
But with every action comes a consequence, and no matter how much you might regret that “Drunken mistake,” It still happened. You can not change that.
It was a mistake! I was drunk!
To err is being human. Yet some so called mistakes also happen to be crimes. Criminal “mistakes” also known as acts, must be held accountable. Regardless of first time offenders or the twentieth time. And being under the influence of some substance is not an excuse.
A mistake is tripping and spilling your drink all over someones’ Lucky jeans. It is not taking those jeans off and penetrating that person. No matter how drunk you may be.
While the defense and judge apparently have very skewed opinions on what a “Mistake” might be, Google’s definition is such:
-
nounan action or judgment that is misguided or wrong.“coming here was a mistake”verb
-
be wrong about.“because I was inexperienced, I mistook the nature of our relationship”
Are we so jaded, by our holier then thou, self absorbed society, that we can not even be humbled enough to offer an apology? To admit we are wrong?
No.
We blame everyone but ourselves.
Our courts blame everyone but the perpetrator.
To drunk. Acted provocatively. Didn’t run in a straight line. Was a bitch. She shouldn’t have been there. Well, she slept with other people. She asked for it. She deserved it.
Directing blame at others, so we can excuse our own abhorrent behavior.
Part of repentance is accepting responsibility for our own actions. Admitting we are human enough, man enough, to own up to the damage we cause. Accept the consequences. Take them like the human beings we are suppose to be. Yet the man who was convicted of raping a woman, has no remorse. No comprehension that – reality check – he fucked up.
Yet, he got a slap on a wrist and sympathy because his swimming career is over.
Has society gone completely insane when we remove consequences? When we care more about the perpetrators feelings, then we do about the victim’s?
In no way did the ruling in this case ask Brock Turner to take responsibility for his actions.
“It was a mistake.”
This goes beyond the crime that was committed, and to where we need to take a good long hard look at the judges who are handing out sentences.
I am all for rehabilitation within reason. When there is actually an act of contriteness and ownership of the crime that was committed.
Saying over and over it was a mistake, oh and by the way the victim is to blame, is not showing contriteness. It is deflection 1.01.
Is rape hard to prove in many cases?
Unfortunately, yes.
THIS was not one of those cases. This was one that should have been open and shut.
In fact it was.
He was tried and convicted.
Yet our justice system shows more compassion for the remorseless convict and concern for what a jail sentence will do to him, then it does for the victim who continues to relive this horror, We must take a very long inquisitive look at where our true compassion lies, on what justice is really meant to be.
Because until we do, justice will never truly be served. Victims will continue to be revictimized and criminals will continually get away with their crimes.
