Need help with a personal conflict

[Kevin Finnerty]

Originally Posted by cbfoulds

Sorry, Finnerty, you are completely full of crap on this one.

I have PLENTY of "first-hand" experience with our justice system, from just about every vantagepoint possible. I also have a pretty good familiarity with the "justice systems found in other civilized countries".

Skarecrow has it exactly right: as imperfect as it is [and I'll be the first to admit that it is VERY far from perfect], ours still beats hell out of whatever is in second place.

As far as the OP is concerned: like mbyron, I doubt I'll ever have to make the decision, 'cause I don't imagine that either my local assn or my state would tolerate a felon on the field. That said, I have to admit that I fully support that position - a person who steals ["even" from the Gov't] IS a "bad person", namely a thief; and while I believe in rehabilitation and redemption, that comes after the "debt to society" is paid, and after some period of "exile" from the community of law-abiding citizens.

I have lost two people close to me, and in both cases, it is because of a failure of our justice system that the admittedly biased Scarecrow loves. Another dear person to me had his life ruined by a drunk driver. He spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. The justice system the admittedly biased Scarecrow loves had the perpretrator out of jail before my friend was out of the hospital. That's a sampling of my experience with it.

To have a curious rating system that automatically puts our system at No. 1 with no cogent argument for it is a little silly.

[Matt]

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

I have lost two people close to me, and in both cases, it is because of a failure of our justice system that the admittedly biased Scarecrow loves. Another dear person to me had his life ruined by a drunk driver. He spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair. The justice system the admittedly biased Scarecrow loves had the perpretrator out of jail before my friend was out of the hospital. That's a sampling of my experience with it.

The plural of anecdotes is not data.

Originally Posted by Kevin Finnerty

To have a curious rating system that automatically puts our system at No. 1 with no cogent argument for it is a little silly.

Dishonest much?