Special Friends - Special Lives by: Arleen M. Kaptur

These past few weeks have been quite a lesson in the old saying "It's not what you know - it's who you know." We have Paris Hilton, driving drunk and putting lives in danger but hey, the best of everything even in prison. It cost the taxpapers well over $1,000 a day to take care of her royalty, while the other everyday inmates only cost well under half of that. Why forego the comforts of your McMansion even when the facade of you taking responsibility for your actions is portrayed to the public?

Mr. Libby is another grand example. You can lie under oath, assist powers whose goals and egos are way off base, but when you are tied to the likes of those whose only concerns are me, myself, and I, well then you won't sit in jail one minute. It just grated my soul when the news media stated, "Dick Cheney is very happy about this commuted sentence." Wow, I just can't believe that I am suppose to be elated because Mr. Torture, still ties Iraq to terrorism, and has the audacity to undercut the gay culture, yet his own family is part and parcel of this culture, is elated. What about the thousands in hidden prisons, treated inhumanely and with all their rights stripped right along with their clothes - do they make his day as well? You have to wonder why decency and civility are tossed out the window right along with justice and yet no one does anything about it. Oh, that's right - you just might be nicknamed an "enemy combatant" and we all know that your new address will be Guantanamo.

The taxpayers paid for a trial, a judge's salary, not to mention the jury, and all the expenses of holding a justice system charade. only to have the Powers that Be state that in their estimation it was unfair. Why then have trials, and a court system? Why doesn't every criminal just take their chances kissing the ring of the kingship and hope to make them "elated." I would bet that most criminals would choose walking the plank because their bank accounts just don't have the funds to make an impression on the administration, let alone make them "happy." If you are anything less than mega, you might as well resign yourself to whatever comes your way. There will be no special perks, no commuted sentences and in jail, your "medical" conditions will be pushed aside as you eat hot dogs and beans. You can only take in the aromas of gourmet, and wonder what it feels like to be addressed as "Miss" by the guards instead of the platitudes that you are made subject to.

What a world, what a country, and why doesn't someone do something - oh, that's right - while many, few are chosen and even fewer are accepted into the den of iniquity. What a goal to set for your children - I'd rather walk the plank. ©Arleen M. Kaptur July, 2007

About the Author

Arleen M. Kaptur has written numerous articles for magazines and newspapers. Her new book will be out in 2008.