MAKING THE PUNISHMENT FIT THE CRIME

This is my weekly rant. I've had these things on my mind for days and finally got the time to put it all down. It's all about taking responsibility for one's actions. Making the punishment fit the crime.

All too often lately it seems like people who break the law, steal, drive drunk, (often resulting in other innocent people's lives being taken or having them maimed,) shooting off guns so innocent people get killed (this city is rife with gang warfare and in spite of Canada having gun laws -- it seems that far too many goons are carrying them and innocent people are getting caught in the cross-fire), and biggest of all, the notorious murder case of the Pig Farmer which I wrote about for awhile until it got too gruesome to bear.

It was good to see the other week that a man who purposefully shot an innocent young man, a talent artist and skate-board enthusiast, was found guilty of murder and sentenced to a life term with no chance of parole for 10 years. It's about time these characters faced the music. All too often they are getting a light term for one reason or another.

But in the case of the police officers who blatantly tasered an innocent immigrant at the airport a few weeks ago, it seems like the buck has been passed. Even the airport staff who, on camera, were seen to turn their back on the man who had been stuck inside the luggage area of the airport for 10 hours after a 14 hour flight, are all being absolved of their responsibility. That airport itself has made countless excuses why nobody was on hand to interpret for the Polish man, or why a computer check (which would have taken a minute) was not done to assure his mother who had driven miles to meet him, that he was in fact in the airport. Instead they told her he had not arrived. It's sickening the way they are trying to evade responsibility in this drastic, tragic matter. Now they cops are planning a trip to Poland (at tax payer's expense) to 'investigate' the Polish man -- to see if he had mental illness or was a substance abuser -- another ploy to skip out of being held responsible for their rash actions. They lied all the way through with this, but too bad for them, someone had filmed the entire episode so the whole world could see what really happened. It is a national disgrace!

Now we are waiting on tenderhooks for the verdict to come in on the infamous Pig Farmer, Willie Pickton, who has been on trial for the gruesome deaths and dismemberments of six sex-trade workers whose remains were found on his farm and in his living quarters at the farm. (He still faces another 20 charges). The defence lawyer has tried to dispute the graphic testimony of several witness saying they were delusional drug addicts. I don't think anyone would make up the story of seeing a body hanging on a meat hook. Besides, how could he came to be 'innocent' when body parts were found in a freezer right next to his trailer. The guy is a bit slow, but nobody is that slow! Yes, I believe there were others in on this with him, but he hasn't spoken up to accuse them. Yes, maybe he's going to be the fall guy for these other people who unfortunately the police haven't been able to get enough evidence on. But...the fact remains personal effects and blood of the victims and other things were found inside his trailer and on his property. Doesn't that make him guilty?

It will be interesting to see what the jury finds. They've already been deliberating five days, going through hours of tapes and evidence to review the case. It must be a terrible thing to serve on such a jury. And even more terrible to be one of the victim's family members who are waiting hour by hour at the court house.

Let's just hope that whatever the verdict, the punishment fits the crime.