Monday 19 October 2020

He's Not Jean Valjean, Love...

What would she say to those who refuse to sympathise with Richardson? He is, after all, a criminal, and to many Americans the mantra is still: You do the crime, you do the time.
“I think it goes back to forgiveness,” says Bradley. “What do we gain as a society from excessive sentencing?”

...he didn't steal a loaf of bread to feed a starving child. He robbed a bank. And what we gain is safety from such criminals.

Technically, he is still not free, though: he will be on parole and under curfew for the next 40 years, Bradley points out.
“So again, as Fox has said herself, you commit one crime in the state of Louisiana as a black family and they have you for life.”

Well, seems the answer's simple then. 

There are grounds for hope, she believes. One is the fact that racial injustice and America’s prison-industrial complex are now mainstream topics.
“They’re being talked about in the media in the same way that Batman is being talked about, right?”

*puzzled face* 

6 comments:

The Jannie said...

Yes, dear. It's someone else's fault that the hard of thinking pair of you decided to get something for nothing and got caught. The film-maker seems sympathetic - or politically correct - cry on his/her shoulder.

said...

So there is a separate law just for black people in Louisiana? Institutional racism sure does exist then.

Michael said...

Scanning the article the phrase "They have absolutely no idea what it means to have a father in the house". Situation normal there then, no surprises? I also note that the gene-donor got 60 years because he didn't take a plea deal because his Defence Attorney told him not to. The US system of justice does seem to operate on deals between defendant and prosecution with the implicit threat, turn it down and you'll go away forever...

Greencoat said...

"They’re being talked about in the media in the same way that Batman is being talked about, right?”

You mean Batman and Robin banks?

Stonyground said...

"They have absolutely no idea what it means to have a father in the house".

Presumably white guys are oppressing them by sticking around to raise their kids.

JuliaM said...

"Yes, dear. It's someone else's fault that the hard of thinking pair of you decided to get something for nothing and got caught."

It seems to be a common attitude for so many of these interviewees. You'd think there'd be an article in that, wouldn't you?

"So there is a separate law just for black people in Louisiana?"

Clearly! I mean, there are no other possible explanations!

"I also note that the gene-donor got 60 years because he didn't take a plea deal because his Defence Attorney told him not to."

He's doing more for law and order than the prosecution! 😂

"You mean Batman and Robin banks?"

/applause

"Presumably white guys are oppressing them by sticking around to raise their kids."

Oh, I'm sure there's plenty of deadbeat dads in other colours. They just never seem to be excused...