In the waning days of his troubled and inept administration, tRump could rehab his reputation to a minuscule degree by judiciously granting pardons to a whole host of folks who have been incarcerated for far too long by a brutal and often unfair criminal justice system. But most likely he won’t. He’ll just let his family members and cronies (as well as those who have families that can afford to make large donations to his campaign) off the federal hook.
However, even many rock-ribbed conservatives — staunch law-and-order types — have finally come to the reasonable conclusion that our criminal justice statutes demand sentences that are among the most onerous and unjust in the civilized world. No other industrialized nation on earth sentences as many of its fellow citizens to prison — and for as long — as the good ’ol U.S. of A.
The numbers are staggering as well as scandalous for a so-called republic, but they still are acceptable to many Americans because most of the laws stem from a desire to keep persons of color under iron-fisted control in this country. Much of our judicial canon was set in place back when racism was not only tolerated, but in many cases was the law of the land. Indeed, if America was more homogeneous, rather than as multicultural as we happen to be, we would not have such draconian punishments on the books. Pure unadulterated racism is at the root of our national preoccupation with “locking them up and throwing away the key.” Disenfranchising individuals also play a huge role in mass incarceration.
Take, for example, Jimmy Dimora. While I certainly don’t approve of how he subverted our laws against bribery, the sentence he received for his crimes went far beyond the pale. He deserved to go to prison, but for 26 years? As Joe Biden might be moved to say, “C’mon man!”
Too many American politicians build their careers off of specious “tough on crime” posturing (even when they represent crime-free enclaves), playing to the worse instincts and fears of a gullible electorate. Politicians seemingly can’t master the business of smoothly running the country, so they instead pacify people by pandering to their unreasonable fears. These elected officials willingly deprive other Americans of their liberty simply to win their own reelection bids.
Additionally, the presidential pardon process is just about as unfair as the process whereby people are initially sentenced to prison. The same unjust standards are applied by uncaring bureaucrats when a determination is being made in regards to who receives a pardon and who doesn’t.
Also, the pardon process in state prison systems can be just as unfair. Last Saturday California Governor Gavin Newsom reversed a parole board’s decision to release Charles Manson follower Leslie Van Houten. Yes, she was involved in a heinous crime while still in her teens, but she has spent close to the last 50 years in prison (as a model prisoner, mind you) for her actions.
Really, what kind of people are we?
It’s past time for our supposedly “freedom-loving” country to put an end to overly harsh sentences that make a mockery of our system of criminal justice and also make our country a laughingstock among the civilized nations of the world. While sanity won’t commence with the outgoing tRump, it certainly should start under the new Biden/Harris administration.
