Meanwhile, we have to suffer through O.J. playing golf freely among us; Michael getting a light slap on the wrist for sleeping with underage boys; and Phil Specter evading trial for four years after shooting an actress he picked up at a bar.
And Paul Wolfowitz (President of the World Bank) will probably get off scot free for promoting his mistress, Shaha Riza, in ways that even kindergartners would find unethical and offensive (but perhaps not illegal in the strictest sense.) Still.
Is this American justice at work? Yeah. The bitchy part of me is delighted with spoiled Paris' predicament (the rich do not get special treatment,) but, hey folks, let's get real: Who are the worst criminals here?By the way does Shaha remind you of someone in an Austin Power's movie?
8 comments:
Ms. Place,
Not going to get into the trap of evaluating Hilton's case by comparing it to something else.
The facts in HER case are:
1) No contest plea to DUI.
2) Failure to show up for mandatory counseling for First probation violation.
3) Speeding with a suspended licence. Second and third probation violations.
4) Driving at night with lights off on suspended licence as 4th and 5th probation violations.
5) 12 minutes late for trial concerning those FIVE probation violations. Being late is a SIXTH probation violation and something known to annoy Judges.
She's lucky to live in Los Angeles. In my county, she loses the Bentley and does 120 to 364 days with the Bubbette.
In fact, the Bentley would be County Property the day she failed to show up for DUI counseling. She would have been forced to commit her other crimes in the Hummer.
as
I think sometimes people think we are stupid. There is no doubt Paris deserves to go to jail. If I had done what she did, I would be in jail. Also, I think drunk driving in general is a horrible thing to do. I know too many families who have lost someone to drunk driving in some capacity and I do think there should be harsher penalties for it than we currently have in place.
That being said, does anyone else feel like we have celebs going to jail for minor infractions so that they can throw up their hands and say "see? we are accountable for our actions too!"??
I have to call bullshit on that one. But, that being said, I don't think they are getting special treatment because they are famous. They are getting the same special treatment all rich people get, it's just more widely covered in the media.
In my hometown, a jogger was hit and killed by a snotty little rich boy (and yes, I do know the rich boy very well and can make that character analysis accurately) and of course the local police treated it with kid gloves and labelled it as an accident.
Even though the "accident" occured across town from where the driver lived and worked. And even though the victim of the "accident" happened to be someone who had just stolen the driver's girlfriend. Sounds fishy to me.
But wait, the driver is rich and his family has power and money. He can't be violent, he has too much to lose. Who are we kidding here? And of course it didn't make the news or papers.
Maybe the fact that the driver's daddy was golfing buddies with the owners of the local newspaper and several top guys with the local tv stations. But I'm sure he would have been above trying to cover up a scandal attached to his family's name?
Regular people and rich people have 2 different sets of laws that apply to them. If you don't think this is true then you are hopelessly naiive. And the Martha's and Paris' are just trophies being sacrificed so that the rich and powerful can assure us that they do, in fact have to abide by the same laws as us. Yeah right.
Neither Martha nor Paris really have to be concerned how their criminal record will affect their abilities to earn a living when they get out. People will remember that they went to jail but apart from a little time out in a minimum security prison that makes my apartment look like a dump, their lives will only be minorly inconvenienced and will likely have very little impact on them in the long run.
Well, now, this is what I get for mocking a serious subject. See why Ms. Place steers clear of the “trigger” zone? I do not want to push anyone’s buttons, but I do so love a good debate.
Yes, I agree that Paris ought to get more than a minor slap on the wrist. She broke the law, and I have no sympathy for her or her momma’s whining and complaining all over the airways about the rotten deal she got! Mr and Ms. Average American would be severely penalized for fewer infractions, so why should she be treated differently?
In my inept way I was highlighting the strange world of celebrity justice, where everything seems topsy turvy and upside down.
I find the concept of celebrity justice completely insane. That is why I lumped the seemingly minor crimes (Paris’ & Martha’s) in with the more egregious crimes of murder and child molestation.
The clients my groups work with are a hard scrabble lot. They get pulled over for being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and they find scant sympathy from judges or juries. Many can’t afford pricy lawyers, and some are judged guilty simply from the way they look, or for their inability to pay for good representation.
These celebrity spectacles are truly a mockery to them, affirming that there are two systems of justice in America: one for the haves and one for the have nots. Paris’ going to jail is a step in the right direction to rectifying that notion.
These celebrity spectacles are truly a mockery to them, affirming that there are two systems of justice in America: one for the haves and one for the have nots.
I agree 100%, Ms. Place. And don't get me started about corporate crime here at home and in other countries. Another example is Tommy Chong's case. He was found guilty of a minor (victimless) crime, and he had to serve 8 months or so in jail. Yes, he broke the law, but other celebrities have done far worse.
Ms. Place my dear, the fact that you don't shy away from the "trigger" zone is one reason why I love you so.
You own your opinion, as all people proudly should.
why on earth would any of us regular folks refrain from lawbreaking and unethical acts, when those who hold highest office in this country are thugs and criminals?
celebrities have always operated in a world unto themselves. i discount their activities as having little importance in my life, though i recognize the impact the celebrity culture has on youngsters.
we now live in a lawless land, as evidenced by our lawless attorney general. i may just give up all of this attempt at living a decent life and go criminal today.
The dimwit, overly entitled, spend-thrift hotel heiress, who probably couldn't spell "Conrad Hilton", let alone, "sign", deserves every day in jail that she gets.
It will not alter her behavior or the way she views herself or the world. It will, however, make those of us who live by the rules, who don't have unlimited funds to buy our way out of anything, or would if we could, feel just a tiny bit smug and morally superior to this bimbo.
But wait, maybe she isn't the real dimwit, that honor probably should be given to the dimwit who wrote: "She provides hope for young people all over the U.S. and the world. She provides beauty and excitement to (most of) our otherwise mundane lives" in the online petition to the Governator:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/PH21781/
Reality Check Time: Instead of shopping and clubbing (in the case of Ms Hilton) or enthralling to Bull Shit celbrities (in the case of the petitioner) maybe both Paris and the petitioner ought to be sent over to Bagdad, and get some real excitment and REALITY in to their mundane lives.
As for OJ, Bobby Blake and Michael Jackson, you can't take your cash with you when you leave this Earth, and then you will have Hell to pay.
Oh, and in regard to Shaha, that is a face that inspired that Bushliburton neocon Wolfowitz to lose all sense of judgement and embroil himself in a conflict of interest case?
It looks more like a face that could start a war... hmmm, maybe it did?
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