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September 19, 2004
Decided
I'm sorry, Dad. I know that I told you that I wasn't pushing for Ralph Nader this year. I know I told you that John Kerry had my full support. I know you're strong on Kerry's campaign, and that Florida is an important state. But things change.
But Dad, I think we all have issues that we feel close to our hearts—and mine happens to be the criminal injustice system on several levels. I think that not enough attention has been paid to our government's policy. The Republican policy of "lock them up and forget about them" has been mirrored by the Democratic policy of "don't go against Republican policy and there won't be any more Willie Hortons."
Cobb's stand on these issues was clearly found here: David Cobb on Crime. He has clearly stated what his position is on the issues before him. Ralph Nader emphasizes racism, but still remains inline with Cobb's ideology.
I acknowledge that racism plays a big part of the criminal injustice system, however, class plays an even bigger part. Innocence can be bought for anyone that can afford it. Guilt is determined not by evidence but by one's ability to search for and present that evidence. If an individual has the power to pay for the man-hours to work the system and get a soft judge, sympathetic jury, and distracted or incompetent prosecutor, that person has a one hundred times better chance of winning his or her case than the rest.
Even the rich sometimes are used as examples, like Martha Stewart, for instance. And even the prisons like Danbury, once known as "country club" type holding facilities, are environments fraught with shoddy health care from uninterested physicians, regular humiliation by underpaid prison guards, and overcrowding due to "cost-saving" measures by the government contractors who run these facilities.
At one end, Club Fed, Eglin Federal Prison Camp near Fort Walton Beach serves food that rarely changes, and is disturbingly high in fat and cholesterol content not suitable for its large number of senior inmates. At the other, the inmates on Florida's death row were being fed spoiled food and still suffer in facilities with no air conditioning.
Kerry, for his part, mentions nothing about his stand on the criminal justice system on his website. Is his position the status quo?
Don't worry about my vote for Nader, Dad—it's not going to happen. This is strictly personal, based on his performance in television appearances of late. As I have no interest in dissuading anyone from voting for Nader, that's all I will say about that.
Up until today, I was balancing on a fence, whether to vote for Anybody But Bush or to vote for Somebody that Matters. John Kerry has neither done nor said anything to tip that balance his way. Now that I know a little more about David Cobb and his stand on the criminal injustice system, I've decided to vote for him.
Dad, you know, you had a lot of influence on me growing up. I admire you and always have. One of the most important things I learned from you was to think for myself. Thank you for that, Dad.
Posted by Bastique at September 19, 2004 1:56 PM