How about this story from the front page of the National Post this morning:
Killer awarded $6K over wrong shoes in prison
Want to hear the story? Sure why not. Better sit down.....
A guy who killed not one, not two, not three, but four people has just been given six thousand dollars of our money by the federal court of Canada because prison officials were slow in giving him a brand new pair of New Balance running shoes.
The quadruple killer's name is Gregory McMaster. He’s now being housed in a nice little medium security institute at Fenbrook Institution near Gravenhurst.
He went on a killing spree in 1978 killing four people including a Minnesota police officer.
He complained that because prison officials were slow in getting him a nice new pair of New Balance runners, he suffered a knee injury while working out in 2004, so he sued us taxpayers.
Yesterday, we taxpayers agreed to fork over six thousand dollars to Gregory McMaster, but of course the lefties claim we don’t need any tightening up of our justice system.
By the way, just thought you’d like to know, almost ten million Canadians didn’t bother to vote on Tuesday. That’s about ten million eligible voters who couldn’t be bothered. This increases pressure to impose some sort of mandatory voting system. It has worked in Australia.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
29 comments:
I did vote. Wanna here another story? A guy (me) wrote to you a while a go about my family and I in dire straits. You asked me to prove my story. I have replied to you with information but you have not responded my emails. I guess cause I don't go to church means I get ignored? I thought the left were the bias ones?
Please tell me this is a joke. I wear New Balance shoes and...they aren't cheap. Why the hell should a murderer be entitled to anything other than food, water??? Our system has gone loopy. 6000.00 dollars to an inmate because he hurt his knee...while working out in jail??? Yet, I wonder why we're being taxed to death...we pay for all this crap. I am growing so weary of all this nonsense.
Heather Fletcher, I agree with you 100%. I can't add much more to that!
And I do think it's time for some degree of a mandatory voting system here in Canada. I was ashamed to here the extent of the low voter turnout. I am a young voter for cryin' out loud, and very few of my peers voted. Shame on them.
Six thousand is peanuts compared to the 300 million spent on a useless election.
I don't hear Mr. Green getting terribly huffy about that, now, do I?
Seriously? What would a tighter justice system have done to prevent any of this? Nothing, unless maybe it would have helped Mr. McMaster get his shoes on time.
Typical! But wait a week and the story will be superceded by something more ridiculous. Headliners become old-hat quicker than you can turn a page.
Our justice system is a joke. Turnstyle justice and weak-kneed leftist judges ensure the Ivory tower elitists keep their useless jobs, all the while, Joe citizen and his family suffer.
As for mandatory voting, if Canadians have to be forced to vote, then their vote is not one of conscious.
No balance? Indeed, there is no judicial balance in this country.
Not only is the lady with the scales blind; her scales are defective!
I keep hearing how 'our justice system is a joke', but never hear anything specific identifying what (a) is wrong with it, nor, more significantly (b), what should be done to fix it.
Jails and prisons are overcrowded, horrible places (despite the cries to the contrary that somehow life behind bars is a piece 'o cake), and our current crime rates have been declining since the early 90s.
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/080717/d080717b.htm
It's not a perfect system .. that's a given .. but to call it a 'joke' is ridiculous. Go get yourself arrested and spend some time behind bars to see just how funny the 'joke' really is.
xiz: I'm not stupid enough to get arrested.When you do something stupid, or illegal you are supposed to be punished. I don't give a damn what happens to the people behind bars. They put themselves there. It has nothing to do with...socio- economic backgrounds,or my Mommy didn't hug me enough. It has to do with the fact all people are given choices and people in prison made the wrong ones. I don't feel sorry for them.I think they get way more "luxuries" than they deserve as is.
Heather : Your reply suggests you believe the justice system is infallible .. that everyone behind bars deserves to be there.
And actually, Heather, it has *everything* to do with background. As for your assertion that priosoners have way more 'luxuries' than they deserve .. pray, tell, what exactly are these luxuries of which you speak? Food? Water? Shelter? Not being beaten up on a regular basis?
Do tell .. you seem far more informed about a prisoner's life than me ..
Heather, could you name us a few of the 'luxuries' that people in prison get?
LOL! Come on people. You can sit there and tell me New Balance running shoes are not a luxury item??? I do agree that the justice system has flaws. There are indeed people who may be innocent behind bars. As we have seen. I do sincerely believe however, that if you are in jail...3 hots and a cot should be ALL you get. I mean...you have committed a crime. I still maintain my stance in that I do not think it all stems from upbringing and background. In a lot of cases you have upper middle class dumb asses, from good families that just...want to be "street".Of course there are circumstances that can contribute to the likelihood of criminal activity in an individual..but again...I do believe you have the choice to go down that road or not.
Heather : The contradictions just keep on coming .. now, you say 'There are indeed people who may be innocent behind bars', when only two posts earlier you claimed you 'don't give a damn what happens to the people behind bars. They put themselves there'.
Interestingly, after less than a minute's searching, I can find New Balance running shoes for 55 bucks .. New Balance walking shoes for 35 bucks. Just how little should a prisoner's shoes cost in order to you to not see them as a 'luxury'?
Or, perahps, prisoners should simply go barefoot, hm?
Your 'stance' initially was that 'It has nothing to do with...socio- economic backgrounds,or my Mommy didn't hug me enough. It has to do with the fact all people are given choices and people in prison made the wrong ones' .. now, it seems, you believe "In a lot of cases you have upper middle class dumb asses, from good families that just...want to be "street".
Are you serious? Do you honestly believe our prison system is overflowing with bored, suburban kids who have turned to a life of crime in order to be 'cool'?
You have *got* to be kidding me.
It's been a month since a new blog entry Mr. Green - either write about how the city should allow your grandson to play soccer for free, or pull the damn plug already.
Lowell is on vacation. Maybe you could take one too.
To a.franklin :
*applause!*
deneb: He's on a month long vacation? If that's the case, I hope he stops ranting about all the time off public servants get when he's back on the job. It wouldn't happen, but one can dream.
Lowell has worked **** hard during his life. Plus, he's in his 70s. He deserves whatever time off he can get. BACK OFF !!!
I never said Mr. Green doesn't work hard KB_44, all I asked is why his blog hasn't been updated in over a month. His age shouldn't be used as an excuse, and if it is, maybe it's time to call it a day.
Just saying...
A. Franklin,
I never said that his age is an excuse...All I meant was that he is under no obligation to update his blog.
XIZ:LAMO Are you serious??? Ok I will spell it out so you understand...I'll try to type slowly so you can follow.....yes mistakes can be made in the justice system. Overall, they are rare. The people who end up in jail..I DON'T CARE ABOUT. They deserve a punishment...period. I also NEVER said ALL people in jail were middle class. I said there are many. Since you seem to be such a fan of semantics what is your stance?? You think what? Someone who molests a child deserves a pat on the head and a new pair of shoes??? Or maybe satellite tv, and a massage and martinis every friday?? Or a murderer deserves...foie gras and steak so he isn't being...treated like..oops my bad...a criminal???? All I can say is...perhaps if you were affected directly by a violent crime...you'd see things differently.
Heather, please enlighten us, what violent crime affected you so much that you want all criminals flogged regularly, and fed gruel before being led off to the execution you feel they deserve. I'd ask Mr. Green, but he apparently no longer blogs and his groupies have let him off the hook for cutting and running.
Where did I say criminals should be fed gruel etc??? LOL I said they are being punished for their wrongdoing and it should feel like a punishment. When you have strayed outside the boundaries of the laws of our country...why should you be entitled to the same things as law abiding citizens??? Why is this such a foreign concept for people to understand? Although...pedophiles should be executed...wouldn't bother me in the least.
Way to backpedal on the violent crime that affected you so much... Even with the six grand in damages this prisoner received Heather, you wouldn't trade places with this guy no matter how ritzy you believe life in prison is. Do you really think this prisoner is living an easy, punishment-free life while incarcerated in a prison because he got those shoes Heather? Do you really think your taxes would be significantly lower if he didn't get those shoes? Come on!
Ageism? What does age have to do with it? Lowell is on a vacation. Where is it written in stone that one has to "update" a blog, or respond to invective? Anyway,
we all digress from the main topic here.
Prison rarely "rehabilitates". Its prime purpose is to protect society. A criminal cannot easily commit crimes to the greater society if she or he is incarcerated. The laws must be fair but repercussions for injurious and anti-social criminal behaviour must be strict enough to offer a deterrent effect.
As for prison conditions; give them security from other inmates, adequate nutrition, a chance to exercise and a blanket to keep warm. Very little tax payer money should be used for 'amenities' beyond the aforementioned, other than perhaps providing the inmate the opportunity to better her or his education.
Heather : Yes, I am serious, and I'm simply trying to follow your numerous backtracks, flip-flops and contradictions. There are more contortions in your argument than an entire Cirque du Soleil performance.
So, first you feel the justice system is infallible, and anyone who winds up in prison deserves to be there. Then you don't. Now, you do, again, but acknowlege that mistakes can be made, but you just don't care about anyone in jail.
And now, you assert that 'many' .. without explaining how many is 'many' prisoners are bored middle-class kids who want to be tough guys.
Riiiight.
As for my stance, since you seem to believe I'm a fan of semantics .. well, I'm in favour of semantics. They help me understand what would otherwise appear to be a knee-jerk, illogical response to a complicated issue. Like, say, the Canadian justice system, for instance.
As for my views .. I believe our system of justice gets it right more than it doesn't. I believe that prison should be uncomfortable .. it is, after all, punishment .. but I also believe that prisoners should have the opportunity to have a chance at going straight once they're released .. and education, and rehabilitation may be the best way to do this. Oh, and I believe that prisoners *must* be treated humanely.
So, there you go. Over to you .. can't wait for the next contortion ..
deneb :
Funny .. even *I* can update my journal when I'm on vacation. Perhaps Mr. Green finds multi-tasking too onerous ..
*yawn* the attempts at trying to pick apart my points are...really tiresome. First of all....I NEVER said I was a victim of a violent crime. What I said was "perhaps if you had been a victim of a violent crime you'd understand my point" not meant to imply I myself had been a victim. Just the base empathy towards it, most people should be able to relate to. ALL systems are subject to error. That doesn't mean at all times there are innocent people in prison. As for the middle class idiots that wanna be all "gangsta" there are loads of them. I still don't understand why people why people insist that those who break the law are entitled to anything other than base necessities. If they get hurt in jail...oh well...maybe they shouldn't have got themselves there. There is a prison culture, that people are aware of...and yet...they put themselves there...repeatedly in some cases...why should I feel pity of any kind? Seriously...why should I care about a murderer, rapist, child molester, drug dealer??? Oh...yeah, they must have had hard upbringings, in low income families, who gives a s#$t...they also had CHOICES.Which...if they are in jail...they made the wrong ones...see I feel bad for the victims of these criminals...not the criminals themselves.
Heather : If you feel that attempting to 'pick apart your points' .. points, I might add, that seem to change daily, is tiresome, I'd suggest you steer clear of any sort of debating.
As for your 'points', it seems that you're back to suggesting that everyone in prison deserves to be there.
Gotcha.
Can't wait for tomorrow's update.
Post a Comment