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Apr 9, 2009
No Indictment
The Corrections employee was driving a state van, talking on a cell phone, ran a red light, and the resulting three-vehicle left an inmate in the van dead. According to a story in the Dothan Eagle, prosecutors presented the case to a grand jury, and the jurors decided there was no crime was committed. I'm not a lawyer, but huh? If it had been a little girl or boy in the van who had been killed, would the grand jury have reached the same decision? There must be more to this story than is being presented, no?
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Don't forget O.J. - and the civil suit.
ReplyDeleteOf course, it would have to be the family of the deceased whom would bring the case.
On one level, I have some reservations about the entire grand jury process - itself an entirely secret and wholeheartedly biased process.
Yet the case presented to it (the GJ by the District Attorney's office) could be so construed as to diminish any future responsibility the state may have - thus ameliorating any potential future responsibility.
Que será será...
The cops and the state always win. Most people have the attitude of "Who cares if a prisoner is killed?" While some of the people in prison certainly deserve to be there and should never, ever be let out many more inmates do not deserve to be there and it is sickening that their lives are seen as less valuable than others. Isn't all life sacred and precious? Many Christians scream that from the roof tops but they don't practice it. I'd wager that everyone on that grand jury w=considers themselves a Christian.
ReplyDeleteMiss Loretta, you raise an interesting, yet disturbing point. It is of social interaction and faith toward and in Christ by those whom so name Him.
ReplyDeleteIn what way should Christians interact with and have influence upon the world and society around them?
In a very real way, the spread of Christianity is largely responsible for the spread of humanizing laws and practices in this nation and throughout the world. For example, the practice of abandoning newborn children to the elements and scavenging wild animals was outlawed in the era of the Roman empire, as were the savage practices of gladiators, and throwing Christians and the nation's political enemies or prisoners to starving lions.
In our modern era, Christians were largely responsible for lobbying Congress to give Americans the 40 hour workweek, prohibitions against child labor, and humane treatment of prisoners (including of war), establishment of health and safety for food and work conditions, and an entire host of other things too numerous to mention.
In all the 50 states of our union, there is not even one Department of Punishments. There are, however, at least 50 Departments of Corrections. So we see that there has existed at some time, a successful model for the correction of those whom were adjudicated guilty.
Christians' hope lie in redemption, not only of the soul and spirit, but of the body and in the ability to change one's habits, to change the course of one's life... to have and experience what the Greeks called "metanoia," a change of mind and heart that was reflected actively in a changed way of life.
Colloquially, some call that "repentence." Remember, Christ said on many occasions to "go and sin no more." He would not have encouraged or commanded one to to something He knew impossible for humans to do. Remember also, He was human, and was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin.
He is about forgiveness and change toward the positive, toward love of God and our neighbor. We love because He first loved us, and gave Himself for us.
Allowing God's love to live in us richly can be a daily struggle, but it is one that yields rewards that are redeemable in this life, and in the world to come.
Finally, remember also the LORD Christ's words in the "Sermon on the Mount" found in the Gospel according to Matthew, chapter 5, and His preaching in chapters 7, and chapter 25.
"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord!' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the person who does what my Father in heaven wants. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name? Didn't we force out demons and do many miracles by the power and authority of your name?' 23 Then I will tell them publicly, 'I've never known you. Get away from me, you evil people.' - Matthew 7:21-23 (GWT)
34 "Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. 35 I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. 36 I needed clothes, and you gave me something to wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited me.' 37 "Then the people who have God's approval will reply to him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you or see you thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and take you into our homes or see you in need of clothes and give you something to wear? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' 40 "The king will answer them, 'I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did for me.' - Matthew 25:34-39 (GWT)