My cousin has been living in Spain for over a year now. Living in Northern Spain with a Gallician girlfriend is sweet I s'pose.
In any event, the news of Quebec's moronic language laws did make it there for the record. It was met with a huge '?' as in 'wtf?'
In any event - again - he was telling me, in a conversation he had with a top cop, in Spain the most time anyone can serve for any crime is 20 years.
You heard right. Kill someone? 20 years and you're out!
It brings back a line I heard - I forget which movie. The Red Dragon I think - delivered by one Anthony Hopkins playing the role of Hannibal. Essentially, it went something like, "any sane or rational society would either kill me or study me. Nothing in between."
Exactly.
***
But hey. These are times in which kids can't wear 'Hulk' t-shirts to school because they will 'imitate' them.
Such is the enlightened approaches employed. I think it's worse in the States than it is up here.
And that shit goes right to the top. Dr. Feel Good President of the United States hasn't shown any true leadership by preying on irrational fears after Sandy Hook. We're reluctant to send a message to would be criminals with harsh laws for serious crimes. A line if you will saying "this is civil society. Cross it and you're out." Instead, we choose to crack down on 'loss social leaders' that sway us from any rational thinking.
Right now. The patients run the asylum.
As it stands, reactions to a violent action is completely bunk and idiotic and the law seems to willing to comply.
The first story reminded me of a joke...
ReplyDeleteIt is the eve before a couple's 20th wedding anniversary and the man is sitting on the edge of the bed holding his head in his hands, morose. His wife asks him what's wrong and he replies, "Remember when your father caught us making love on the sofa and told me I had to marry you or go to prison for twenty years?"
The wife smiles and nods.
"Well, I would have gotten out tomorrow."
We have strict laws on gun ownership. These are routinely ignored by both law enforcement and citizens. What would new and tougher laws do?
And the president is enjoying himself campaigning, at least he's happy.
America has the "weakest" gun laws I keep reading and hearing. Yet, when I read the laws, it's pretty much in line with other countries. It's just that, maybe, Americans don't apply the law as vigorously as you point out. The other thing I keep reading, mostly from Europeans and Canadians, is how ostensibly "more civilized" we are and that "we laugh at Americans" because of the gun violence.
ReplyDeleteWhich is silly because Europe is burning to the ground - socially, economically and as we see, thanks to its weak constitution in dealing with violent crime.
If I had to choose, America hands down.