Imagine what would happen if you or I were involved in a legal case and instructed (on bond) that any kind of travel for business required 48-hour notice to a court representative. Of course, it wouldn’t happen. For mere mortals like us, there would be no travel… Not with 48-hour notice… not at all.
The dear mayor of Detroit, however, is no mere mortal like the rest of us. Although he is currently on “bond,” he has been given the freedom to travel, at least for business, if only he informs (notice, CNN uses the word “informs” not “gets approval from”) the court. That’s what I call generous.
So what happens when the court is generous to you? Well, apparently in Mr. Kilpatrick’s case, you ignore the order; violate it; get a slap on the wrist, and violate it again by going out of the country (not just out of the state!) He’s in trouble now, but his little trip to Canada, you’ll notice, wasn’t his first violation. The rest of us would be sitting in jail after even the most minor infraction. (How do I know? Because I’ve seen the courts throw people in jail for far lesser infringements!)
Oh, and I don’t buy that blather about his first priority being being to take care of the city, either – how dumb do you really think we are?!
It’s about time the courts stepped up to the plate. Just because someone is famous (or rich… or powerful…) doesn’t mean that should get a free ride. As a matter of fact, I’d argue it ought to be just the opposite. Courts bending over backwards for celebrities and political figures actually undermine their own authority and violate their own values. Show some grace to Joe-and-Jane-Schmoe once in a while and we might respect you… Give overly-light treatment to rich people and we won’t.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/08/07/mayor.jailed/index.html?iref=topnewsÂ
***Steps down off of soapbox***
Grace and Peace,
`tim
