Day #10 - Justice, American Style...or was it English Style to begin with? Who can say...

I would have to say, if I were to plant my finger solely on what's wrong with our system of justice, it'd have to be squarely pointed at ourselves.  We let the problem continue, we roll over when laws are passed, and we just open our wallets without flinching when fines are implemented or raised.  But since I don't really want to condense every blog I've done on this into this one, I'll plant that finger on the second most problematic:  Our outdated constitution, and our stupidity at clinging to it like it's the Holy Bible.  Worse yet, like other things that are held as scripture, we've interpreted it so much that most of it, when read by Joe Average, is so twisted we don't quite know what these things say anymore.  Because we leave it to our judges to interpret as they see fit (and as we go on) the original meanings are bent beyond recognition.  Like the Bible, it's true meaning is lost in translation...literally.

I'll throw out a couple of examples, then leave the rest in your hands.

My favorite is the the 2nd Amendment, the one concerning the right to keep and bear arms.  Because of this "right", we Americans are the most armed nation in the world.  "And this is a bad thing?" you ask?  I'd say so.  In 2009, just 5 years ago, there were estimated to be 310 MILLION guns owned by citizens in the U.S.  This figure does NOT include anyone in the military.  In 2010, there were over 8,000 murders committed in the U.S. with a firearm or pistol of some sort.  88% of Americans own at LEAST one firearm.  There were 56 gun related deaths in England.  Only 6% of their citizens own guns.  Hmmmmm....let's see...what's wrong with this picture.

This is all because some nut job, nearly 200 years ago said we have the right to keep and bear arms.  Do you think maybe this language should be applied to our time just a little differently??  Enough said.

Oh, and by the way, one more crack at the NRA...and yes, Letter N will cover this well:  Congress passed a bill granting law enforcement around the country to receive post Cold War military gear and weapons, to be used as they see fit.  WHAT??  Bet old Georgy boy never saw that one comin'.

As far as justice and the system we have in place, there are very obvious things wrong.  There shalt be no illegal searches and siezures, but it happens tens to hundreds of times a day these days (see www.copblock.org, or look up "police brutality" on Youtube).  Innocent until proven guilty...but we're going to put you in jail if we suspect you anyway, just in case you get a little frog-like, and jump.  You have the right to council...if you can afford it, which a good portion of us can't anymore.  So, in that case, you're going to be appointed with a lawyer by the justice system.  Chances are, since he's probably doing this for next to nothing, he's not going to be real experienced though, so good luck with that.  There will be no excessive punishment, no extremely high bails...But bail will be set at 1,000,000, and next month, you'll be sentenced to death with a lethal injection.  Getting the picture?

The Judicial branch of our government is full of holes America.  People are wrongly imprisoned, loopholes in our laws are plentiful, and we leave those laws (as well as the 200 year old paper that laid out the 10 Commandments of America) and the interpretation of it up to a murder of judges...I'm sure there's a different term, but murder just sounded right here, I'm not sure why.

For more on this, I have done up a right glorious series of blog posts named "The law....Itself, also in this blog.  It's a good read.  Look 'er up, willya?  Thanks.