We have laws here in America that seem to apply only to those who cannot buy, influence or otherwise skirt the protocols necessary to justly enforce them. It is a shameful thing since justice is supposed to be blind as to all diversity of culpability. Apparently we have two justice systems, one which is propagated as equal in it's application and the real one where power and wealth may nullify any application of justice. The old "do as I say and not as I do" mentality. Advantage and privilege will unfortunately always be with us it appears and never so clearly does it show itself as when the advantaged and privileged are not equally bound by our judicial system. A crime is a crime and no amount of empathy or convoluted reasoning will ever change the simple fact of wrongdoing. It is inevitable that those who can afford to game our judicial system will continually do so unless we stop the utility of wealth and power as factors in determining guilt. Much like money is not speech and corporations are not people, wealth and power do not make one immune to the law. Where a crime is proven by the facts there should be no safe harbor from the guilt nor the punishment, other than in sentencing where our societal compassion for extenuating circumstances are intuitive. Guilt is guilt and no amount of turning the other way because the guilt sheds shame on all of us should ever be allowed. When we give no quarter to those who defy our rights and privileges to make law against that which includes dishonorable behavior, we set the proper example that no human being has the right to dispensation above another, regardless of advantage, rank or privilege. We must prosecute those who break our laws as a means to validate that we truly are a democracy that values equality above favoritism. We are stronger individually for our holding to our principles and our collective society will reflect that.
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