Quote of the Day
The court is most merciful when the accused is most rich.
Hebrew proverb
I'm not sure what to think of this quote, and I even wrote "not sure if I like this" next to it when I wrote it down last year. But it does make me laugh. It creates an image of children hearing this as a "boogie man"-like scaring tactic, meant to make everyone aspire for richness as much as they can. And hey, looking at the wealth and business-sense that many people with Hebrew ancestry have, perhaps this worked!
On another note, this quote is kind of fitting for my thoughts today, as I just got back from a documentary screening on the U.S. war on drugs. Looking at the disproportionate number of inner city, lower class, minority people ending up on the path of criminality and seemingly unable to escape incarceration, while their wealthier, less stereotyped criminal counterparts roam basically free....perhaps this proverb extends beyond the Hebrew thinking into current-day U.S. society. Unfortunately, if you ask me.
As for that documentary, The House I Live in, I recommend it for anyone interested in taking a look at the U.S. response to drug crime, and how it affects various parts of our society today. In theaters this Friday.
http://www.thehouseilivein.org/
No comments:
Post a Comment