Pastor has sex with teens to cure them of homosexuality

[Barrister]

This may be the only time since Mihali joined the dark side, but, I agree with Mihali.  US mandatory minimum sentences, and sentencing regimes in general, and insane.  I wish Canadian sentences were a little bit higher in general, but US sentences are orders of magnitude higher than what we hand out here.

[merithyn]

For instance, your legitimate anger over the 30-day term in Mont., as well no immediate incarceration for this guy, seemed to have lead you to misunderstand and denounce suspended sentences as bullshit, while they are in fact quite real, especially for people -- unlike these two men -- with very few social/financial/educational resources.

They are bullshit in these cases. These two men are still out, walking around, and fully capable of harming others again. On top of that, the victims are left to feel vulnerable all over again, as they feel like the courts have let them down. Because a suspended sentence isn't the same as jail time.

[merithyn]

This may be the only time since Mihali joined the dark side, but, I agree with Mihali.  US mandatory minimum sentences, and sentencing regimes in general, and insane.  I wish Canadian sentences were a little bit higher in general, but US sentences are orders of magnitude higher than what we hand out here.

Agreed.

Of course, there's an issue with those who deserve jail time not getting it, too. It doesn't have to be all or nothing.

[Capetan Mihali]

For instance, your legitimate anger over the 30-day term in Mont., as well no immediate incarceration for this guy, seemed to have lead you to misunderstand and denounce suspended sentences as bullshit, while they are in fact quite real, especially for people -- unlike these two men -- with very few social/financial/educational resources.

They are bullshit in these cases. These two men are still out, walking around, and fully capable of harming others again. On top of that, the victims are left to feel vulnerable all over again, as they feel like the courts have let them down. Because a suspended sentence isn't the same as jail time.

OK, I don't see you disputing anything I actually wrote, and you're agreeing with Barrister agreeing with me, so I guess we've wrapped it up. 

[merithyn]

For instance, your legitimate anger over the 30-day term in Mont., as well no immediate incarceration for this guy, seemed to have lead you to misunderstand and denounce suspended sentences as bullshit, while they are in fact quite real, especially for people -- unlike these two men -- with very few social/financial/educational resources.

They are bullshit in these cases. These two men are still out, walking around, and fully capable of harming others again. On top of that, the victims are left to feel vulnerable all over again, as they feel like the courts have let them down. Because a suspended sentence isn't the same as jail time.

OK, I don't see you disputing anything I actually wrote, and you're agreeing with Barrister agreeing with me, so I guess we've wrapped it up. 

I never understood the point of your posts at all, and said so. I assumed that you were arguing in general rather than with me since you kept it up after I asked.

[garbon]

Meh, enjoy funding the prison-industrial complex, what with our highest rate of incarceration in the world.    We even beat Russia and PRChina!

And of course a rate ridiculously high for black men in general, and something insane for black male high-school dropouts.

And certainly 20 years in prison is a proportionate reaction to the crime committed.  God knows there'll be plenty of opportunities for the offender to be rehabilitated and productive once he's 50 with no skills other than those he learned in prison (which is, of course, the most violent and misogynistic environment in America). 

None of which is new or likely to change substantially if NC changed its laws on sentencing.

[Capetan Mihali]

I never understood the point of your posts at all, and said so. I assumed that you were arguing in general rather than with me since you kept it up after I asked.

I was arguing in general. You didn't ask me anything, or say that my posts were pointless; you wrote "BFD" under a quote from part of my post and made it specific to your points. 

I truly have no beef with you on this (or in general) so I guess we were just talking past each other. 

[Capetan Mihali]

None of which is new or likely to change substantially if NC changed its laws on sentencing.

So?

[The Brain]

I never understood the point of your posts at all, and said so. I assumed that you were arguing in general rather than with me since you kept it up after I asked.

I was arguing in general. You didn't ask me anything, or say that my posts were pointless; you wrote "BFD" under a quote from part of my post and made it specific to your points. 

I truly have no beef with you on this (or in general) so I guess we were just talking past each other. 

[Meri] TTYN [/Meri]

[garbon]

None of which is new or likely to change substantially if NC changed its laws on sentencing.

So?

Then I don't see why that is relevant.

[Capetan Mihali]

None of which is new or likely to change substantially if NC changed its laws on sentencing.

So?

Then I don't see why that is relevant.

So why's the law good?

[merithyn]

I never understood the point of your posts at all, and said so. I assumed that you were arguing in general rather than with me since you kept it up after I asked.

I was arguing in general. You didn't ask me anything, or say that my posts were pointless; you wrote "BFD" under a quote from part of my post and made it specific to your points. 

I truly have no beef with you on this (or in general) so I guess we were just talking past each other. 

Okay.

[Ideologue]

Meh, enjoy funding the prison-industrial complex, what with our highest rate of incarceration in the world.    We even beat Russia and PRChina!

That's the part that makes me really sick.  Russia, sure, they're almost not even a big country anymore.  But the PRC?  That's awful.

I'm also unsure as to why garbon thinks that reducing sentences wouldn't reduce "demand" for prisons.  It's possible that by reducing sentences across the board, fewer people will get suspended sentences, plea deals, etc. (which is in part a reaction to overcrowding), and the existing capacity will continue to be filled.  But I don't feel that that's unavoidable.

[garbon]

Meh, enjoy funding the prison-industrial complex, what with our highest rate of incarceration in the world.    We even beat Russia and PRChina!

That's the part that makes me really sick.  Russia, sure, they're almost not even a big country anymore.  But the PRC?  That's awful.

I'm also unsure as to why garbon thinks that reducing sentences wouldn't reduce "demand" for prisons.  It's possible that by reducing sentences across the board, fewer people will get suspended sentences, plea deals, etc. (which is in part a reaction to overcrowding), and the existing capacity will continue to be filled.  But I don't feel that that's unavoidable.

Now I'm getting quoted for things that I didn't say and then summarized in positions I didn't take?

[Ideologue]

Oops, sorry, dude.

I was quoting Mihali's post out of yours, but also referring to your stance here:

None of which is new or likely to change substantially if NC changed its laws on sentencing.