Being a writer I enjoy experiencing new things because it adds flavor to my life AND my writing AND my ability to look at things as close to their entirety as possible.
A lot of people do this within their favorite parameters. They engross themselves in their sport, kids, politics, house, job, whatever. Me, I engross myself in people. (and sex.. cuz sex with people gets the best experiences and the most connection to one person you can get. Plus its a wonderful catalyst to see deep into a man’s character. Well, and I get off on it! duh!)
I’ve always tried to see both sides of any coin. Knowing that most people are a big mixture of good and bad. And even the bad have good in them. Maybe it’s my Christian upbringing, but I’ve always believed in judging people by who they are NOW, if possible, not their past. Maybe I forgive too easily, but I’ve never looked at a man whose done foolish things or made huge mistakes, got caught & served his time… as a horrible human being. Unless he’s STILL that same man who made the mistake.. in other words, he didn’t learn to walk away from that.
On the one hand, I can understand society’s need to keep out someone dangerous. But can he be redeemed? Does the label become permanent or can he prove he’s reformed? What if this man does his time and is now trying to just live his life on the outside, evan after all the the time inside has changed him. Trying to get back to ANY sort of definition of normal can be hard enough for the man, but we don’t realize how difficult we, as society has made that for him (or her frankly). How can that person prove he’s changed, learned his lesson, done the time for his crime…. when prejudice for this past surrounds him. When he’s refused a job or an apartment, etc.
When we as society refuse him our forgiveness.
What if this man has no family to help him adjust, help him find a job, a place to stay. That trying to BE the new man who’s learned his lesson, turned a new leaf, CHANGED away from the path society has punished him for, when trying suddenly seems such an unreachable goal. For this man, sometimes committing another crime becomes a siren song he has more and more difficulty resisting. After all, if he’s caught, the consequences might be easier to live with than the hopelessness of trying against what seems like impossible odds. And if he’s not caught in the crime, maybe in his head his life’s a little better even for just a moment.
I’m not usually this controversial or serious. But I watched the movie The Woodsman with Kevin Bacon and it was fascinating so see into the mind of this man. Seeing him deal with life on the outside and deal with his addiction was amazing. I couldn’t watch the entire movie in one go… I had to take it in bits. Partly because my cable recording was freezing up here and there, lol.. and partly due to the subject matter.
I’m not saying the system works, or doesn’t. I’m just saying look at the person in those shoes and realize they are humans. Not trash. Probably not evil. Just people. If we cannot see them and therefore treat them as human, how can we expect them to behave as one.
I’ve dated several felons. And regardless of what got them into their situation I judge them for who I see they are now. Most took the experience to heart and strive to change their life, never go back. Some couldn’t conquer whatever bad judgment addictions that got them into the circumstances in the first place.
And I’m wondering how often that was helped or hindered by what WE did as a society. I do understand that restrictions we put on criminals is to try to protect ourselves and prevent them from doing to us again what they did in the first place. All I’m saying is does Righteous Indignation help the situation?