I'm aware that a lot of you might be interpreting my commentary on criminal justice as being somehow right-wing. Well, defending a not guilty verdict, due process, and presumption of innocence shouldn't be indicators of a tough on crime, Joe Arpaio mentality. Yes, I've defended the acquittal of a white conservative. That's because my principles are real principles that don't budge when I disagree with the politics of the defendant.
Basically, I'm one of the real liberals in this discussion.
So, if you don't believe me, take in the following paragraphs and tell me where I became a tough on crime conservative.
During my time working in DC, most of my time was focused on criminal justice reform. During that time, I met a woman who I'll just refer to as "Barbera" because I don't want people who don't like me looking her up.
She was a teenager when she had her daughter. The father of her child was a deadbeat. While Barbera was caring for her child with no help from family, her ex wasn't paying child support. Her ex was cooking and selling meth though.
At one point, in lieu of cash, the ex-boyfriend gave Barbera a dime bag and told her to drop it off at an address that he gave her. The money that she would get for the meth would be get child support.
In desperation, she made the transaction.
Shortly thereafter, the cops were investigating her ex. The cops kept knocking on Barbera's door for information that she usually didn't have. Eventually, Barbera told the police that she had made the transaction.
Her ex was charged and so was Barbera.
Only Barbera had an overzealous prosecutor in her case who decided that selling the dime bag wasn't enough - he wanted to charge her with conspiracy.
The prosecutor was able to convince the jury and the judge, under mandatory minimum sentencing laws, had to sentence Barbera to thirty years to life. The judge had no option to be lenient.
I've met several people who were still behind bars. The only reason I was able to meet Barbera as a free woman was because she was finally pardoned after nearly thirty years. During that time Barbera had tried to kill herself on a few occasions.
So, I do take particular offense when people claim to be liberals while willfully and consciously decrying judicial restraint, presumption of innocence, leniency for the convicted, and so-on.
We're living in a world wherein a teenaged girl can have her life destroyed because of one bad decision in which she committed a victimless crime can ruin her life; but, people who fancy themselves to be liberals will suddenly turn into Joe Arpaio the moment a political opponent might end up in prison.
Stop calling yourselves liberals or start acting like liberals.