More people are in prison *despite *a decline in crime? Could it be putting all the criminals in prison had something to do with it?
[QUOTE=John Mace]
Nothing to brag about, of course. I thought you were talking about prison conditions, though, since that’s the topic of the thread. But the thing is, with as many faults as we do have as a nation (I’ll not deny that), there simply is no meaningful comparison of the US today vs 50 years that would lead the conclusion that things, in general, are worse. I mean, go back 50 years and we’re talking Jim Crow, women locked out of most professions, McCarthyism… even the beginnings of the Vietnam War.
So yeah, we’ve got plenty of problems. We put too many people in prison as part of our “war on drugs”, and we’re still invading countries for no good reason. I hope we’ve learned our lesson on that last issue, but I’m not optimistic…
[/QUOTE]
As almost always you are the voice o f reason. For the most part I agree with you, but I still think I have a point in reference to the “hardening” of your society over my lifespan. For instance, in the mid-seventies, my college years, my recollections are of the US being one of the most liberal and easy going, easy living places on earth. Of course, I may be looking back through rose-tinted hippy spectacles…and from within the confines of campus life. But I don’t think so as I find those numbers brutal. Sure, the completely fucked-up war on drugs has had a huge effect on that swell and that, in particular is one of my worries about my son. Back in my college days, lighting a doobie was a non-starter in terms of punishment. M ost a cop would tell you was to put it out, whereas now, you could conceivably not just ruin your life but end-up dead as some of those kids in the Youth camps in California.
Dunno, maybe it’s my old age, but there it is. I really do find (after living/studying and working over 20 years stateside) that as a whole, it’s become a much harsher place to live (hell, I still can’t believe the whole NO debacle) than the one I used to admire and love.
Appreciate your input as always.
[QUOTE=Jodi]
She was making what we in the States call a “joke.” See, 'cause the puppy’s in Spain it would do the tango . . . . A very innocuous joke, actually, involving as it did only the inference that they dance the tango in Spain (stereotypically, with rose in mouth).
Leaving aside whether it was the world’s funniest joke, it was in fact an attempt at humor. So it’s not really clear what you think she’s demonstrating ignorance of, unless it’s the fact that puppies don’t actually tango.
So unfortunately your humorlessness is showing. Maybe you can figure out how.
[/QUOTE]
Point being, the joke would have been more effective had she used “flamenco” “jota” “pasodoble” or “sardana” as the tango is indigenous to Argentina and parts of Uruguay and Paraguay. Doubt more than a handful of Spaniards would know how to dance it.
Having said that, yeah, I split a rib laughing.
That’s the ignorance. The tango isn’t a Spanish dance, it’s Argentinian.
Oh, the American willingness to imprison foreigners when “policing” foreign countries and the fervent exporting of “American values” is how.
But I know where people like xtisme are coming from “Don’t ever take sides with anyone against the Family”.
[QUOTE=CarnalK]
Oh, the American willingness to imprison foreigners when “policing” foreign countries and the fervent exporting of “American values” is how.
[/QUOTE]
I understand having issues with American policing abroad, but that is done by the US military. The military has nothing to do with the jail system in the States, and the issues that you might have with the one are independent of the other.
I think that those things which do overlap that you might have a complaint about are things that are inherant to jailing people worldwide: there isn’t a very big line, oftentimes, between the sort of people who engage in crime and the people who enter justice enforcement.
[QUOTE=RedFury]
Fuck-off once and for all, you fascist xenophobic (funny that, being a first generation Latino-American) prick!
[/QUOTE]
Struck a cord, ehe Spaniard? 
Why don’t you tell them all about how wonderful Spains record is in the matter of incarceration and interrogation…I seem to recall that the Spanish are quite well known for their methods.
Pushing on, I’m neither fascist nor xenophobic…I just hate Spanish pricks like you, ehe? And I’m HISPANIC, not Latino-American you ignorant fuck.
I’m also probably older than you are…so take that ‘kid’, the puppy AND the flower and shove it up your tight Spanish ass, comprendo?
Now that the requisite insults have been traded (this is The Pit after all…we have to maintain the childish standards, as shown by our good friend Red here) back to our regularly scheduled bash…
-XT
[QUOTE=Duke of Rat]
You might suggest to him to try what has worked for me during my life here: Don’t commit crimes and stay out of prison.
As you said earlier, it’s all “Me me me!”. I would like $20,000. Me. There’s a bank right up the road that has $20,000 in it. All I need to do is stop by any corner store, snag up a cheap gun, and I can have that $20,000. Sounds good. Well, until you get to the whole “going to prison” part. So how do I avoid prison? I don’t rob the bank.
Unfortunately, toiling away at my desk for The Man doesn’t give me much street cred. That’s a burden I have to bear for not having the balls to rob that bank.
[/QUOTE]
Please read both mine and John’s response. I have no reason to be concerned about my son committing a robbery and or any other “hard” crime – he’s a 3.8 student at a school for gifted kids in West Palm. I am, however, concerned that a simple joint could ruin his life.
And yes, I know, the logical response is to tell him not to do it. But as I am not a hypocrite and he is obviously not a dunce, I told him both abut my usage in my younger yeas and the fact that it is a much less pernicious drug than the legal one, alcohol. Does that make a bit more sense now?
[QUOTE=elucidator]
Our prisons are a national disgrace, have been for as long as I remember. They are machines for taking not very good people and turning them to monsters, or prey to monsters. About the only thing Americans hate more than prison inmates is the horrid notion that they may not be suffering enough. Despair.
[/QUOTE]
Yeah. I look at some of the responses in this thread, and they just aren’t congruent with the statement, “I’m proud to be an American.”
[QUOTE=Diomedes]
Hey, hey! Personal insults lacking any sort of context. Is the issue that you’re not yet out of high school*, or that you just never matured?
[/QUOTE]
Growing old is inevitable.
Growing-up is optional.
I obviously chose the latter as to have childish fun at the expense of cunts such as yourself and x-time. So yep, a 51 year old kid I am. Today as a matter of fact.
Wanna sing me Happy B-day? Yeah…I thought not.
TTFN
[QUOTE=RedFury]
Please read both mine and John’s response. I have no reason to be concerned about my son committing a robbery and or any other “hard” crime – he’s a 3.8 student at a school for gifted kids in West Palm. I am, however, concerned that a simple joint could ruin his life.
And yes, I know, the logical response is to tell him not to do it. But as I am not a hypocrite and he is obviously not a dunce, I told him both abut my usage in my younger yeas and the fact that it is a much less pernicious drug than the legal one, alcohol. Does that make a bit more sense now?
[/QUOTE]
The last time I looked into it, you don’t get sent to the pen for a joint, even here in Texas. You probably already knew that.
P.S. Happy Birthday!
[QUOTE=Diomedes]
Hey, hey! Personal insults lacking any sort of context. Is the issue that you’re not yet out of high school*, or that you just never matured?
[/QUOTE]
Growing old is inevitable.
Growing-up is optional.
I obviously chose the latter as to have childish fun at the expense of cunts such as yourself and x-time. So yep, a 51 year old kid I am. Today as a matter of fact.
Wanna sing me Happy B-day? Yeah…I thought not.
TTFN
PS-BTW, x-time, wtf are you on about “puppies and flowers”? Try reading who wrote what before making a bigger asshole of yourself – though I doubt that’s possible. Oh, and get that Anglo-Saxon blood transfusion pronto. You’re an embarrassment to all Latin-Americans who proudly carry their Spanish blood along with that of their other ancestors.
Virgo-Libra cusp. Fussy and indecisive. And gay, of course.
[QUOTE=Duke of Rat]
The last time I looked into it, you don’t get sent to the pen for a joint, even here in Texas. You probably already knew that.
P.S. Happy Birthday!
[/QUOTE]
Yes, I do, although I am not really up on how each state handles the matter. I suppose it’s easy enough to find by going to NORML as they have all the specifics. However, I believe (and if you’d like search for a cite later as am running late for an appointment – perhaps NORLM has some of that data as well) that there are quite a few number of kids in jail for smoking/possession of pot. And to ruin kids lives for something so damn trivial, is, to me, insane and draconian. Mind you, I am not an advocate of legalizing harder drugs…
Thanks you for the b-day wishes. Much obliged.
Take good care.
[QUOTE=elucidator]
Virgo-Libra cusp. Fussy and indecisive. And gay, of course.
[/QUOTE]
Holy shit! Didn’t know you were into all that astrology stuff. But perhaps I should look into it because you surely have me pegged.
Laaaaaaaater!
feliz cumpleaños Red.
[QUOTE=RedFury]
You’re an embarrassment to all Latin-Americans who proudly carry their Spanish blood along with that of their other ancestors.
[/QUOTE]
Aha! The puppy was visiting Spain from Argentina to celebrate its heritage.
Cheers to you too, and sorry about your ribs.
Yes! Score!
The difference between us Spaniard is that I know my country has flaws (a LOT of them…including our prison system)…and I know my country doesn’t have the best reputation with The World™ (especially you ankle bitting Euro types).
You however don’t realize that your nation (let alone the rest of the European’s) also have flaws…and you have some kind of fantasy that the Spanish (or Europeans) are held in high regard with The World™ in general and hispanics specifically. I think its comforting to you Euro types that the US is out here to provide both a target for your backbiting, an example of a superpower who is uncivilized (compared to you OH so civilized Europeans) AND to distract from your own blood soaked hands. I find it fairly amusing that a Brit is commenting on the US prison system…the only thing that would make it more ironic would be a Frenchman (or perhaps a Spaniard such as yourself), ehe?
But what the hey…I don’t want to pop your bubble, no? I’m sure its a great comfort to you that the US is so evil…it distracts from the glass house you live in, throwing bricks at someone else’s…
-XT
Happy birthday, and oodles of toodles, you scrumptious Spaniard.
Well, I haven’t voted for Joe Arpaio in some time, but I can get a little defensive about ripping Maricopa County for obvious reasons. I don’t want to watch the video, because it’s British, and they talk funny. So could someone distill for me what they say about him? He keeps winning with 70% of the vote or so, and despite countless allegations, lawsuits and complaints, nothing has ever gone the distance.
We should take the same steps we took against those wimp-ass surrender monkeys!
“You never expect the Freedom Inquisition…!” Well, maybe that hits a little too close to the mark… “There is a rose in Freedom Harlem, a red rose up in Freedom Harlem…” Better. Freedom fly? No, that’s right out!…