I can't remember if it was the failing NYT or WP that ran an article on the death penalty recently but it showed that homicide rates are lower per capita in states that do not have the death penalty. Of the states with no death penalty, Illinois appears to have the highest murder rate, though still lower than capital punishment states. What do European nations with low homicide rates (sorry Jo Nesbo) have besides low gun ownership? No capital punishment. So wreak your revenge if you will, but it doesn't seem to do much good in the long run.
Eric, re. the commandment "thou shall not kill". That is an incorrect translation from the original Hebrew. It should be "thou shall not murder". Looking at the Biblical history that occurred after the Ten Commandments shows frequent killings, mostly in battle. There is a gulf between participating in a battle, especially of self-defense, and the taking of one, or several, innocent lives.
Regarding the two letters above about why the State wouldn't tax retirement income; they argue it's because of employees' unions. I was told that it is primarily because it would affect all retirement income, that you couldn't choose which one. And so Social Security, 401k distributions, pensions, anything retirement would be taxed the same. Though I didn't fact check that, I was told it was written in the State Constitution that way. I assume it correct since they had to try to pass a constitutional amendment to try for a graduated tax.
“In ‘Why Americans Don’t Care About Prison Rape,’ as 2015 article in The Nation, Elizabeth Stoker Bruenig reported on studies showing nearly 200,000 detainees a year are sexually violated in U.S. jails and prisons.
“We have become a culture that tolerates and potentially lauds the rape and sexual exploitation of hundreds of thousands of people every year, many of them minors, mothers, mentally ill. ... Rape is (widely seen as) part of forcing prisoners to change, it’s what makes learning your lesson in prison scary, and scary prisons are what keep bad people in line. …” –Zorn.
It seems to me like this despoiling prison ethic of rape-on-demand reflects ravaging barbarism committed by a degenerate pack of desecrating prisoners lusting after vengeance, power, and control using sexual extortion within the prison system as the method – a comply-or-die mentality. It puts power in the hands of the perpetrating prisoners based on the marauding prison outlaw culture waging the hellish threat of harm. It is clearly absurd that the vicious practice of these cruel molestations has any place in our modern criminal justice system or prisons that need to be completely eradicated of it in a civil, just society. So, what is or is not a just society and how is it reflected in our prison system(s)?
Although you are entirely correct about Trump's non-funny joke about raping the journalists, you seem to overlook two nuances (at least one of which Trump intended): 1) one of the Trumpies' favorite pastimes is watching the libs complain about non-funny humor of this type (so you took the bait); and 2) there is a serious argument to be made that the journalistic privilege has outlived its useful life (just like the filibuster and other old devices). Journalists cite alleged confidential sources dozens of times per day and the privilege is widely abused by both sources and journalists. I have no sympathy for the leakers (both authorized and unauthorized) or the alleged journalists.
I am a bit confused about allusions to taxing pensions in IL. I am a retired teacher, draw a teacher's pension, and am taxed on it. Who are the lucky ones who draw a pension and are not taxed? On another note about taxation, I resent the fact that it seems I am taxed on my (actually mostly my husband's) SS twice. In fact, IL seems to hold its teachers in low esteem because we do not collect our full measure of SS even though we worked at other employment that withheld SS.
I found Trump's 'joke' distasteful for many reasons. But I think that Ms Stoker Bruenig overstates the level of public acceptance. I think one of the reasons that people think the male prisoner rape story is humorous is because they do not believe that it is common. And it isn't. In 2015 there were 1.5 million prisoners in local, state and federal prisons and 2.3 million people that were detained for some length of time in these facilities. The reported rapes were under 4% and Stoker Breunig's 200,000 'sexually violated' number is 8.6% of the population. The most recent reports shows a significant improvement.
I think that the vast majority of people assume and expect that prisons are well controlled and managed, which is why there is a scandal when it is discovered that they are not. Similarly, getting murdered in prison, or the threat, is a common plot point in TV and movies but only happens to 0.004% of the incarcerated population.
I can't remember if it was the failing NYT or WP that ran an article on the death penalty recently but it showed that homicide rates are lower per capita in states that do not have the death penalty. Of the states with no death penalty, Illinois appears to have the highest murder rate, though still lower than capital punishment states. What do European nations with low homicide rates (sorry Jo Nesbo) have besides low gun ownership? No capital punishment. So wreak your revenge if you will, but it doesn't seem to do much good in the long run.
Eric, re. the commandment "thou shall not kill". That is an incorrect translation from the original Hebrew. It should be "thou shall not murder". Looking at the Biblical history that occurred after the Ten Commandments shows frequent killings, mostly in battle. There is a gulf between participating in a battle, especially of self-defense, and the taking of one, or several, innocent lives.
Regarding the two letters above about why the State wouldn't tax retirement income; they argue it's because of employees' unions. I was told that it is primarily because it would affect all retirement income, that you couldn't choose which one. And so Social Security, 401k distributions, pensions, anything retirement would be taxed the same. Though I didn't fact check that, I was told it was written in the State Constitution that way. I assume it correct since they had to try to pass a constitutional amendment to try for a graduated tax.
It's not just rape. It's violence up to and including murder, contraband, inhumane conditions (like no a/c in Texas). It's pretty inexcusable.
https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/how-atrocious-prisons-conditions-make-us-all-less-safe
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/15/nyregion/rikers-island-jail.html
https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/24/texas-prisons-air-conditioning/
“In ‘Why Americans Don’t Care About Prison Rape,’ as 2015 article in The Nation, Elizabeth Stoker Bruenig reported on studies showing nearly 200,000 detainees a year are sexually violated in U.S. jails and prisons.
“We have become a culture that tolerates and potentially lauds the rape and sexual exploitation of hundreds of thousands of people every year, many of them minors, mothers, mentally ill. ... Rape is (widely seen as) part of forcing prisoners to change, it’s what makes learning your lesson in prison scary, and scary prisons are what keep bad people in line. …” –Zorn.
It seems to me like this despoiling prison ethic of rape-on-demand reflects ravaging barbarism committed by a degenerate pack of desecrating prisoners lusting after vengeance, power, and control using sexual extortion within the prison system as the method – a comply-or-die mentality. It puts power in the hands of the perpetrating prisoners based on the marauding prison outlaw culture waging the hellish threat of harm. It is clearly absurd that the vicious practice of these cruel molestations has any place in our modern criminal justice system or prisons that need to be completely eradicated of it in a civil, just society. So, what is or is not a just society and how is it reflected in our prison system(s)?
Although you are entirely correct about Trump's non-funny joke about raping the journalists, you seem to overlook two nuances (at least one of which Trump intended): 1) one of the Trumpies' favorite pastimes is watching the libs complain about non-funny humor of this type (so you took the bait); and 2) there is a serious argument to be made that the journalistic privilege has outlived its useful life (just like the filibuster and other old devices). Journalists cite alleged confidential sources dozens of times per day and the privilege is widely abused by both sources and journalists. I have no sympathy for the leakers (both authorized and unauthorized) or the alleged journalists.
I am a bit confused about allusions to taxing pensions in IL. I am a retired teacher, draw a teacher's pension, and am taxed on it. Who are the lucky ones who draw a pension and are not taxed? On another note about taxation, I resent the fact that it seems I am taxed on my (actually mostly my husband's) SS twice. In fact, IL seems to hold its teachers in low esteem because we do not collect our full measure of SS even though we worked at other employment that withheld SS.
I found Trump's 'joke' distasteful for many reasons. But I think that Ms Stoker Bruenig overstates the level of public acceptance. I think one of the reasons that people think the male prisoner rape story is humorous is because they do not believe that it is common. And it isn't. In 2015 there were 1.5 million prisoners in local, state and federal prisons and 2.3 million people that were detained for some length of time in these facilities. The reported rapes were under 4% and Stoker Breunig's 200,000 'sexually violated' number is 8.6% of the population. The most recent reports shows a significant improvement.
https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/sexual-victimization-reported-adult-correctional-authorities-2016-2018
I think that the vast majority of people assume and expect that prisons are well controlled and managed, which is why there is a scandal when it is discovered that they are not. Similarly, getting murdered in prison, or the threat, is a common plot point in TV and movies but only happens to 0.004% of the incarcerated population.