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Criminals The following is a conversation between myself and Gracie.
We started off with a discussion of victimless crimes, and somehow, this happened. Gracie: So to ‘punish’ the clients, to shame them, some places now publish names & photos of guys that hire prostitutes, which really does what?
Me: Embarrasses them?
Gracie: I guess, probably does more to embarrass their families - especially if they have wives, or kids who read the papers...
Me: I suppose that is how to shame them, blame them. Put the fear of God & family into them.
Gracie: Yeah, so the criminal punishments are not enough, we must socially reprimand them.
*silence*
Gracie: What?
Me: I was just thinking, wouldn’t it be more fitting to do that, to publish the names & faces, of say rapists? You know, to warn folks... If the milk-carton kids get found, wouldn’t women then have a chance to avoid a potential ‘bad guy?’
Gracie: Hmmm ...you may be onto something...
Me: Don’t sound so surprised!
Gracie: How about publishing your ex’s name & face, as a batterer? Then women he wants to date, or God forbid, marry, impregnate would be warned?
Me: I don’t know, then I would be identified as the victim, wouldn’t I?
Gracie: I don’t think so... I mean the don’t publish the prostitutes pictures all the time.
Me: Some places do!
Gracie: Some do, but then, they have broken the law too, remember?
Me: Well, yes... But, it wouldn’t be a big leap for folks to do the math... If you are married I mean...
Gracie: Well, only those that know you, or him, or both, & they pretty much know anyway, right?
Me: I suppose... But the kids..? Other family members...
Gracie: Well, the kids know, they all know... Or they will, I mean it is a crime, public record, published in the paper already.
Me: Well, I might be ok with it, but other women...
Gracie: Maybe this would end the stigma for victims, you know, ID the idiot, send a clear message he was wrong, you, the victim were wronged...
Me: I don't know... It is rather personal... I don't know if the stigma will just 'end' because of a list of 'here are bad guys' with photos...
Gracie: ...But a photo, for the next woman to know what this jerk looks like... Maybe it would prevent someone else from getting hurt?
Me: Well, it has more merit than publishing “John’s” photos - the hookers already see them coming!
Gracie: And there is that whole ‘shamming’ element... Lord knows, there should still be public floggings for somethings...
Me: Hmmm
Gracie: Just ‘hmmm?’
Me: Wait, I am thinking of his public flogging...
Gracie: Nice, isn’t it?
Me: Yeah. But I am a better person than that.
Gracie: Sure you are.
Me: But seriously, there would be more merit in publishing the photos of criminals of crimes with real victims, wouldn’t there?
Gracie: There sure would. Just think of the loosers you could avoid, that women would be alerted too...
Me: I think I’ll write my congressman...
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