04-04-2015, 09:45 AM
I'm speaking more to the level of disdain for gender identity. The insistence on calling her "him", the notion that the gender identification is simply confusion or misplaced homosexuality...
I can't speak to the crime she committed and frankly, I think we all know being in prison for murder doesn't necessarily imply guilt any more than being acquitted of murder means you didn't do it. As we speak there's a murderer/thug/all around bad guy with a good chance of going completely free based on the fact that he's really good at running in short bursts while carrying a football.
But to your point:
Human beings start life in utero as gender nonspecific, and chromosomes decide what parts develop and what parts don't. Prior to that stage, the genitals are identical. Since the universe is a fickle bitch, and we see people born with all sorts of aberrant body variations in hair, skin, facial shape, body shape, etc, who am I to say the brain can't be born hardwired in a way that doesn't fit the specs of the body that came with it? I identify as male. But my penis is not my identity.
I suppose that depends on why we have prisoners to begin with, and it's a much bigger question than this one case. As a society we must decide what our intent is with those of us who cannot behave. Do we mean to punish? Remove? or rehabilitate? If our intent is to punish or remove, then why pretend to be humane at all? Why not simply chain them to a wall and leave them there to rot? Why feed them, which costs money, or house them, or guard them, or provide them exercise and distraction? The average cost to maintain a single prisoner ranges from 20k to 60k a year, with variations. That's baseline. Chains are cheap. Bullets are cheaper. If we decide these murderers are of no value then why pretend?
If we intend to rehabilitate then the expense is warranted as part of our prison system. If we determine that our goal is to produce viable members of society then the expense is considered part of that cost. Otherwise we should simply shoot all of them and stop wasting our time.
Bottom line is, the current influx of "legalizations" shines a light on the idiosyncracies and blatant contradictions in our "humane" prison system. There are people currently serving life sentences for selling and growing marijuana, while others are getting rich legally doing the same thing. There are people alive today attending gay weddings between different races who remember when both were against the law and punishable by prison. I'm not trying to say that murder ought to be legal or that this person didn't commit a crime. Just that there are no black/white answers and especially not in the prison infrastructure.
I can't speak to the crime she committed and frankly, I think we all know being in prison for murder doesn't necessarily imply guilt any more than being acquitted of murder means you didn't do it. As we speak there's a murderer/thug/all around bad guy with a good chance of going completely free based on the fact that he's really good at running in short bursts while carrying a football.
But to your point:
Quote:In terms of the OP, the opinions regarding gender dysphoria,
Human beings start life in utero as gender nonspecific, and chromosomes decide what parts develop and what parts don't. Prior to that stage, the genitals are identical. Since the universe is a fickle bitch, and we see people born with all sorts of aberrant body variations in hair, skin, facial shape, body shape, etc, who am I to say the brain can't be born hardwired in a way that doesn't fit the specs of the body that came with it? I identify as male. But my penis is not my identity.
Quote:the thoughts about prisoners' entitlements...?
I suppose that depends on why we have prisoners to begin with, and it's a much bigger question than this one case. As a society we must decide what our intent is with those of us who cannot behave. Do we mean to punish? Remove? or rehabilitate? If our intent is to punish or remove, then why pretend to be humane at all? Why not simply chain them to a wall and leave them there to rot? Why feed them, which costs money, or house them, or guard them, or provide them exercise and distraction? The average cost to maintain a single prisoner ranges from 20k to 60k a year, with variations. That's baseline. Chains are cheap. Bullets are cheaper. If we decide these murderers are of no value then why pretend?
If we intend to rehabilitate then the expense is warranted as part of our prison system. If we determine that our goal is to produce viable members of society then the expense is considered part of that cost. Otherwise we should simply shoot all of them and stop wasting our time.
Quote:What do you think about the federal court ordering $100,000 outpatient surgery and years of costly specialized therapy for a convicted incarcerated murderer with a non-terminal condition, Donovan?Without knowing the specifics of the case I would be hesitant to comment. See above for my general thoughts on the matter. But if I were the judge considering the case I'd consider: the likelihood of a repeat offense, the effect of reassignment, the nature of the original crime ( there are lots of different ways to wind up a murderer that don't involve anything more than poor decision making and horrible luck) and the reality of whether the person will ever be free. For a death row inmate? No. For a person paying the price for a horrible mistake. Possibly. There are lots of people in this world who, either fairly or unfairly, are getting a better shake from the system than I am with free goods and services. If I spent my time being angry and jealous at all of them I'd go mad.
Bottom line is, the current influx of "legalizations" shines a light on the idiosyncracies and blatant contradictions in our "humane" prison system. There are people currently serving life sentences for selling and growing marijuana, while others are getting rich legally doing the same thing. There are people alive today attending gay weddings between different races who remember when both were against the law and punishable by prison. I'm not trying to say that murder ought to be legal or that this person didn't commit a crime. Just that there are no black/white answers and especially not in the prison infrastructure.