Who Is the Victim

I have not worked for a newspaper since 1975. At that time we worked with lead. A lot of thought was given to article and ad placement before pages went to press. I wonder if it still is.

This morning I was struck by the placement of two articles on the front page and page four of our newspaper. One article was on abortion and one on releasing prisoners to save tax money.

Have you noticed you often don't notice a certain type of car on the road, until you get one? There are certain contradictions that just don't escape my attention. Our ideas on abortion, punishment, and money define us in the eyes of others. My heart reacts instantly. My brain catches up, trying to transform my feelings into a rational response. There is nothing you can do. Get over it.

The article said the hit and run person will most likely be released from prison 30-50% earlier than his sentence. The way our law works lawyers will see an opportunity to make money by pleading if this man was released early why shouldn't so and so be released early? This will involve more court costs. Come on, how much time and money will actually be saved? Isn't this just rerouting money to pockets already full? People who have hurt others will be given an earlier opportunity to do it again. The picture of the young victim's parents pleading their child's case in the courtroom tells the story. The victims are victimized again. Follow the trail to the money.

Some Christians oppose capital punishment, but the secular world assumes we all support it. The fact that I do opens me up to criticism and questions regarding my belief in forgiveness. Christians are often portrayed as ignorant, but most of us know the difference between forgiveness and consequences.

Vast sums of money are spent to protect and help lawbreakers at the expense of their victims. At the same time we don't think twice about the unborn being victims. Politicians, like actors, play to their fickle fans. Paint the picture properly, frame it just right, use the correct key words, protecting our civil liberties, and it will usually sell. Doesn't the picture in the paper of the heartbroken parents indicate they are the victim, not the prisoner? Saying we are trying to save money for more schools is just the old shell game again. Since half of those in Congress are millionaires let me ask a question. If any money was really saved do you really think it would make its way back to the tax payers?

Sorry, I'm just an old fart with mixed up ideas and perspectives. I see the person bleeding and eventually dying alone in a ditch as the victim, not the uncaring driver who awaits an early release from prison. I see the heart broken parents as the victim. I see the unborn as victims. I see many of the homeless as victims. I see those denied medical treatment as victims, etc. etc. etc.

On C1 of today's Oregonian is the headline, 'Photo of doelful chimps touches humans.' Under the picture of a group of chimpanzees sadly looking down at one of their own who died of a heart attack it says, 'It cuts across species lines. When people look at that scene, they see concern and fear and grief.' If we look at the picture of the heartbroken parents on the front page and we cannot identify with them as the chimps can about one of their own, than the victim is us.